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George II
George I dies and is succeeded by George II. -
The First Great Awakening
George Whitefield begins his travels throughout the colonies. His message of everyday Christians having a personal connection with God resonates and begins the First Great Awakening. -
French and Indian War
The start of the French and Indian War -
The Treaty of Paris
With the Treaty of Paris, the British formally gain control of Canada and all the French possessions east of the Mississippi. -
Boston Massacre
British troops fire into a mob, killing five men and leading to intense public protests. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonial patriots disguised as Indians board three ships in Boston harbor and dump more than 300 crates of tea overboard as a protest against the British tea tax. -
First Continental Congress
First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia. -
American Revolution
The start of a war for independence between Great Britain and the 13 colonies. -
Declaration of Independence
Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. -
Valley Forge
Battle-weary and destitute Continental army spends brutally cold winter and following spring at Valley Forge, Pa. -
First Official Flag of the United States
Continental Congress approves the first official flag of the United States. -
Articles of Confederation
Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation, the first U.S. constitution. -
Surrender
British general Charles Cornwallis surrenders to Gen. George Washington at Yorktown, Va. -
Official End to the War
Great Britain formally acknowledges American independence in the Treaty of Paris, which officially brings the war to a close. -
Shays's Rebellion
Shays's Rebellion erupts; farmers from New Hampshire to South Carolina take up arms to protest high state taxes and stiff penalties for failure to pay. -
Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention, made up of delegates from 12 of the original 13 colonies, meets in Philadelphia to draft the U.S. Constitution. -
George Washington
George Washington is unanimously elected president of the United States. -
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Supreme Court meets for the first time at the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City. -
Bill of Rights
First ten amendments to the Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, are ratified. -
The Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin greatly increases the demand for slave labor. -
John Adams
John Adams is inaugurated as the second president in Philadelphia.
