America 250 - The Official Flag and Merchandise For The Occasion

New England Restraining Act Drafted

Parliament begins drafting legislation to economically isolate New England and restrict its maritime trade.

London Merchants Petition Parliament

British merchants urge Parliament to avoid war with the colonies to protect transatlantic trade.

Militias Expand Drilling and Arms Stockpiling

Colonial militias across Massachusetts and Virginia intensify training and weapons preparation.

British Respond to Fort William and Mary Raid

British officials investigate the colonial seizure of arms from a New Hampshire fort the previous month.

Committees of Safety and Correspondence Grow in Power

Patriot-led committees assume local control, enforcing boycotts and organizing defenses.

Massachusetts Provincial Congress Expands Militia Preparations

The Massachusetts Provincial Congress orders town militias to be ready to act "at a minute's warning," strengthening the Minutemen structure.

Lord Dartmouth Orders British Troops to Arrest Rebel Leaders

British Secretary of State Lord Dartmouth secretly instructs General Gage to arrest leading Patriots like John Hancock and Samuel Adams.

Parliament Declares Massachusetts in Rebellion

King George III and Parliament formally declare Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion, authorizing military action.

New Hampshire Establishes Its Own Governmental Council

In response to growing unrest, New Hampshire forms an autonomous council to govern independently of the royal governor.

Edmund Burke's "Conciliation with the Colonies" Speech

British MP Edmund Burke proposes a peaceful resolution with the colonies, urging compromise to preserve the empire—his motion is rejected.

British Navy Monitors Colonial Ports for Smuggling and Military Activity

British ships tighten surveillance of New England harbors, enforcing customs duties and searching for illegal arms shipments.

South Carolina Forms a Committee of Safety

Charleston Patriots create a powerful local committee to coordinate military defense and enforce anti-British measures.

Massachusetts Provincial Congress Calls for Arms Buildup

The Congress orders towns to collect gunpowder, lead, and flints in preparation for war.

Virginia Convention Calls for Defensive Measures

Delegates in Virginia call for county militias to prepare for possible conflict and endorse defensive mobilization.

Parliament Passes the New England Restraining Act

Officially approved by Parliament, this act cuts off New England's trade with all but Britain and the West Indies.

Second Virginia Convention Meets in Richmond

Delegates debate resistance and armament; key political turning point for the South’s revolutionary commitment.

Patrick Henry Delivers “Give Me Liberty” Speech

Patrick Henry passionately calls for war against Britain at St. John’s Church, convincing many Virginians to prepare for armed resistance.

Colonial Militias Train Openly in Massachusetts

Militia musters become more frequent and visible, a deliberate show of force aimed at British troops stationed in Boston.

General Gage Receives Secret Orders to Crush the Rebellion

British officials in London instruct General Thomas Gage to seize colonial military supplies and arrest Patriot leaders in Massachusetts.

Paul Revere and William Dawes Begin Midnight Ride

Revere, Dawes, and later Samuel Prescott ride through the countryside to alert the militias of British troop movements toward Concord.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

Colonial militia confront British troops, marking the outbreak of the Revolutionary War with “the shot heard 'round the world.”

Start of the Siege of Boston

Thousands of colonial militiamen surround British forces in Boston, beginning a nearly year-long siege of the city.

Massachusetts Declares Itself at War

The Massachusetts Provincial Congress mobilizes troops and resources, formally transitioning from resistance to armed rebellion.

Massachusetts Calls for Continental Support

Leaders from Massachusetts send delegates to the Continental Congress to request unified military and political assistance.

News of Lexington and Concord Reaches New York and Philadelphia

Riders spread word of the battles, prompting colonial assemblies to raise militias and brace for a broader war.

Rhode Island Calls for the Raising of a Colonial Army

In solidarity with Massachusetts, Rhode Island votes to raise 1,500 men for collective colonial defense.

Patriots Seize Arms and Powder Across New England

Local militias confiscate British-controlled munitions, further arming the colonial resistance effort during the Siege of Boston.

Second Continental Congress Convenes in Philadelphia

Delegates from all thirteen colonies assemble to coordinate the war effort, eventually forming a unified revolutionary government.

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold lead the Green Mountain Boys to seize Fort Ticonderoga, securing crucial artillery without a fight.

Crown Point Captured by Patriots

American forces take another British fort on Lake Champlain, gaining more weapons to use against British forces in Canada and New York.

Ethan Allen Begins Push for Vermont Independence

Following the Ticonderoga victory, Allen publicly advocates for a new independent territory, laying early groundwork for Vermont’s creation.

Virginia Convention Supports Armed Resistance

Virginia’s political leaders authorize the raising of military regiments and call for all colonies to support active resistance.

