1700-1800

  • The Plantation Acts

    The Plantation Acts, also known as the Naturalization Acts, were passed to regularize the colonial naturalization procedures and encourage immigration of foreign Protestants to America's thirteen colonies. It allowed any any Protestant alien residing in any of their American colonies for seven years to be deemed "his Majesty's natural-born subjects of this Kingdom."
  • The French and Indian War

    The French and Indian war between North American British colonies and French colonies. Britain declared war two years into the war, which began the Seven Years War. France had assistance from the Natives, but ultimately, Britain reached victory.
  • The Sugar Act

    The British Parliament passes the Sugar Act. This law imposes new taxes on foreign molasses, refined sugar, and other products imported into the American colonies that came from non-British Caribbean sources.
  • The Stamp Act

    The Stamp Act, passed by the British Parliament, enforced a rule that a print of any material in the North American colonies must be done so only on embossed papers that were imported from London
  • The Townshend Acts

    Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, which initiated taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea that was imported to the American colonies. These taxes angered colonists and American merchants, leading to the boycotting of British goods along with other riots and protests.
  • The Boston Massacre

    The Boston Massacre occurred when British sentries guarding the Boston Customs House opened fire into a crowd of protesters. Three men were killed eight were injured, two of them mortally.
  • The Tea Act & Boston Tea Party

    The British parliament passed the Tea Act, which was aimed to help reduce the large amounts of tea held by the East Indian Company who was in debt. The Act was unpopular among colonists and, eventually, led to the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Tea Party was an act of protest in which the Sons of Liberty, who strongly protested against the tea acts, boarded British ships dressed as Mohawks and threw tea chests into the harbor, destroying the shipment.
  • The Intolerable Acts

    The Intolerable Acts closed the port of Boston to all economic activity, took away political rights of Massachusetts, and imposed other punitive measures. This was seen as coercion which angered many American colonists. This building conflict became a major reason for the American Revolution.
  • Declaration of Independence

    The Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776. This declaration said that the thirteen American colonies were no longer under British rule and were now considered independent entities.
  • Siege of Yorktown

    The Siege of Yorktown occurred in 1781 and resulted in a British surrender. The surrender of Yorktown became the last major engagement of the Revolutionary War, which marked the ending of this ongoing war.
  • The Treaty of Paris

    The Treaty of Paris ended the war for American independence. It stated that Great Britain officially accepted its defeat and finally recognized the long-sought Independence of the United States of America.