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The French and Indian War Begins
George Washignton attacked the French at Fort Meadows, triggering the war. The reason there was a French and Indian war was because the Eglish and the French wanted more colonies. The English ended up defeating the French with the help of the colonies. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/frin.htm -
Fort Ticonderoga
A fort on Lake Champlain that the British had captured from the French in the French and Indian War. It became a battle site in the American Revolution because the Patriots wanted to take it from the British. This Fort was taken over by a group of soldiers called the Green Mountain Boys in May, 1775. http://www.fortticonderoga.org/ -
Treaty of Paris
This treaty officialy ended the French and Indian War, making it great for the English, but not so great for the losing French. One of the terms of the treaty was that all French territory on the mainland of North America was lost. http://www.ushistory.org/us/8d.asp -
Royal Proclamation
The British's attempt to make peace with the Indians. The Proclamation prohbited colonists from settlement west of the Appalachians which was known as "indian country". It was later objected by the colonists and eventually lost its force after the Revolutionary War. http://tm112.community.uaf.edu/unit-1/royal-proclamation-of-1763/ -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act had more to do with than just sugar. While it did raise the price of foreign sugar, it also listed more foreign goods to be taxed including molasses, certain wines, coffee, pimiento, and cambric and printed calico. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was made to help pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years’ War. It was Parliament's first serious attempt to assert governmental authority over the colonies. http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/road-revolution/resources/stamp-act-1765 -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress convened in New York City with nine colonies, represented by 27 delegates, who had approved a 14-point Declaration of Rights and Grievances, formulated largely by John Dickinson of Pennsylvania. The Stamp Act Congress was another step in the process of attempted common problem-solving. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1221.html -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Act forced colonists to pay duties on most goods coming from England, including tea and paper. Also, it increased the power of custom boards in the colonies to ensure these duties were paid. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/townshend.htm -
Boston Massacre
A crowd of colonists protested against British customs, agents, and the presence of British troops in Boston. Violence broke out and five colonists were killed. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/massacre.htm -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston patriots' plan to protest the Tea Act. Boston wouldn't let the ships bring the tea ashore, and on the night of December 16 colonials disguised as Indians boarded the ships and threw the tea overboard. http://www.boston-tea-party.org/ -
First Continental Congress
A gathering of colonial leaders that met in Philadelphia to respond to a series of laws passed by Parliament that the colonists felt had violated their militia. The Congress voted to cut off colonial trade with Great Britain unless Parliament abolished the Intolerable Acts. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/congress.htm -
Patrick Henry "Give Me Liberty"
Delegate Patrick Henry presented resolutions to raise a militia, and to put Virginia in a posture of defense. In his speech on the 23, he presented a proposal to organize a volunteer company of cavalry or infantry in every Virginia county. http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm -
Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out on their horses through the night to warn the minutemen and villagers in Massachussettes that the British were leaving boston and heading to concord to seize the massachusetts miltia supplies. The colonists then got the supplies in time. http://www.paulreverehouse.org/ride/real.html -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The battles of Lexington and Concord started the Revolutionary War between the American colonists and the British. British troops were sent to Concord to stop the colonists who 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. http://www.ushistory.org/us/11c.asp -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The first major battle of the Revolution. The colonists dominated the British until they ran out of gunpowder and had to abondon Bunker Hill. The colonists lost, however they were able to regroup after the battle unlike the British who suffered hundreds of casualties. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill -
"Common Sense" Published
Thomas Paine's pamphlet which stated that the colonists should free themselves from British rule and establish an independent government based on republican ideals. It became extremely popular and influencial. http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/ -
British Evacuate Boston
The day the British were forced to evacuate Boston. It was Washington's first victory of the war, and a huge morale boost for the Thirteen Colonies. http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/resources/british-evacuation-boston-1776 -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress went toward completing independence from Britain. They offered peace under the conditions that there be a cease-fire in Boston, that the Coercive Acts be repealed, and that negotiations begin immediately. King George III rejected the petition. http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/ccs.htm -
Declaration of Independence Announced
The Declaration of Independence decided the separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain. It contains three parts; the Preamble, a list of charges against King George III, and a conclusion. It is the founding document of the American political tradition. http://www.heritage.org/initiatives/first-principles/primary-sources/the-declaration-of-independence -
"The Crisis" Published
A collection of articles written by Thomas Paine during the American Revolutionary War. This series of 16 pamphlets was published over a period of seven years to boost morale among patriots in the war. http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/singlehtml.htm -
Washington Captures Trenton
On Christmas night, Washington crosses the Deleware river and catches the Hessians by suprise. It was a victory for the Continental army. http://www.mountvernon.org/node/5099 -
British Defeated at Saratoga
The British Defeat at Saratoga was a major turning point of the American Revolution. It lifted American spirits, ended the British threat in New England by taking control of the Hudson River, and it showed the French that the Americans had the potential to beat their enemy, Great Britain. http://www.ushistory.org/us/11g.asp -
Winter at Valley Forge, PA
Washington's army suffered from cold, hunger, no meat, and lack of clothing. Despite these harsh conditions, food arrived in the spring, and General von Steuben came and trained the soldiers. They marched out as a well trained army in 1778, and were ready for victory over the British. http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/ -
John Paul Jones Defeats the Serapis
A Scottish sailor and also America's first well-known naval hero in the American Revolutionary War. Jones engaged with the Serapis in September, 1779, and replied to a taunt about surrender from the British captain with, "I have not yet begun to fight!" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Paul_Jones -
Benedict Arnold Plans Found Out
Benedict Arnold's plan was to surrender his fort at West Point, New York to the British forces. When these plans leaked out, he was commissioned into the British Army as a brigadier general. He was a traitor to the Americans.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_Arnold -
Cornwallis Surrenders
The American Army and allied forces defeated a British force under Cornwallis, and on October 17, Cornwallis finally surrenders after having suffered the American attack, disease, lack of supplies, inclement weather, and a failed evacuation. http://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-by-era/war-for-independence/resources/surrender-british-general-cornwallis-americans-october
