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Passing of Virginia Slave Codes
The Virginia House of Burgesses passed the 1705 Virginia Slave Codes, which even more sharply delineated the racial hierarchy between whites and blacks. Slaveowners were allowed to use any form of violence against slaves without prosecution, and it was made nearly impossible to free slaves. -
New York Slave Revolt
Dozens of blacks in New York, a colony with an exceptionally high concentration of slaves, rebelled against their owners and killed nine whites. The rebellion was put down and 21 slaves were executed. -
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Yamasee War
The Yamasee tribe of Native Americans in South Carolina broke their alliance with the colonists and violently attacked them, due to the cessation of trade relations. The Yamasee inflicted severe damage and even threatened Charles Town, but the colonists managed to defeat them with the help of the Cherokee. -
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First Great Awakening
From the 1730s to the 1750s, a wave of Christian revival swept across the colonies, led by figures such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield. Revivalist preachers emphasized the importance of a personal relationship with God and attacked the religious elites of the time. The Awakening helped to further establish the ideals of individualism and anti-elitism in American culture, setting the stage for the American Revolution. -
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French and Indian War
Territorial disputes between England and France in North America erupted into a war, involving the two empires and their respective Native American allies. Although the French had an advantage toward the beginning of the war, the British turned the tide and ultimately defeated the French, winning vast swathes of territory in the West and in Canada. However, the war also resulted in immense debt for the British Empire. -
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Parliament Attempts to Tax the Colonies
To pay for the massive debt incurred by the French and Indian War, Parliament passeed a series of bills to directly tax the North American colonies, which was an unprecedented step. These bills included the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts. Enraged colonists protested by rioting, disobedience, and boycotting British goods. British troops were sent to control the unrest, but Parliament ultimately repealed all the taxation acts, except the tax on tea. -
Boston Massacre
British troops fired upon and kill five people in a disorderly crowd of protesters in Boston. Although the troops were acquitted, the massacre further inflamed sentiments against Britain and was held up as an example of violent British tyranny. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, raided the HMS Dartmouth and dumped a massive shipment of tea into Boston Harbor. They intended to protest against the Tea Act, which granted the East India Company an effective monopoly over the tea market in the colonies by selectively eliminating import duties. -
Parliament Passes Coercive Acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed a set of four laws called the "Coercive Acts," also known as the "Intolerable Acts" in the colonies. The Acts cut off Boston, severely limited local government in Massachusetts, and allowed British soldiers to "quarter" in private homes without permission. This led to the convening of the First Continental Congress by all colonies except Georgia in September 1774. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
A confrontation between British troops seeking to seize munitions and a local town militia in Lexington, Massachusetts, turned into a confused shootout when an unknown gun was fired. This marked the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War. -
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American Revolutionary War
The American colonists fought against the British Empire for six years, originally for the general purpose of securing their rights as Englishmen, and then for total independence. Starting as a disorganized and heavily disadvantaged group of untrained volunteers, the Continental Army was gradually transformed by the leadership of George Washington, and gained support from French forces in the latter part of the war. The war ended in American victory and independence from Britain. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, was signed by delegates of the Continental Congress. This iconic document transformed the war into a cause for liberty and complete separation from British rule, instead of a mere struggle for recognition of rights under the British constitution. -
France Allies with America
Following a key American victory over the British at Saratoga, New York, which proved to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War, the French signed a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with American diplomats. This established a formal alliance between America and France, and was critical in the ultimate triumph of the American cause. -
Victory at Yorktown
With assistance from the French, the Continental Army surrounded the army of British General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, forcing their surrender. This was the final engagement of the American Revolutionary War and marked the decisive victory of the American cause. -
Treaty of Paris
American and British representatives signed the Treaty of Paris on September 3, 1783, formally ending the war and recognizing the United States of America as a fully independent nation. -
Signing of the U.S. Constitution
Following the Constitutional Convention to "amend" the Articles of Confederation, which occurred throughout the summer of 1787, the delegates signed the United States Constitution, America's supreme governing document. The Constitution was ratified and went into effect the following year. -
Inauguration of George Washington
George Washington formally took office on April 30, 1789, being inaugurated as the first president of the United States of America. His assumption of the office was the beginning of the government system created by the Constitution. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin
In 1793, Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, a mechanical device to quickly separate cotton fibers and seeds. This invention resulted in an explosion of cotton production on southern plantations, causing the South's economy to become almost entirely dependent on cotton and slave labor.