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The French and Indian War: 1754-1763
Also called The Seven Year’s War in Europe, the French and Indian War was a conflict between Britain and France over North American land. The victory of Britain over France contributed to conflicts between colonies and the British government. These conflicts culminated into the American Revolution. -
The Sugar Act: April 5th, 1764
The Sugar Act was a law that placed taxes on imported wines, coffee, textiles, and indigo. The British government required colonial ships to report their cargo and destination to try and find smugglers. The Act was passed to help the British government maintain the army and cover war debts from the French and Indian War. -
The Stamp Act: March 22, 1765
Similar to the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act was passed for the purpose of aiding in relieving the British debt for troops stationed in the colonies during the war. The act forced the colonists to pay a tax in the form of a stamp on papers, documents, and playing cards. The tax was imposed without colonial approval and could only be paid in British sterling, a coin hard to come by in the colonies. -
Colonists react to the Stamp Act: August 14th, 1765
“There is a violent spirit of opposition raised on the Continent against the execution of the Stamp Act, the mob in Boston have carried it very high against Mr. Oliver the Secry (a Town born child) for his acceptance of an office in consequence of that act. They have even proceeded to some violence, and burnt him in effigy.” Colonial reaction to the Stamp Act consisted of boycotting British goods to rioting and attacking tax collector. -
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The Townshend Acts: 1767-1768
The Townshend Acts was passed by Parliament with the intent to tax imported goods to the American colonies. The colonists viewed the act as a violation of their rights, citing that fact that they held no representation within Parliament. The Act imposed taxes on British china, glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Because the colonists boycotted British goods, soldiers were sent to the colonies to stop the unrest, leading to the Boston Massacre. -
The Boston Massacre: March 5th, 1770
When the year of 1770 began, almost 4,000 British soldiers were stationed in Boston, a city with a population of 15,000. Tensions were running high between the two. On March 5th, countless people of varying occupations pelted snowballs and rocks at the British soldiers. One of the soldiers fired a shot, causing the others to fire as well. When the smoke cleared, five civilians lay dead, including Crispus Attucks, a former slave that escaped twenty years prior. -
The Tea Act: May 10th, 1773
In order to preserve the East India Company, Parliament passed the Tea Act, allowing the company to sell a large tea surplus straight to the public without payment of duty. Of course, this angered the colonists and those whose livelihoods was selling tea. This sparked protest that eventually led to the Boston Tea Party. -
The Boston Tea Party: December 16th, 1773
On the cold night of December 16th, a group of men dressed in Native American clothing boarded docked ships holding chests of tea, and threw all 342 chests into the water. It took almost three hours for the 100 colonists to dispose of the tea into the Boston Harbor. The chests held more than 90,000 lbs - or 45 tons - of tea, costing nearly a million dollars today. -
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The Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts): March 21st, 1774 - May 20th, 1774
Parliament passed the Port Act in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party in March. It closed the Boston Harbor to all shipping until the debt on the tea was paid. Two Intolerable Acts were also added and forbade public meetings unless sanctioned by the royal governor. -
First Continental Congress: September 5th, 1774
The First Continental Congress was a meeting of representatives from twelve of the thirteen colonies that met at Carpenters’ Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The meeting was a direct result of the Coercive Acts. Those that attended included future presidents John Adams and George Washington. The Congress issued a Declaration of Rights and the Articles of Association. They also decided to stop export goods on Britain. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord: April 19th, 1775
The American Revolutionary War started with a “shot heard ‘round the world.” British troops were sent to confiscate colonial weapons, but they were confronted by a colonial militia. This group defeated the small army of 700 soldiers and bolsters the colonist’s confidence in the upcoming war. The Battle of Lexington and Concord was another step forward for the colonists to gain independence from Britain. -
The Declaration of Independence: July 4th, 1776
On July 2nd, Congress declared independence from Great Britain and later adopted the Declaration. Copies of the Declaration were sent to be printed and distributed. -
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Siege of Yorktown: September 28th, 1781 - October 19th 1781
The colonists laid siege to the British Army in Virginia. The battle was led by George Washington and the French general, Comte de Rochambeau. The final attack began on the 14th and captured two British defenses and gained British surrender of almost 9,000 troops. It was the last battle of the American Revolution. “No American document has had greater impact than the Declaration of Independence.” -- David Armitage.
