-
Period: to
revolutionary war
-
Boston Massacre
Colonists are rioting in the streets and British troops are sent out to stop it. A colonist throws a rock and causes one of the troops to drop his loaded gun. When the gun fires it causes panic and the result is that 5 colonists were killed by British soliders -
The Gaspee Incident
The Gaspee was a British merchant ship that ran aground in Narragansett Bay, near Providence. The next night, a group of men boarded the Gaspee. They wounded the lieutenant who was commanding the ship, and set the ship on fire. -
Boston Tea Party
50 members of the Sons of Liberty dress as Mohawk Indians and dump tea from 3 British ships into the Boston Harbor -
Intolerable Acts
The British parliament responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing four new laws which the colonists called "intolerable." -
Rides of Paul Revere
Rode through the countryside to warn the American colonists that the British were coming. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
British troops had occupied Boston and were marching on Concord as they passed through Lexington. No one is still sure who fired first, but it was the "Shot Heard 'Round the World." Both sides opened fire, and the Americans were forced to withdraw. -
First Continental Congress
Representatives from each colony, except Georgia, met in Philadelphia. The representatives gathered to discuss their response to the British "Intolerable Acts. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress established the militia as the Continental Army to represent the thirteen states -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Americans had occupied Breed's Hill in Charlestown in order to protect the shipyard of nearby Boston. The next day, the British attacked. -
Olive Branch Petition
Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition. It outlined their issues and asked the British government to respond and deal with them -
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" is published
Was a pamplet that challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy -
Declaration is adopted
The document declaring freedom from Britain was approved -
Declaration is signed
-
Battle of Trenton
George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River to defeat the British in the Battle of Trenton.They caught the British soldiers sleeping, killing over one hundred men and taking another thousand prisoners. -
Battle of Princeton
Washington's troops were still excited from the win at Trenton. They defeated the British once again at Princeton. -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
The Americans stormed the Fort at dawn while the British troops were still sleeping. They captured the Fort without a single shot being fired. -
Battle of Saratoga
General Burgoyne attacked for the third time at the Battle of Saratoga. This time Burgoyne and his forces were defeated. General Burgoyne was forced to surrender. This was the turning point in the war. -
Valley Forge
6 month camp set up by Washington. There was no supplies for the troops. Many died from cold, malnutricion and disease.
