I. The First Continental Congress

A. The first Continental Congress met on September 5 until October 26, 1774

• All the colonies were present except for Georgia
• Some colonies wanted freedom, others wanted to remain British.

B. Compromise was reached, "Declaration of Resolves"

• compromise stated that colonists shall stay loyal to the crown, but the colonies have the power to make their own decisions, also known as continental rights, and the colonies also banned trade with great Britain.

C. King George III saw this as a rebellion which must be stopped.

II. Lexington and Concord

A. British came to colonies to take supplies from colonists in order to stop their rebellion. The colonists, however, were ready.

B. Colonists retaliate on April 19, by sending 70 minutemen (men who were ready to fight at a minutes notice) to Lexington to confront British soldiers.

• Gun fire erupted from an unknown source, resulting in a firing exchange on both sides leaving 8 colonists dead and 10 wounded.

C. The British then proceeded to Concord and destroyed the colonists supplies there. On the way back to Boston an ambush by minutemen resulted in 273 British deaths and 100 colonist deaths.

III. Second Continental Congress

A. Second Continental Congress met on May 10.

• At this meeting the congress decided to form the Continental army.

B. George Washington was Chosen as commander of the Continental army.

• George Washington used to be a British soldier.

IV. Battle of Boston

A. On June 17, 1775 two battles occurred. One battle on Bunker Hill, the other at Breed Hill.

• The two battles resulted in a combined 1,054 British Deaths, and fewer than 450 colonist deaths.

B. The Continental Congress sent a final plea to King George III to remain British. The plea is known as the Olive Branch Petition.

• King George III ignored it, and continued an assault.

C. On March 4, 1776 George Washington positioned his troops on Dorchester Heights forcing the British to retreat from their land holdings.