HIUS 3031 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Middle Colonies, Continental Army, Green Mountain Boys
25 Oct 2016
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About 20% of the colonists were colonists: not all just rich people. Rich people were rebels: john hancock, thomas jefferson, george. Washington, etc: not simply a question of class. Only had 3,000 men; said he needed 20,000 to do the job the british government wanted him to do: wipe out american militias; they had very low expectations of the colonists fighting abilities. Colonists have started to stockpile weapons in concord, mass. 700 troops left marching 18 miles to concord: 3 riders set out, paul revere captured, 2 made it and warned the militias. Minute men: subset of the militia; drill once a week instead of once a year, enormous advantage of numbers. Typical town has a couple hundred men, but there are surrounding towns so much larger numbers; thousands turn out. British get to lexington, 70 militia men, blocking their way: ordered to disperse, shot rang out (no one knows who fired first)
