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England and France dominate African slave trade to America
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Lightning rod invented
Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod which was used as a conductor for electricity. -
The Albany Congress
was a meeting of representatives sent by the legislatures of seven of the thirteen British colonies in British America: Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. -
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Seven Years War
The Seven Years' War was a global war that involved every European great power of the time and spanned five continents, affecting Europe, the Americas, West Africa, India, and the Philippines -
Proclamation of 1763
After Britain won the Seven Years' War and gained land in North America, it issued the Royal Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited American colonists from settling west of Appalachia. -
The Sugar Act
The act placed a tax on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies. This affected Boston and New England greatly because the colonists there used sugar and molasses to make rum. The act was also intended to stop trade between the colonies and the Dutch, French, and Spanish. -
The Currency Act
The acts forbade the colonies from issuing paper money, which was creating problems due to inflation and a complex system of varying values and types of money from the various North American colonies. -
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The American Revolution
The American Revolution was a colonial revolt. The American Patriots in the Thirteen Colonies defeated the British in the American Revolutionary War with the assistance of France, winning independence from Great Britain and establishing the United States of America. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed. -
The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the British government on the American colonies in 1767. They placed new taxes and took away some freedoms from the colonists including the following: New taxes on imports of paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre, known to the British as the Incident on King Street, was a confrontation on March 5, 1770 in which British soldiers shot and killed several people while being harassed by a mob in Boston. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act 1773 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain. The principal objective was to reduce the massive amount of tea held by the financially troubled British East India Company in its London warehouses and to help the financially struggling company survive. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political and mercantile protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts from the Tea Act. Colonist, dressed as Native Americans, dumped tea into the Boston harbor. -
The Coercive Acts
The Coercive Acts were the British government’s response to the Boston Tea Party. The acts were passed in 1774 and were a series of four acts designed to restore order in Massachusetts and punish Boston for its rebellious act. -
"Give me liberty, or give me death" speech
"Give me liberty, or give me death!" is a quotation from Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Second Virginia Convention -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. Minutemen and redcoats clash at Lexington and Concord "The shot heard 'round the world." -
Battle of Bunker Hill
the British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts. -
David Bushnell invents a submarine.
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"Common Sense"
Thomas Paine marshaled moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government. -
Declaration of Independence
The 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain. The Declaration summarized the colonists' motivations for seeking independence. -
Washington Crosses the Delaware
George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River into New Jersey in a surprise attack on the British. They had a decisive victory that helped turn the war back to the American's favor. -
The America Flag was made
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Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the American Revolutionary War. -
The French Alliance
The United States and France sign the French Alliance -
Benjamin Franklin invents bi-focal eyeglasses.
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Articles of Confederation
The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of Confederation, the first constitution of the United States. -
Battle of Yorktown
Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington as French and American forces trapped the British at Yorktown. The British surrender at the Battle of Yorktown ended the American Revolutionary War. -
Treaty of Paris, 1783
The Treaty of Paris, signed in Paris by representatives of King George III of Great Britain and representatives of the United States of America on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War. -
U.S. Constitution signed
The Constitution was written during the Philadelphia Convention. Established America's national government and fundamental laws, and guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens. -
The guillotine is invented.
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George Washington elected President
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Eli Whitney patents the cotton gin.
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Edward Jenner creates a smallpox vaccination.
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John Adams elected President
