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Thesis
Each of the following events has either a direct or indirect correlation with the American Revolution against Britian. As colonists became more and more frustrated with the crown and it's over-seas legislature, they found new ways to openly oppose Parliment and take steps to their independence, though at the time they did not know it. -
French and Indian War
On May 28, 1754, Washington leads his troops in an attack against the French in western Pensilvania. This was the beginning of a series of battles over land between the British and French. Known in Europe as the 7 years war, the French and Indian war was a fight for control of America by the French and British. In the end, the British won, thanks to the help of the colonials. In fact, the colonials were so successful that they became very confident in themselves and no longer felt -
F&I War (continuation)
felt they needed protection from the British. This newfound independence would only drive the wedge father between the colonials and their mother country. -
Albany plan of Union
In !754, delegates from most of the northern colonies met in New York and came up with this plan, with a "long-range purpose to acheive greater colonial untiy and thus bolster the common defense against France." Though all the delegates unanimously agreed, both the colonies and Brititsh officials would not except it. The colonies wanted more independence, the British; less. Though slightly unsucsessful, the Albany plan for Union was a leading step in.. http://www.constitution.org/bcp/albany.htm -
Albany (continuation)
unifying the colonies, which would later become nessesary during the Revolution. -
Battle of Quebec
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h787.html William Pitt hires James Wolfe, an old war vet, to lead men in a battle at Quebec. Both he and the French commander, Marqui de Montcalm, were fatally wounded, but the British won. The batlle of Quebec was the first sigificant victory for the British, and it also essetially wrapped up the French and Indian war. -
Treaty of Paris
After Montreal fell in 1760, the French had no choice but to give up. The Treaty of Paris was signed, and the French lost all it's territories on the North American continent, though it did get to keep it's small sugar islands. Britian thus became the dominant power in North America and leading naval power of the world. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/time/cp/90615.htm -
Proc of 1763 (continuation)
and more aggrivated with their mother country, and another step closer to rebellion. -
Proclamation of 1763
(month+day incorrect) After the Seven Years war was over, the British wanted to keep the Indians' resentment of the British contained by passing the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited colonials to settle past the Appalachian mountains. Of course, this upset the settlers because they felt they had earned the land during the war. Many colonials ignored the Proclamation completley and moved out west anyways. The Proclamation was just one more load on the camels back, making the settler's more.. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was basically a re-enstatment of the Sugar and Molasses Act of 1733, which was an act that taxed the colonials on foreign molasses and molasse products to help the British West Indies market. However, this new act taxed not only sugar, but also certain kinds of wines, coffee, and regulated the export of lumber and iron. Essentially, this act prohibited the colonials from trading with other countries, thus hindering the American colonies while assisting the British -
Sugar Act (continuation)
... West Indies market. This was the first act where the colonies were taxed directly to the crown. Needless to say they weren't pleased. Not only did it weaken their economy, but settlers felt as though they shouldnt have to support a country across the ocean. -
The Stamp Act
To help defur some of the debt from the French and Indian war, Parliment passed the Stamp Act, which taxed stamped papers like diplomas, almanacs, newspapers, and playing cards. Because this tax was directly imposed on the colonists, they were infuriated with it and refused to abide by it. They did not want Parliment to be able to tax them any time to raise money. -
The Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was passed by Parliment becuase they believed that the colonists should help to pay for their own protection. Of course, the colonials were not pleased to house soldierswhen they felt they could take care of themselves. -
Stamp Act Congress (Declaration of Rights)
After being taxed so much, delegates from nine colonies gathered and wrote the Declaration of Rights. They sent this petition to Parliment, though it went pretty much ignored. However, this meeting of rival colony delegates made a large impact on the unity of the colonies. -
Stamp Act Repealed
With tensions rising, and the crazy colonies mobs attacking officials, Parliment reluctantly agreed to repeal the Stamp Act. Of course, this only made the colonials more stubborn with rebellion, now that they knew they could make the British yeild to their wishes through mobs and boycotts. -
Delcaratory Act
On the same day that the Stamp Act was repealed, Parliment passed the Declaratory Act, which was basically just an absrtact thought that stated that Parliment could pass any laws or acts it wanted on the American colonies. This act was essentially useless and had no effect on the colonists. -
Townshend Act
This act placed a tax on glass, white lead, paper, paint, and tea. Though the purpose was to fund colonial administration, the colonials were again infuriated. They felt Parliment was taxing them simply to have control over them. They were especially mad about the tax on tea, because it was so commonly purchased. -
Boston Massacre
When British troops were landed in Boston to enforce the law, colonials were very angry. They didnt like the soldiers, many of whom were drunks. On day, a mob of townspeople started to fight with some soldiers. Provoked, they open-fired on the citizens, with a few killed and many wounded, Of course, propaganda made colonials believe that the soldiers were the ones to innitiate the fight, and thus the "Boston Massacre" was born. This event put the colonials at the peak of their anger with the... -
Boston Massacre (continuation)
.. crown. -
Boston Tea Party
When the British East Company was about to collapse due to poor sales, the London governement let it have a monopoly over the American colony tea trade. Though this would lower tea prices, the colonists were still angered because they thought Parliment was trying to be sneaky. On December 16, 1773, a bunch of white towns people dressed as indians when to the Boston harbor and dumped the tea into the water. Of course, London couldnt let that go, because now the colonists were damaging property... -
Boston Tea Party (continuation)
which taking their former acts of rebellion to a whole new level. There would only be two options for the London government: negotiation or confrontation with the colonies. -
First Continental Congress
In response to the Intolerable Acts, the Continental Congress met up in Philidelphia to write a few papers that might get the attention of the London government. They wanted to change what wrongs Parliment had done to the colonies and thought that with a unfied voice they could accomplish just that.The Congress created the Association, which called for a complete boycott of of British goods. However serious the Congerss was, Parliment refused to accept it's petitions. Had the British just... -
First Continental Congress (continuation)
acknowledged the colonials wishes and tried to cooperate, America might never have revolted. -
Intolerable Acts
(month+day incorrect) After the Boston Tea Party, Parliment passed a series of acts that were aimed at Boston, MA. The most exorbitant act was teh Boston Port Act, which closed the port until the colonists paid for the tea they dumped. These intolerable acts were just adding fuel to the fire, and the colonials were rapidly becoming raving rebellious mobsters. -
Quebec Act
(month+day incorrect) Parliment passed the Quebec act "to institute a perminant adminisitration in Canada" (Quebec Act, infoplease.com). It gave the French Canadians religious freedom and a form of civil law, but it also "nullified man of the claims of the coastal colonies by expanding the boundries of the province of Quebec." The colonists were upset because they felt that Parliment was favoring the French over them. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
In April, 1775, British troops headed toward Lexington and Concord to take the supplies that the colonists had built up, for by this time, the revolution was under way. Minute men were mowed down in Lexington by the British, but the colonists remained strong, defending Concord and eventaully pushing the British back to Boston. With the final spark, the Revolution had begun.
