Page 136 - JM Book 9/2020

March 4-17
American Action: General George Washington had recognized for some time that Dorchester Heights that overlooked Boston and the harbor would be a perfect place to mount heavy artillery aimed into Boston. After two nights of heavy American cannon fire into Boston, two thousand militiamen dug trenches, built earthworks and positioned 59 cannons on Dorchester Heights. After British General William Howe discovered the next morning what the Americans had done, he ordered an assault on the American forces. A heavy snowstorm prevented him from carrying out his plans. On March 17, the British forces and 1,000 loyalist citizens evacuated Boston and sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
April 6
American Action: The Continental Congress ordered the shipping ports in all colonies to be reopened to all ships except for British ships.
April 12
American Action: The Fourth Provincial Congress of North Carolina passed the Halifax Resolves that made North Carolina the first colony to empower its delegates to the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence from Britain.
May 2
French Action: King Louis XVI of France decided to provide one million dollars in arms and munitions to the Continental Army. Spain also promised to provide financial support.
May 10
American Action: The Continental Congress encouraged each of the thirteen colonies to write a constitution that would establish an independent government.
June 7
American Action: Richard Henry Lee, a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, presented the Virginia Resolution that called for America to declare its independence from Great Britain.
June 11
American Action: Congress appointed a committee to draft a declaration of independence. The committee chose Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence.
June 28
American Action: Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, that included changes suggested by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, was presented to Congress.
June 28
American Action: South Carolina forces on Sullivan’s Island defended Charleston against a British naval attack and inflicted heavy damage on the British fleet.
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