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1775

April 19, 1775—The Battles of Lexington and Concord occurred.
May 10, 1775—The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia.
May 10, 1775—Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold captured Fort Ticonderoga.
June 15, 1775—George Washington was appointed head of the Continental army.
June 6, 17, 1775—The Battle of Bunker Hill occurred.
July 26, 1775—The Continental Congress established a post office and appointed Benjamin Franklin as postmaster general.
August 1, 1775—Thomas Paine published an article supporting women's rights.
August 23, 1775—King George III declared the American colonies in rebellion.

January 15, 1776—Thomas Paine published Common Sense encouraging Americans to see the common sense in demanding independence.
March 17, 1776—The British evacuated Boston.
June 12, 1776—The Virginia Declaration of Rights was written.
June 28, 1776—The British failed a naval attack at Sullivan's Island, South Carolina.
June 29, 1776—The first Virginia constitution was written.
July 1-4, 1776—Congress debated and revised the Declaration of Independence.
July 4. 1776—Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
August 27, 1776—The Redcoats defeated Washington's army in the Battle of Long Island.
September 15, 1776—The British occupied New York City.
November 20, 1775—After a series of American losses, Lord Cornwallis captured Fort Lee.
December 26, 1776—Washington crossed the Delaware River and captured Trenton.

January 3, 1777—General Washington claimed victory at Princeton.
July 27, 1777—Marquis de Lafayette arrived to help the Americans in Philadelphia.
September 11, 1777—The British won the Battle of Brandywine, Pennsylvania.
September 19, 1777—The British lost the Battle at Saratoga (the first of two battles) at Freeman’s Farm, New York.
September 26, 1777—The British occupied Philadelphia.
October 4, 1777—Americans lost the Battle of Germantown.
October 11, 1777—The British surrendered to the Americans in the second Battle of Saratoga.
November 16, 1777—The British captured Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania.
December 19, 1777—General Washington's army retired to Valley Forge for the winter.

May 12, 1780—The English troops captured Charleston, South Carolina.
May 29, 1780—The English troops defeated the Americans at Waxhaw Creek, South Carolina.
July 11, 1780—French troops arrived in Rhode Island to help the Americans.
October 7, 1780—Americans defeated one-third of Cornwallis's army.
October 14, 1780—General Washington named Nathanael Greene Commander of the Southern Army.

January 17, 1781—Americans defeated English troops at Cowpens, South Carolina.
March 2, 1781—The Articles of Confederation were adopted.
March 15, 1781—English troops were victorious at Guilford Courthouse battle.
June 6, 1781—Augusta, Georgia, was recaptured by Americans.
September 15, 1781— The English navy was turned away by the French.
October 19, 1781—General Cornwallis surrendered to the Americans and French at Yorktown, Virginia.

March 20, 1782—English Prime Minister resigned.
July 11, 1782—The English troops evacuated Savannah, Georgia.
November 30, 1782—England and the United States signed preliminary Articles of Peace.
December 14, 1782—English troops left Charleston, South Carolina.

April 19, 1783—Congress ratified the preliminary peace treaty.
September 3, 1783—The United States and England signed the Treaty of Paris.
November 25, 1783—English troops left New York City.
December 23, 1783—General Washington resigned as Commander of the Continental Army.