Events before the Revolutionary War

Christina M.

On April 18, 1775 the Revolutionary War began. Since 1763 England had been limiting the colonies freedoms and increasing taxes. The colonists were fed up with this treatment and on September 5, 1774, in Philadelphia, the First Continental Congress began. The Congress was a meeting of delegates from each colony, except Georgia. The emails shown below were emails I imagine John, Sam and Abigail Adams would have written to each other. Their emails tell about the meeting in Philadelphia and other events that occurred in that year.
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Subj: Continental Congress
Date: 9/5/1774
From: JAdams@Quincy.SoL
To: SAdams@Boston.SoL
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Hello Sam,
How are you? I am fine and things in Philadelphia are running smoothly so far. There are delegates from every colony except Georgia. I hope you will be arriving soon, your opinion and ideas will be very helpful. All I want to come out of this Congress is better relations with England. I do not think a total separation is needed. Okay, well I have more work to do, but I hope you are on your way here, but reply as soon as possible!
John
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Subj: RE: Continental Congress
Date: 9/6/1774
From: SAdams@Boston.SoL
To: JAdams@Quincy.SoL
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Hello John,
Things here are terrible. I should be arriving there by the 8th I believe. Why hasn't Georgia sent delegates? Is everyone getting along and agreeing? I can't believe you do not want a total separation! That is outrageous. How can you not! England has been limiting our freedoms and increasing taxes since 1763. I know where I want this congress to lead to... total separation from England! That is the only way justice will be served. I must go but reply soon.
Sam
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Subj: RE: Continental Congress
Date: 9/7/1774
From: JAdams@Quincy.SoL
To: SAdams@Boston.SoL
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Sam,
Georgia is not supporting the Congress, so they will not send delegates, but I am sure soon enough they will. In response to getting along, the way I can best describe these men is "all strangers...not aquatinted with each other's language, ideas, values, designs. They are, therefore jealous of each other, fearful, timid, skittish." (Graff, 184) I
completely agree that England has limited our freedoms and increased our taxes but before a complete separation I think we should boycott English goods. Well, I must get back to the meetings. Hope to hear from you soon.
John

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Subj: RE: Continental Congress
Date: 9/8/1774
From: SAdams@Boston.SoL
To: JAdams@Quincy.SoL
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John,
Before I leave for Philadelphia I felt I should email you back. I am happy to hear that you agree with me, and I think you idea of boycotting is excellent. It would be a great start to separating from England. I am off now to Philadelphia, maybe I will see you tomorrow.
Sam
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Subj: Hello
Date: 9/15/1774
From: JAdams@Quincy.SoL
To: AQAdams@Quincy.DoL
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My darling Abigail,
Sorry it has been so long since I have written. Things in Philadelphia have been terribly busy. How are you and the children? How is my mother? I have so much to tell you but I cannot write all of it now. There have been talks of boycotting all English goods, but no final decisions. Sam has finally arrived. There are delegates from every colony except Georgia. Well that is all I can write for now but I promise I will write later! Give my best to mother and the children.
Love,
John
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Subj: Hello
Date: 9/16/1774
From: AQAdams@Quincy.DoL
To: JAdams@Quincy.SoL
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My beloved John,
It has been so long since I have heard from you! We are all healthy here. The farm is doing well but the weather is getting colder. It seems that the meetings so far are successful. I do not have much to say but I am eager to hear more about the meetings. Please write soon. All the children say hello.

Love,
Abigail

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These emails were just some of the few among John Adams, Sam Adams and Abigail. It was not till December, 1774 that the Congress voted for a complete boycott of all English goods. King George III felt that since the colonies were in a state of rebellion, a blow must be decided. (Garrity, 103) In response to King George's opinion, the British general in Boston, Gage, requested more troops. Gage devised a plan to arrest Hancock and Adams and attack the minutemen in April of 1775. On April 18, 1775 Gage and his men set out to Lexington MA, to attack the minutemen. Paul Revere, on hearing about the plan set out before Gage and his men and warned the minutemen. The minutemen were armed and ready on Lexington Green. There, the "shot heard around the world" was fired.

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Bibliography

Lexington
http://www.2000lexington.com

Garrity, John A. The American Nation: A history of the United States. New York City:
Harper Collins, 1995.

Graff, Henry J. The Free and the Brave. Chicago: Rand McNally and Co., 1967

History of Lexington
http://www.lexingtonhistory.org/