Shot Heard Round’ the World
• Objective: I can explain why the colonists felt that the American War
for Independence was inevitable.
• Preview: Answer: What does the phrase “the shot heard round’ the
world” mean to you?
• Process: Guided Notes
• On Your Own: Cause & Effect sort.
The Shot Heard Round’ the
World: Start of the Revolution
1st Continental Congress, Lexington & Concord, 2nd Continental
Congress, Olive Branch Petition
First Continental Congress
 Met in Philadelphia in September of 1774 (10
months after the Tea Party)
 56 delegates from 12 colonies
 Debates lasted 51 days!
 3 resolutions were agreed upon
1. Boycott all British goods
2. Stop exporting goods to Britain
3. Each colony should train their own militia
• Army of citizens who serve as soldiers in an emergency
(militia)
• Minutemen- be prepared to fight at a minute’s notice
› Meet again in a year
› http://www.earlyamerica.com/shot_heard.htm
Virginia sent a
particularly
familiar man.
“I will raise one thousand men… and march myself at their head for
the relief of Boston.”
Peyton Randolph
Patriots/Loyalists
• Loyalists
• 1/3 of colonial population
• Believed king had the
right to rule
• Had family in England
and did not want them
in danger
• Felt government run by
Patriots would be worse
• May lose wealth
• Loyalists , Tories
• Patriots
• No longer wanted to
be “British
Americans only
“American”
• Wanted taxes
removed
• Patriots, Colonials,
Whigs
British React
• General Thomas Gage pondered ways
to remedy the situation and reassure
those in Britain that the colonies were
secure.
• One such way was to conduct routine
raids on colonial military supplies.
• April 19, 1775 he sends a regiment of
men to Lexington then on to Concord
to seize weapons in both locations.
Lexington
• 700 British v. 77 militiamen (farmers basically)
• Militia had been warned by famed spies.
• 8 minutemen, killed, 9 wounded.
• 1 Redcoat injured.
Paul Revere
Dr. Joseph Warren
William Dawes
Dr. Samuel Prescott
Paul Revere
Two lanterns hanging from Boston's North Church
informed the countryside that the British were going
to attack by sea. The signal was meant to alert
patriots about the route the British troops chose to
advance to Concord.
• “One if by land, two if by sea!”
• Old North Church
Concord
• British regrouped and moved
on to Concord
• British tell armed colonists to
leave, they start to move out,
when a shot is fired.
• “Shot heard round the world”
• Colonist fire on them from
sniper-like locations.
• British retreated back to
Boston
http://www.history.com/topics/americanrevolution/american-revolutionhistory/videos/first-revolutionary-battle-atlexington--concord
Schoolhouse Rock:
http://youtu.be/rZMmPWTwTHc
On May 10, 1775 the Second Continental
Congress met again, as planned, in
Philadelphia to determine the colonies next
plan of action.
Three major things were decided:
 A Continental Army would be created, with George Washington as
Their major concern: How they
would meet the military threat of
the British.
the supreme commander (serving without pay, how cool!)
 How would supplies be paid for? The Congress authorized the
printing of money.
 Congress even appointed a standing committee to conduct
relations with foreign governments, should the need ever arise to
ask for help.
Olive Branch Petition
Congress approved this direct appeal to the
king.
Pleaded with George III to attempt peaceful
resolution and declared their loyalty to the
Crown.
The King refused to receive this petition and
instead declared the colonies to be in a state
of rebellion in August.
Insult turned to injury when George ordered
the hiring of Hessian mercenaries (paid
German soldiers) to bring the colonists under
control.
TIME FOR WAR…DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN.
Battle of Bunker Hill