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Lexington and Concord
The battles of Lexington and Concord kicked off the revouliton between the British and the Americans. British governor Thomas Gage sent troops to Concord to crush the colonist, whom were loading arms. The next day, the first shots were fired in Lexington, starting the war. The battles resulted in a British retreat to Boston. -
Period: to
American Revolution
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Bunker Hill
3,000 troops attack american fortifications, on Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill, after three assults and 1,000 casualties the British dislodge the patriots. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Continental Congress sends King George III a "Olive Branch Petition," written by John Dickinson. The petition reasserts American loyalty to the crown and appeals directly to King George III, -
Proclamation for Suppression Rebellion and Sedition
King George III issues a "Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition" which condemns the rebellion in the North American colonies and declares that all officers, are to suppress such rebellion, and to bring the traitors to justice. -
Dunmore's Proclamation
Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, issues a proclamation guaranteeing freedom to any slaves or servants in the colony who will leave their masters and bear arms against the white colonists of the rebellion. Some 300 slaves respond, and half of them are women and children. -
Common Sense
Thomas Paine publishes his radical pamphlet, Common Sense, advocating independence for America and an immediate end to all ties with Britain. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress convenes at Philadelphia. In defense of american liberty the continental army is formed, and washington is elected to lead it. -
Decleration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson, employing the ideas of the European Enlightment, and self-evident truths, the patriots officialy for the first time declare independence from Britian. -
Battle of Long Island
General Howe landed 32,000 troops- British regularrs and German mercenaries- outside NewYork City. Defeating the Americans and forcing their retreat to Manhattan island.Their Howe flanked Washington's troops causing their retrat across the Hudson River into New Jersey. By december, the British pushed them across New Jersey and over the Deleware into Pennsylvania. -
Attack of Philadelphia
General Howe decided to attack Philadelphia, home of the Continental Congress, Howe sailed up the Chesapeake Bay, and attacked from the south. Howe's troops easily outflanked the Americans, and by the end of September Howe's troops marched through Philadelphia, but the Continental Congress managed to escape. -
Saratoga
Turning point of the American Revolution. It was very important because it convinced the French to give the U.S. military support. It lifted American spirits, ended the British threat in New England by taking control of the Hudson River, and, most importantly, showed the French that the Americans had the potential to beat their enemy, Great Britian -
Valley Forge
Wahington sets up the army in Valley Forge for the winter, more than 200 officers resigned and 1,000 hungry soliders deserted and 3,000 died. -
Baron von Steuben
A former Prussian millitary officer, raised the readiness of the troops, and taught them tactis and drills, made them a more professional army. He also solved their food problem, by taking people's food for the army, and later repaying them for what they took. -
Treaty of Alliance
France alligns with the Continental army after hearing new of their victory at Saratoga, and neither would sign a seperate peace without the, liberity, sovereignty, and idependence of the United States. In return the United states agreed to recognize any french conquest in the West Indies. -
Britain's Southern Strategy
Britain changed its strategy and decided to capture the rich tabbaco and rice growing colonies in the south, by doing so weakend the patriots. -
Savannah Georgia
Sir Henry Clinton launched a seaborne attack on Savannah, led by Colonel Campbell, capturing the town. -
Augusta
Campbell moved inward, and captured Augusta, by the year's end Clinton and local loyalist controlled the costal Georgia, and prepared for an attack on South Carolina -
Philipsburg Proclamation
Any slave that can escape their masters and make it behind British lines, would be given freedom, protection, and land. The proclamation led 30,000 slaves to British lines. -
Charleston and South Carolina
British forces marched from victory to victory capturing, charleston, and South Carolina, and its garrison of 5,000 troops. -
Lord Charles Cornwallis
Lord Charles Cornwallis assumed control of the British forces and, at Camden, defeated an Americanforce commanded by General Horatio Gates, the hero of Saratoga. Only 1,200 patriot militiamen joined Gates at Camded,a fifth of the number at Saratoga.Cornwallis took control of Sout Carolina and hundreds of African Americans fled to freedom behind British lines. The southern Strategy was working -
French Reinforcements
Marquis de Lafayette persuades King Louis the XVI to send General Rochambeau and 5,500 men to Rhode Island. There they threaten the British troops holding NYC. -
Guerilla Warfare in the Carolinas
Nathanael Greene gathers militamen, who were addicted to plundering and releases them onto the British forces. Defeating a regiment of Loyalist at King's Mountain,South Carolina, taking about one thousand prisoners. -
Cowpens, South Carolina
General Greene fought Cornwallis's army to a draw at North Carolina's Guilford Court House. -
Heading to Yorktown
Cornwallis, traitor Benedict Arnold, Washington, Greene, and the french by see, all headed to Yorktown. Washington and the French heading to Yorktown in secreate to end the war. -
Yorktown
Cornwallis surronded by the french and American forces 2 to 1 by land and sea. Cornwallis surrenders. -
The Treaty of Paris
Great Britain formely recognized American Independence and relinquished control of the Great Lakes and east of the Missippi River. -
Virgina Plan
A scheme for powerful national goverment devised by James Madison. -
The Constitution of 1787
Extended republicanism by adding another level of goverment elected by the people. In the new tow-level political federation created by the goverment would excerse limted, delegated powers, and the exsisting state goverments would retain authority over all matters. -
New Jersey Plan
Gave the Confederation the power to raise revenues, control commerce, and make binding requisitions on the states. -
Ratification of the Constititution
When a bill of rights was proposed in Congress in 1789, North Carolina ratified the Constitution. Finally, Rhode Island, which had rejected the Constitution in March 1788 by popular referendum, called a ratifying convention in 1790 as specified by the Constitutional Convention.
