SUMMARY
1. Governor Gage, hearing that the people of Massachusetts were gathering military stores, sent troops to destroy the stores.
2. The battles at Lexington and Concord followed, and Boston was besieged.
3. The militia from the neighboring colonies gathered about Boston. They were formed into a Continental army by Congress, and Washington was appointed commander in chief.
4. The battle of Bunker Hill, meantime, took place (June, 1775).
5. King George III now declared the colonists rebels, shut their ports, and sent troops from Germany to subdue them.
6. An expedition of the patriots for the conquest of Canada failed (1775- 76).
7. But the British were forced to leave Boston (March, 1776).
8. British attacks on North Carolina and South Carolina came to naught.
9. July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
[Illustration: BATTLE OF LEXINGTON.]