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Treaty of Paris
This ended the Seven Years war between France, Spain, and Britain, allowing for significant British land gain overseas. -
The Proclamation of 1763
Layed a boundary along the Appalachians that separated the Colonists from the Native Americans, Colonists toward the east (oceanward) and Native Americans toward the west. -
Revenue or Sugar Act
This act imposed a stricter, not higher, tax on the colonists when they bought and imported molasses, mostly in rums and syrups. This just built tension in the colonies a bit more, just adding to the list of things they had against Britain. -
Currency Act
Paper money unique to the colonies was not to be printed in the colonies, the only money to be used was the British Pound. This specifically targeted New Englanders, who printed money which helped their economy in the short term but could have led to inflation. -
House of Burgesses
House of Burgesses in Virginia debates 7 declarations of opinion which are later published by other colonies. This just further strengthens the resolve of patriots and shows the the ideas of the whole just hiding behind the curtain. -
Francis Bernard's claims
he refers to the Virginia determination for rebellion as "the alarm bell for the disaffected". Forshadowing a center for the colonists as they rebel against Britain. -
Effigy of Andrew Oliver is hung
An effigy of Andrew Oliver is hung in Massachusets on the Liberty Tree by the Sons of Liberty. Thomas Hutchinson intervened as Oliver's brother-in-law, but to no avail. Later colonists took down the effigy and paraded it through the streets and leveled his house. Oliver was one of the first of a trend of stamp distributors to resign -
Stamp Act
A tax on degrees, licenses, paper, dice, playing cards, and several other paper goods. It was called the stamp act because the tax was verified with a stamp on the good that was being taxed. This tax seems a bit high maintenance and expensive especially for those (which is the reason they came over to America) who are employed as merchants of various paper goods. Eventually led to Stamp Act Riots. -
Declaratory Acts
Acts that basically stated that the king had control over the colonies and that Parliament had the right to tax them, this is basically to declare Britain's power over the colonies in an absolute manner. This act catalyzed the argument about taxation without representation and ultimately leading to another reason for the colonists to rebel. -
Stamp Act REPEALED
The Stamp Act was repealed because of riots but only to be later replaced by yet another tax. This did little to calm the angry and growing angrier colonists. -
Sugar Act REPEALED
Sugar act was repealed only to be replaced by the declaratory act a short time later. -
Townshend Acts
A tax on French goods for the colonists, an attempt to boycott France out of business in the Americas, also made Britain more money off of the colonies because more people were buying British goods and if they weren't British were collecting a tax off of it. -
Nonimportation agreements
The nonimportation agreements was a reaction from the colonists towards the townshend acts, basically until the tax was repealed British goods would not be sold by American merchants. This is the start of a trend towards boycotts as a non-violent method of revolt. (The date was in 1768 but was a sweeping movement not necessarily an abrupt date) -
Townshend Acts REPEALED
The townshend acts were repealed by Parliament in 1770 because of protest against the acts, obviously gaining a monopoly over all goods in the colonies made the prices go up for everything, much to the dismay of the colonists, until the acts were repealed. The tax on tea however is not repealed. -
Boston Massacre
British troops in Boston killed 5 civilians after having stones thrown at them. The civilians were rioting and the troops fired their muskets killing them, this could be identified as what might have elevated the war from an idealistic war to one where physical violence was used on both sides. -
Tea Act
A tax on tea that was imposed on the colonists in 1773, it instigated the Boston Tea Party and many other forms of riot, it could also be said though that it was a key factor in the Revolution, becuase without the Tea Act and the Boston Tea Party the British might not have closed Boston Harbor within the Coercive Acts. -
Boston Tea Party
Shortly after the Tea Act is passed a group, the Sons of Liberty, board a British ship dressed as Native Americans and dump all of the tea into Boston Harbor, hoping to damage the British in some way and hopefully get there message across that they wanted the Tea Acts repealed. -
Intolerable or Coercive Acts
This group of acts was released in a group of four, this including the quartering an boston port acts, which did several things, such as closing Boston Port, requirements to give housing and food to soldiers, the skipping of judiciary trials for the accused by the accuser, and other unprecedented actions. This group of acts imposed on the colonists essentially pushed them over the edge, instead of putting them in line like the British hoped this would, this made the colonist's resolve adamant. -
First Continental Congress
Response to Intolerable acts, this was only the first continental congress, the congress was disorganized and not very radical in their resolve, the delegates made a few statements and wanted the king to rescind the Intolerable Acts. This was the first time that the delegates got together as a whole to make determinations as to how the ideals behind the Revolution would operate. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress, much more organized than the first, the delegates organized a declaration that verified the colonies independance from Britain and a loose form of government for when the colonies eventually left Britain. The second time that Congress met they were much more radical in all of their views, as the war between the two viewpoints, that of the Loyalists and British against the Patriots, had already begun. -
The King of England rejects peace
The olive branch petition was sent to England, attempting to solve the issue of conflicting interest betweent he colonies and Britain. The king declined peace, this showed that there was no going back, neither party would submit and now the colonies wanted liberty either through peaceful agreement or full out rebellion. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was a petition compiled by the Second Continental Congress that attempted to have make peace with Britain. This was rejected, by rejecting this treaty the British essentially stated that peace was no longer an option, and to the colonies it wasn't an option either. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Thomas Paine publishes his work Common Sense (a satirical name interesting the common colonist) which sold many copies, the most of its time, and multiple editions. Pointed why everyone is affected by Britains actions, involved the commoner and strengthened the colonists resolve. -
Boston Evacuated
Boston is evacuated by the British on order of British Commander General William Howe. -
Declaration of Independance
A document is prepared titled the Declaration of Independance which declares, as the title suggests, independence of the colonized area in America by Britain independent from Britain.
Many disagreed with the concept at the time, but this was the start of a new form of society.