Benedict Arnold Proposes Invasion of Canada

Arnold submits a plan to the Continental Congress to invade Quebec, aiming to cut off British reinforcements from the north.

Mecklenburg Resolves Issued in North Carolina

Local leaders in Mecklenburg County declare British authority null and void, a bold early move toward full independence.

Continental Congress Assumes Control of Colonial Militias

Congress begins unifying disparate colonial militias under one command, laying the foundation for the Continental Army.

Battle of Chelsea Creek

American forces defeat British marines in a skirmish near Boston and capture valuable supplies from British supply ships.

Rhode Island Creates a State Army

Rhode Island officially establishes its own army, the first colony to do so, asserting independence in military organization.

British Reinforcements Arrive in Boston

Thousands of additional British troops land in Boston, bolstering General Gage’s forces and escalating the colonial siege response.

John Adams Nominates George Washington as Commander-in-Chief

In private conversations at the Continental Congress, John Adams champions George Washington as the ideal leader for the Continental Army.

General Gage Declares Martial Law in Massachusetts

General Gage offers a general pardon to rebels who surrender—excluding Samuel Adams and John Hancock—officially criminalizing resistance.

Continental Congress Creates the Continental Army

Congress adopts the New England militias besieging Boston, establishing a unified army to represent all thirteen colonies.

George Washington Appointed Commander-in-Chief

Congress unanimously selects George Washington to lead the newly formed Continental Army, uniting the colonies under a single military leader.

Colonial Forces Fortify Breed’s Hill

Militia units secretly construct defensive positions on Breed’s Hill, preparing to repel a British advance from Boston.

Battle of Bunker Hill

British troops suffer over 1,000 casualties in a costly victory, proving that American militiamen can fight effectively against regulars.

Continental Congress Votes to Issue Currency

Congress authorizes $2 million in paper currency to finance the war effort, establishing the first Continental currency system.

George Washington Departs to Take Command

Washington leaves Philadelphia and begins his journey north to assume leadership of the Continental Army outside Boston.

Militia Recruitment Surges Across the Colonies

The heavy British losses at Bunker Hill inspire widespread enlistment, expanding revolutionary forces across the northern and southern colonies.

George Washington Takes Command of the Continental Army

Washington formally assumes leadership of the besieging forces outside Boston, beginning the process of transforming them into a unified army.

Olive Branch Petition Adopted by Continental Congress

Congress issues a final plea to King George III, expressing loyalty while requesting intervention to stop Parliament’s oppression.

Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms

Congress declares that the colonies have been forced to take up arms in self-defense against British tyranny, while still hoping for peace.

Olive Branch Petition Sent to London

The petition is sent to King George III via official couriers, though its reception will be cold and ultimately ignored.

First Naval Skirmish of the Revolution

American forces capture British sailors from HMS Falcon in Boston Harbor, marking one of the first naval engagements of the war.

Congress Approves Treaty Efforts with Native Tribes

The Continental Congress authorizes negotiations to secure Native American neutrality or support along the frontier.

Georgia Joins the Continental Congress

Georgia officially sends its delegation to the Continental Congress, becoming the thirteenth colony to join the united cause.

Washington Enforces Army Discipline

General Washington introduces formal military codes and training regimens to instill order and professionalism in the Continental Army.

Continental Army Establishes Chain of Command

General George Washington appoints key officers to organize the Continental Army’s structure and ensure command cohesion.

South Carolina Begins Fortifying Its Coastline

Colonial leaders in South Carolina initiate coastal defenses near Charleston to guard against anticipated British naval attacks.

Congress Recommends Raising Rifle Regiments

The Continental Congress encourages colonies to form riflemen units, especially from skilled frontier marksmen in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Raid on St. John's Island (Canada)

American privateers raid British positions in Nova Scotia, disrupting enemy supply lines and probing northern defenses.

North Carolina Forms Provincial Council

North Carolina establishes a revolutionary governing body to direct the colony's war effort and replace royal authority.

King George III Issues Proclamation of Rebellion

The king formally declares that the American colonies are in open rebellion, authorizing the use of military force to suppress them.

Continental Congress Authorizes Naval Interception

Congress permits colonial vessels to intercept British supply ships, laying the groundwork for a Continental naval force.

Patriots in Massachusetts Confiscate Loyalist Property

Committees of Safety begin seizing the assets of Loyalists to fund the war effort and suppress internal opposition.

Congress Approves Expansion of the Continental Army

The Continental Congress authorizes additional regiments and logistical support to strengthen defenses and prepare for northern operations.

Governor Dunmore Flees Williamsburg, Virginia

Lord Dunmore escapes to a British ship after mounting Patriot resistance, effectively ending royal authority in Virginia.

Congress Appoints Indian Commissioners

Congress creates three regional commissions to engage Native tribes diplomatically and secure neutrality or support for the American cause.

