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French and Indian War Ends and Treaty of Paris Begins
French and Indian War: Final conflict in the ongoing struggle between the British and French for control of eastern North America. The British win a decisive victory over the French on the Plains of Abraham outside QuebecWith the Treaty of Paris, the British formally gain control of Canada and all the French possessions east of the Mississippi. -
Boston Massacre
Boston Massacre: British troops fire into a mob, killing five men and leading to intense public protests. -
Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party: Group of colonial patriots disguised as Mohawk 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 Colonial Congress
First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia, with 56 delegates representing every colony except Georgia. Delegates include Patrick Henry, George Washington, and Samuel Adams. -
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Revolutionary War
American Revolution: War of independence fought between Great Britain and the 13 British colonies on the eastern seaboard of North America. Battles of Lexington and Concord, Mass., between the British Army and colonial minutemen, mark the beginning of the war. -
Declaration of Independence
Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. -
Shayes 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. -
First President and Constitution goes into Effect
George Washington is unanimously elected president of the United States in a vote by state electors.
March 4
U.S. Constitution goes into effect, having been ratified by nine states.