he Second Continental Congress met on May 10, 1775. They needed to decide who would be the commander of the New England Army.

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The War Begins

John Adams suggested that they create a Continental Army made up of troops from all the colonies. George Washington was chosen to lead the new army.

After militiamen near Boston built a large fort on top of Breed's Hill in June, William Howe (a British general) ordered 2,000 British troops to form two long lines at the bottom of the hill. Then, Howe ordered the soldiers to march up the slope. As they approach the fort, Israel Putnam ordered militiamen to fire. British troops fell back, then regrouped and attacked again. The Americans stopped and the British took the hill. The colonists fled due to the shortage of gunpowder. Over 1,000 British soldiers were killed or injured, while about 500 Americans were killed or wounded. This was known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. The importance of this battle is that it showed that war had begun, and how it would not be easy for the British to defeat the colonists.