1700-1800 By TimGreen 1732 Birth of George Washington 1738 Evangelist George Whitefield arrives in North America 1752 Ben Franklin invents the lightning rod Period: 1754 to 1763 French and Indian War 1764 Sugar Act 1765 Stamp Act Mar 5, 1770 Boston Massacre Apr 12, 1770 Townshend Act Dec 10, 1773 Boston Tea Party 1775 Continental Congress formed Jul 4, 1776 Declaration of Independence signed 1777 Battle of Saratoga turning point of war 1783 Treaty of Paris ends Revolutionary War 1788 Constitution ratified Period: 1789 to 1797 George Washington's Presidency 1791 Bill of Rights 1794 Eli Whitney invents cotton gin