Continental Army

    When the second continental congress started observing that the people were getting ready mentally for a revolution they started making plans. They knew they were about to battle the kingdom with the strongest army at that time and they didn't have an army. The second continental congress decided it was time to create one and they decided to call it the Continental Army hence the name of their congress. It started really small with few people wearing the blue coats as in the picture on top, not all of the army had a uniform, not even the majority. Many people that were part of this army were volunteers with no experience with a gun or how to use one. Farmers, artisans, workers were part of the army and with their own clothes they went to practice and to battle against the red coats. Although they had an army they weren't close to the number of troops that Britain had in America and knew that without a a good leader they wouldn't do much either. The second continental congress decided to place George Washington.

   General George Washington was suggested to command the Continental Army two weeks before being official. There was some conflict into deciding Washington as the official commander, they said there were better qualified people. Washington had two things in favor of the Continental Congress, one was that he was a Virginian, an American and that they had seen him in action before. Washington had worked in a British expedition before during the French and Indian War and knew tactics and how the British worked. in July 3, 1775 he was called to the house of commons in Massachusetts to show himself as the official commander of the Continental Army. He had a small army and pleaded France for help and support against the English forces. He won many battles with his knowledge about the english tactics.

   The Army grew bigger and stronger everyday although volunteers were living their wives to do their jobs and take care of the house and kids back in their hometown was paying off. Under Washington's leadership the Continental Army was getting many victories and other surrenders form the british. With the last battle fought with the english ended being the British surrendering their power. Washington's knowledge gave them an advantage over the red coats and ended up in a victory gaining the independence of america. General Washington was elected as the first president of the independent United States of America in its thirteen colonies.  Although Washington didn't sign the declaration he was a key to gain it.

Thomas Paine

 Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England on January 29,1737. His father, a corseter, he had visions for his son, but by the age of 12, Thomas had failed out of school. After a short basic education, he started to work, for his father, later as an officer of the excise (tax). That was not a very good job and make him not a successful man. He had been dismissed from the works many times. In 1774, he met Benjamin Franklin in London, who advised him to emigrate to America, giving him letters of recommendation. Thomas Paine decided to leave London and emigrate to America. 

         On November 30,1774 Thomas Paine landed at Philadelphia. He had his fist job as a publicist. He became very important. In 1776, he published Common Sense, a defense of American Independence from England. In that short book he expressed himself. He said how things should been said and done. He even call the King a tyran. What Thomas Paine wanted was the government to be elected by all the commons, and that every person could participate in the elections. He had many beliefs, that the colonist also liked and agree with him. 

         After the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, Paine argued that America should not simply revolt against taxation, but demand independence from Great Britain entirely. He expanded this idea in a 50-page pamphlet the same a talk before. "Common Sense" was printed on January 10, 1776. In 1777, Congress named Paine secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs. Around this time, in his pamphlets, Paine allow to secret negotiations with France that were not for public consumption. These caused an expulsion from the committee in 1779. In April 1787, Paine headed back to England, where he soon became fascinated with what he heard of the roiling French Revolution.

Battles in Lexington and Concord

Lexington and Concord both are cities located in Massachusetts. On April 19, 1775 Britain's General Gage had a secret plan. He send British soldiers quartered in Boston. He provided the war and ordered the army to leave to Lexington and Concord. He sent troops to Concord to destroy guns and ammunition stored by colonists, and to Lexington to arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. He thought that the best way for his plan to be successful was to keep it as a secret. Which it didn't work because  the secret was spread out. The colonist immediately get the notice and saw that the British army was in the move.
 

         Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott were horseback riders in Lexington. They warn everyone in Lexington. John Adams and John Hancock noticed about that and immediately move to other place. The army couldn't find them, so they decided to move to Concord. Not just them, Revere, Dawes and Prescott also leave. When they were in the way the British soldiers stop them, Dawes and Prescott could scape but Revere couldn't and he was held for some hours.  

           While the Britians where in Lexington, the colonist in Concord were waiting for the British forces. When they arrived the first thing they saw was a group of militia mens. At the instant someone shot their guns and then the British started shooting their guns. The result of the shooting led 8 colonist without life and 10 other injured. After that, they started looking for the weapons in wich they had other short battle with some militians. The Bristish went back to Boston, and the fight for freedom began.