Colonial Army and Early Battles

Study Notes

The Colonial Army Forms

The Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold, surprised and captured Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775.
The capture of Fort Ticonderoga provided the Colonial forces with much-needed weapons and supplies.
The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, with delegates including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.
The Congress appointed George Washington as Commander-in-Chief and renamed the colonial forces as the Continental Army.
The Battle of Bunker Hill, fought on June 17, 1775 at Breed's Hill, resulted in a heavy defeat for the British despite the colonial retreat.
The Battle of Bunker Hill demonstrated the colonists' ability to resist the British forces, despite their lack of resources.

Breaking with Britain

The Second Continental Congress made a final attempt at peace by sending a letter to King George III, seeking a resolution between the colonies and Parliament.
King George III responded by declaring the colonies in open rebellion.
In January 1776, King George III hired 20,000 German soldiers, known as Hessians, to fight in America.
By spring 1776, George Washington had successfully forced the British to evacuate Boston by moving heavy cannons to strategic positions.
Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet, Common Sense, further galvanized the colonists' support for independence.

Drafting the Declaration

In the spring of 1776, the Continental Congress acted as the colonial government.
In June 1776, Richard Henry Lee proposed that the colonies should be free and independent states.
A committee, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, was formed to draft the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence.
Congress formally voted to approve independence on July 2nd, 1776.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress on July 4th, 1776.
The Declaration states that all men are created equal and endowed with unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The Declaration was inspired by John Locke's philosophy of natural rights.
Jefferson's initial draft included a condemnation of slavery, but it was removed due to debate.
Women's rights were not addressed in the Declaration, despite Abigail Adams' plea.
The Declaration listed grievances against King George III, including the imposition of taxes without colonial consent and the deployment of standing armies without their approval.
July 4th, 1776 marks the official birth of the United States of America.
As a result of the Declaration, the 13 colonies became free and independent states.

Description

This quiz covers the formation of the Colonial Army and significant early battles during the American Revolutionary War. It includes events such as the capture of Fort Ticonderoga and the Battle of Bunker Hill, highlighting key figures and decisions made by the Second Continental Congress. Test your knowledge on the strategies and outcomes that shaped the conflict.