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Battle of Lexington and Concord
Gage sends hundreds of soldiers to come capture colonial leaders but Paul Revere and other patriots warn the people. The militiamen confront the British first at Lexington and then at Concord. Men on both sides were killed and injured. -
Second Continental Congress
Patriot leaders gathered in Philadelphia and as Congress opened , 3,000 British troops attacked American fortifications. They created a Continental Army and George Washington was put in charge. -
Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776
Created a unicameral legislature with complete power -
Declaration of Independence
Mainly written by Thomas Jefferson, the document justified independence and republicanism to Americans. He also mentions that "all men are created equal" and have the rights of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". -
Battle of Long Island
First major engagement of the new Continental army, defending against 32,000 British troops outside of New York CIty. -
Theory of Mixed Government
John Adams publishes a book about a British Whig theory ofmixed government (a sharing of power among the monarch, House of Lords, and the Commons) -
Benedict Arnold defeated at Lake Champlain
At the battle of Volcour Island, which took place by Lake Champlain, the American army was beaten by the British. -
Battle of Saratoga
General Howe comes into Philadelphia (home of Continental Congress) from the south. Howe's troops defeated Burgoyne's army. This was the turning point of the war. -
Articles of Confederation
Idea approved by the Continental Congress that provided a loose unionn in which "each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence. -
Valley Forge
Washington leads thousands of soldiers to Valley Forge and they all suffer in the long winter. -
Baron von Steuben takes charge
While at Valley Forge, von Steuben becomes an inspector general of the Continental army and instutues a strict drill system. Because of his work, the smaller army that came in the Spring from Valley Forge, was much more diciplined. -
Franco-American alliance
The French and Americans come together under an agreement to help eachother. Amerca offers France land the Americans are seeking military aid. -
British General William Howe replaced by Henry Clinton
Clinton was originally sent to help General Howe, he worked his way up to second in command and then in Philadelphia he was able to become commander with Cornwallis as second in command. -
Philipsburg Proclamation
Proclamation that declared that any slave who deserted a rebel master would recieve protection, freedom, and land from Great Britain. -
Sir Henry Clinton (Britain's Southern Strategy)
Clinton in charge of British troops and launches a seaborne attack on Savannah, Georgia. -
Spain joins war
Spain joins the war to regain Florida -
Cornwallis assumes control of British forces
After British forces march and Clinton forces surrender of Charleston, South Carolina, the Lord Charles Cornwallis assumes control of the British forces. -
Battle of Yorktown
French aid comes and Americans are able to surround British army. Cornwallis has nothing else to do so he surrenders. -
Lord North resigned as British Prime Minister
Lord North resigns as British Prime Minister in 1982. -
Treaty of Paris of 1783
Negotiation between the Amerians and Brittish that ended the revolutionary war and recognized American Independence. -
Congress enacts political and land ordinances for new states
The congress decides that they are going to start enacting political and land ordiances for whenever there is a new state. -
Shays' Rebellion
A series of protests by American farmers who were against local taxations laws. It took its name after the leader Daniel Shays of Massachusetts. -
Virginia Plan
An idea for a national government devised by James Madison that detemined that national political institutions would run by men of high character. -
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Written by Thomas Jefferson, establishes the principle of territory that could become states as their populations grew. -
Ratification of the Constitution
11 states ratify Constitution. Articles that talk about the separation of power with three separate branches of government. The three different branches are legislative, judicial, and executive.
