American History (DL) Chapter 3

Winter 1774-5, General Gage (British) sent spies to Massachusetts to evaluate the strength of the colonial resistance and discover where the weapons the resistance had were being stored.

Feb 1775 - he sent troops to Salem to seize munitions. They were outnumbered and forced to withdraw.

Americans not only defied parliamentary laws, openly resisted British soldiers doing their duty.

No help from the British came for Gage until 14th April. Rebel leaders were to be arrested and force could be used to disarm the population. 18 April 700 men went from Boston to Concord under Colonel Smith. Citizens informed by Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr Prescott. Members of Boston safety committee.

19 April British troops blocked by 70 minutemen at Lexington. Shots were fired but it is not clear who shot first. 8 Colonists killed. British pushed to Concord. Met by larger militia force. British destroyed military stores but failed to arrest leaders. On return to Boston, Britons fired on by Americans firing from cover above in stone walls and woods.

May 1775 - British generals Howe, Clinton and Burgoyne arrived in Boston with a few thousand reinforcements. Gage now had a force of 6500 men. 17 June - Americans look set to occupy Bunker Hill.

Rebel force of 1500 holding the Hill. Howe launched a frontal attack. He dislodged the Americans but lost 1000 out of 2500 men in the process. 

Battle was the bloodiest engagement of the war. 1/8 of the British officers killed in the war were killed at the battle.

Barely anyone spoke about independence until 1776. A large minority remained loyal to Britian. 

This loyalist support was damaged by several months of British-American fighting which severely dampend ties between the two nations.

In the 1760s many Americans believed evil ministers were conspiring to destroy American Liberty. By 1776, many now believed it was the corwn and Parliament that were trying to destroy American Liberty.