GEOGRAPHY QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTER XXII. Map of United States-1. Where is Boston? 2. In what State is Concord? Lexington? 3. Where is Philadelphia? 4. What direction is it from Boston? 5. Through what States would you travel in going from Philadelphia to Boston? 6. What is the capital of Nova Scotia? A CHAPTER XXII. THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REVOLUTION. 1. Paul Revere's Ride.-General Gage determined 1775 to send some British troops from Boston to destroy the stores collected at Concord by the patriots, as the colonists are often called. Just as the British left Boston, a signal was given by a light in a church steeple, and Paul Revere (Rē vēr′), who was waiting across the river, sprang on his horse and dashed through the country to warn the people that war had actually begun. 2. The First Battle. The next day, April 19, 1775, the British troops reached Lexington, where a number of the minute men had collected. Major Pitcairn (Pitkärn') rode. up, and cried out, “Disperse, ye rebels”; at the same time he commanded his men to fire. They did so, and seven of the patriots fell dead. The British then pushed on to Concord. All along the road to Concord the patriots had been aroused and, though Major Pitcairn and his men reached Concord and destroyed the stores, they found their path beset when they started on their return. The killing of the minute men at Lexington had enraged the people and all along the way the British troops were met by small parties of men who fired on them from houses and from behind trees and fences. Three hundred of Pitcairn's men were killed on the road and, if General Gage had not sent help from Boston, not one of them could have escaped. 3. Effect of the Battle.-The news of Lexington ram like wild-fire through the colonies. There was no longer any hope of settling the troubles of the country without a war, and the most vigorous efforts were everywhere made to prepare for the struggle. Now for the first time, the people began to dream of casting off the British rule entirely, and the new hope of a free and fair government of their own put courage into men's hearts and strength into their arms. In Rhode Island, the patriots seized fortified posts. The South Carolinians took possession of the arsenal at Charleston and gave out the arms to patriot soldiers. In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, delegates of the people declared that col ony free from Great Britain and so passed the first Declaration of Independence. 4. Battle of Bunker Hill. General Gage with his 3,000 men formed in Boston a centre for the enemies of the colonies. The patriots determined to drive them away, and a thousand men under General Ward were sent to fortify Bunker Hill, which overlooked the city. By mistake they placed their breastworks on Breed's Hill near by, and, on June 1775 17th, the morning after the work was done, General Howe with 2,500 men attacked the Americans. It was not until the British had made three assaults and the powder of the patriots had given out that the Americans withdrew. The American loss in this battle-Bunker Hill-was 450 men. The British lost over 1,800. Before this battle, the Americans had been very much afraid of British soldiers, but now they knew that they could fight as well, if not better, than the British. 5. Arrival of Washington.-In May of this year, a 1775 second Congress met in Philadelphia and chose George Washington as commander-in-chief of the American forces. Washington came to Boston soon after the battle of Bunker Hill and laid siege to the city. He made strong works on Dorchester Heights and planted cannon there. This forced the British to leave the city, 1776 which Washington soon occupied. 6. Movements of the British.-When the British left Boston, they went to Halifax, Nova Scotia. It was plain that they were going to make New York the next point, of attack and Washington moved his army to meet them there. 7. Patriots and Tories.-It is said that about onethird of all the people in the colonies were on the side of England in the war. These persons were called Tories and they did a great deal of damage to the patriots by spying on their plans and keeping the British informed about what was going on. If the colonist> could have agreed heartily in all their plans, many of the troubles of the time would have been made less; and, in thinking of the difficulties which the patriots had, it is always well to keep in mind those that were caused by their secret foes. QUESTIONS.-1. Where did Gage send soldiers? 2. What were they to do? 3. Who rode and alarmed the country? 4. Whom did they meet at Lexington? 5. What occurred? 6. Describe the battle of Lexington. 7. How many men did Pitcairn lose? 8. What was the effect of the battle? 9. What did the people do in Rhode Island? 10. What was done at Charleston, S. C.? 11. What in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina? 12. How many men had Gage in Boston? 13. What did the patriots decide to do? 14. What place did they fortify? 15. How many British attacked them there? 16. Who was the commander on each side? 17. What was the result of the battle of Bunker Hill? 18. What was the loss on each side? 19. Who was chosen commander-in-chief? 20. What did he do? 21. When did the British leave Boston? 22. What did they make the next point of attack? 23. Who were the Tories? How many were in the colonies? 21. How did they injure the patriot cause? CHAPTER XXIII. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE-DEFENCE CHARLESTON. OF 1. Declaration of Independence. In the Congress of 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia moved that "These United Colonies are and ought to be free and independent." John Adams of Massa- and the old bell that Writing the Declaration. rang out to the world the news that a nation had been born have been religiously preserved by a grateful people. 2. Signing of the Declaration. It must have been an interesting sight to see the members of Congress come to the speaker's desk to sign their names to this great Declaration. Each man felt that he was taking a step that might mean ruin or even death. But there was no thought of holding back, and when the speaker, |