Benedict Arnold Departs for Invasion of Canada

Arnold leads a daring march through the Maine wilderness toward Quebec as part of a coordinated plan to seize Canada.

British Burn Barracks on St. John’s Island

British troops destroy their own outposts in Nova Scotia to prevent their capture by American privateers operating in the region.

Skirmishes at Lake George

American and Iroquois-aligned British forces clash in minor engagements near Fort Ticonderoga as control of the frontier remains contested.

Ethan Allen Captured During Failed Raid on Montreal

Allen's surprise attack on Montreal ends in defeat, and he is captured by British troops and imprisoned.

Congress Establishes a Committee on Secret Correspondence

A new congressional committee is formed to initiate covert diplomacy with European nations in search of foreign support.

General Richard Montgomery Begins Invasion of Canada

Montgomery leads Continental forces north from Fort Ticonderoga in the second prong of the campaign to capture Quebec.

Congress Considers Establishing a Continental Navy

Delegates begin debating proposals to create a naval force to disrupt British shipping and defend colonial coastlines.

Congress Appoints a Naval Committee

The Continental Congress forms a naval committee to draft plans for building and outfitting a national naval fleet.

Continental Congress Authorizes a Navy

Congress officially establishes the Continental Navy, commissioning vessels to intercept British supply ships.

Patriots Begin Construction of Forts Along the Hudson River

American forces start building fortifications along the Hudson River, including near West Point, to protect against British invasion from the north.

Burning of Falmouth (Portland, Maine)

The British Navy bombards and sets fire to the town of Falmouth in retaliation for colonial attacks, inflaming revolutionary sentiment.

Congress Recommends Arming Privateers

Congress urges colonial governments to authorize privateers to raid British shipping, expanding the war to the seas.

King George III Rejects the Olive Branch Petition

The king formally rejects the colonists' plea for peace, declaring that the American rebellion must be crushed by force.

Royal Navy Blockade of the American Coast Declared

Britain announces a blockade of American ports, aiming to strangle colonial trade and weaken the revolutionary cause.

North Carolina Establishes Independent Governance

North Carolina's Provincial Congress assumes full legislative control, ending royal rule and declaring itself the legitimate government.

Congress Authorizes a Committee to Oversee Naval Affairs

The Continental Congress expands its naval committee’s authority to manage ship construction, supply procurement, and command appointments.

Lord Dunmore Issues His Proclamation in Virginia

Virginia’s royal governor offers freedom to enslaved people who join British forces, escalating tensions and driving Southern colonists toward independence.

Continental Marines Established

Congress creates two battalions of Continental Marines, establishing a naval infantry force that would become the U.S. Marine Corps.

New England Militiamen Invade Canada from Lake Champlain

General Richard Montgomery leads Continental troops northward, capturing key forts and moving steadily toward Quebec.

British Forces Evacuate Fort St. John (Canada)

After a prolonged siege, British forces surrender Fort St. John to Montgomery’s army, opening the route to Montreal.

Patriots Seize Montreal

Montgomery’s army enters Montreal without resistance, giving the Continental Army control of Canada’s second-largest city.

South Carolina Mobilizes Against Loyalist Threats

Patriot militias organize to confront loyalist uprisings in the backcountry, securing revolutionary control in the South.

Congress Declares Inter-Colonial Trade Open

In defiance of the British blockade, Congress encourages trade between colonies and foreign Caribbean partners.

Congress Forms Committee of Secret Correspondence

Congress creates a covert diplomatic body to initiate communications with European powers, seeking foreign support for the revolution.

Congress Encourages Paper Money Circulation

The Continental Congress urges colonies to accept and circulate Continental currency to support the war effort and unify the economy.

Congress Recommends Creating Independent Governments

Congress advises colonies without effective royal rule to establish provisional governments based on the will of the people.

Battle of Great Bridge (Virginia)

Patriot forces decisively defeat Lord Dunmore’s British troops near Norfolk, ending major British resistance in Virginia.

British Forces Retreat from South Carolina Interior

After several defeats, loyalist forces retreat, allowing Patriot governments to consolidate control in the southern colonies.

Congress Dispatches Diplomats to France and Spain

The Secret Correspondence Committee sends agents abroad to begin building diplomatic ties and seek financial and military support.

Congress Approves First Official Naval Mission

The Continental Navy is ordered to intercept British transports and seize supplies, marking its first official operation.

American Forces Launch Attack on Quebec

General Montgomery and Colonel Benedict Arnold lead an assault on Quebec City during a snowstorm, hoping to capture the city by surprise.

Battle of Quebec Ends in American Defeat

The failed attack results in Montgomery’s death, Arnold’s injury, and heavy losses, ending hopes of bringing Canada into the revolution.