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| 1775, July–March, 17, 1776 |
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| Siege of Boston. | 1 |
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| 1775 |
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| The colonies launched an unsuccessful campaign to capture Canada after failing to enlist Canadians' aid against Britain. One force, under Richard Montgomery, proceeded by Lake Champlain to Montreal, while another force, under Benedict Arnold, advanced by the Kennebec with a view to meeting Montgomery at Quebeck. Montgomery was killed before Quebec (Dec. 21). Arnold carried on the unsuccessful siege for the remainder of the winter. | 2 |
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| 1776, March 4 |
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| Occupation of Dorchester Heights by Washington. | 3 |
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| March 17 |
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| Evacuation of Boston by the British forces. Meanwhile the unyielding attitude of the British government, the hiring of German mercenaries, the events on the Canadian frontier, and the burning of Norfolk inflamed public opinion. The appearance of Thomas Paine's Common Sense crystallized that opinion in favor of independence. The book went through 25 printings and sold 100,000 copies in a single year. Most of the writing of the period was in the form of patriotic pamphlets and essays. | 4 |
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| May 15 |
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| Congress announced that the authority of the British crown should be suppressed and power of government established under authority of the people of the colonies. | 5 |
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| March 31 |
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| Abigail Adams wrote to John Adams urging him to “remember the Ladies” and “not put such unlimited power into the hand of the husbands.” | 6 |
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| May 15 |
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| The Virginia Convention, called to form a new government, instructed Virginia delegates in Congress to propose independence. | 7 |
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| June 7 |
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| Resolution of Richard Henry Lee in Congress “That these United Colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent States.” Congress appointed a committee of five to draft a declaration of independence. The committee asked Thomas Jefferson to prepare the document. | 8 |
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