The Revolution Will Be Facebooked!
Talking Points
Day One
Growing Tensions
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Stamp Act (1765-1766)
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Non-importation/Homespun Movement
Sons of Liberty (Harassment of Stamp Tax collectors)
Repeal of Stamp Act
British Troops Arrive in Boston (October, 1768)
Townshend Acts (1767)
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Boycott: Mercy Otis Warren advises the women to keep it simple
Boston Massacre (March, 1770)
Repeal of Townshend Acts, except for the Tea Act (April, 1770)
Gaspee Incident (June, 1772)
Boston Tea Party. “In 1773, the Sons of Liberty dumped the Tea!”
Intolerable Acts (1774)
Calling of the First Continental Congress (September, 1774)
The Revolution Will Be Facebooked!
Talking Points
Day Two
Shots Heard ʻRound The World
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Fighting at Lexington and Concord (April, 1775)
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An American Account
A British Account
In Lexington the enemy set fire to Deacon Joseph
Loring's house and barn, Mrs. Mullikin's house
and shop, and Mr. Joshua Bond's house and
shop, which were all consumed. They also set fire
to several other houses, but our people
extinguished the flames. they pillaged almost
every house they passed by, breaking and
destroying doors, windows, glasses, Ac., and
carrying off clothing and other valuable effects. It
appeared to be their design to burn and destroy
all before them; and nothing but our vigorous
pursuit prevented their infernal purposes from
being put in execution. But the savage barbarity
exercised upon the bodies of our unfortunate
brethren who fell, is almost incredible: not
contented with shooting down the unarmed, aged,
and infirm, they disregarded the cries of the
wounded, killing them without mercy, and
mangling their bodies in the most shocking
manner.
On the return of the Troops from Concord, they
were very much annoyed, and had several men
killed and wounded by the rebels firing from
behind walls, ditches, trees, and other ambushes;
but the brigade, under the command of Lord
Percy, having joined them at Lexington with two
pieces of cannon, the rebels were for a while
dispersed; but as soon as the troops resumed
their march, they began to fire upon them from
behind stone walls and houses, and kept up in
that manner a scattering fire during the whole of
their march of fifteen miles, by which means
several were killed and wounded; and such was
the cruelty and barbarity of the rebels, that they
scalped and cut off the ears of some of the
wounded men who fell into their hands.
Source: http://www.shsu.edu/~his_ncp/LexCon.html
Calling of the Second Continental Congress
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Battle of Bunker Hill (June, 1775)
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Olive Branch Petition (July, 1775)
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King George proclaims colonies to be in rebellion
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Debate between Radicals and Moderates: To Declare, or NOT to
Declare, that is the question!
Whereas many of our subjects in divers parts of our Colonies and Plantations in North America, misled by dangerous and ill
designing men, and forgetting the allegiance which they owe to the power that has protected and supported them; after
various disorderly acts committed in disturbance of the publick peace, to the obstruction of lawful commerce, and to the
oppression of our loyal subjects carrying on the same; have at length proceeded to open and avowed rebellion, by arraying
themselves in a hostile manner, to withstand the execution of the law, and traitorously preparing, ordering and levying war
against us...
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~King George III
The Revolution Will Be Facebooked!
Talking Points
Day Three
1776!
Thomas Paine argues for Common Sense (January, 1776)
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Every thing that is right or natural pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'TIS TIME
TO PART. Even the distance at which the Almighty hath placed England and America, is a strong and natural proof, that the
authority of the one, over the other, was never the design of Heaven. The time likewise at which the continent was
discovered, adds weight to the argument, and the manner in which it was peopled increases the force of it. The reformation
was preceded by the discovery of America, as if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary to the persecuted in
future years, when home should afford neither friendship nor safety.
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~T. Paine
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Declaring Independence (June-July, 1776)
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Richard Henry Leeʼs declaration
Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved
from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and
ought to be, totally dissolved.
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~Richard Henry Lee
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Thomas Jeffersonʼs Declaration
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have
connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the
Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should
declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
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~Thomas Jefferson
Washington Takes Control
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Thomas Paine describes the American Crisis (December, 1776)
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Seige of Boston (April 1775-March 1776)
Hard Times in New York (August-December, 1776)
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the
service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not
easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we
obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a
proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly
rated. Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but "to BIND us in ALL
CASES WHATSOEVER," and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon
earth. Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.
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~T. Paine
Battle of Trenton (December 26, 1776)
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Washington crosses the Delaware and catches the Hessians napping!
The Revolution Will Be Facebooked!
Talking Points
Day Four
“Blows Must Decide”
Congress evacuates Philadelphia (August 1777)
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William Howe has a blast in Philly!
John Burgoyne wasnʼt so lucky coming down from Canada!
Battle of Saratoga (October, 1777). The French take notice...
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Valley Forge (Winter, 1777-1778)
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Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette join the frozen chosen!
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British capture Charles Town, South Carolina (May 1780)!
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Banastre Tarleton defeated at Cowpens (January 1781)
Jefferson flees Monticello as Tarleton advances (June 1781)
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Captain jack Jouett of the Virginia militia overheard the plans of several horsemen in Tarletonʼs regiment. Familiar with local roads, he raced to
Monticello in the predawn to alert Jefferson, then rode on to warn the exposed legislators in Charlottesville. After sending his family to safety,
Jefferson remained on his little mountain long enough to gather up papers he did not want the enemy to capture. He then made a dash to nearby
Carterʼs Mountain, where he saw through his telescope that Charlottesville was crawling with British. Tarletonʼs men took seven state legislators
prisoner in town. Those British soldiers who reached Monticello threatened the lives of Jeffersonʼs house servants as they stood guard over their
masterʼs valuables. Fortunately for the now ex-governor, Tarleton gave orders to leave the estate intact. Cornwallis, who occupied Jeffersonʼs
Goochland County property, Elk HIll, behaved less magnanimously, plundering at will. When he departed, nineteen of Jeffersonʼs slaves went
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with him. Four Monticello slaves took advantage of the invasion and ran away as well....
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~from Madison and Jefferson, by Andrew Burstein and Nancy Isenberg
British surrender at Yorktown (October, 1781)
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Whereʼs Cornwallis?
Yankee Doodle vs. “The World Turned Upside Down”!
Treaty of Paris signed (September, 1783)