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The Frenchand Indian War
The French and Indian war was the war between Great Britain and France in North America. The war started in 1754 because of an argument over land. The English and French both wanted to build a fort on the same land. The two settlements did not get along, and this led to the start of a war. The war lasted 7 years, and finally ended in 1763 with the French having to surrender their land in Canada, and Britain in bad debt. -
Proclamation of 1763
At the end of the French and Indian war, the document called the Proclamation of 1763 was created. The document banned any settlements in certain areas near the Appalachian Mountains. The colonists were mad because they believed that they had the right to settle wherever they wanted. Many people just ignored the proclamation, and British declared it impossible to enforce. -
Sugar Act
On April 5, 1764, Parliament put new taxes on importing foreign sugar. Taxes on other items were increased, and a ban on importing French wine and rum was also set. This mostly affected the merchants, who were the people that had to pay these taxes. They were very angry about it the raised and new taxes. The Sugar Act was eventually repealed in 1766, and only molasses remained taxed. -
The Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was passed by the parliament in 1765. What the quartering act did was it stated that if the British soldiers went to a colonist’s house and asked for hospitality and food, the colonists would have to allow the British soldiers to stay until they needed to leave. If the houses that the soldiers had asked to stay in weren’t big enough to hold all the soldiers, then the localities were required to move them to a local inn. -
Stamp Act
In 1765, British Parliament required all colonists to buy special taxed stamps for different activities. The stamps had to be put on documents like college diplomas and books all the way to playing cards. The colonists protested and stopped buying British goods. The British part way retreated but kept on taxing the colonists. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the Parliament of Great Britain. The acts were named after Charles Townshend who proposed the idea in the first place. The purposes of the Townshend Acts were to raise the revenue of the colonies to pay for judge’s salaries. The reactions to the British from the colonists were to occupy Boston. British soldiers tried calming the riots down in 1768 and led to the Boston Massacre in 1770. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre happened on March 5, 1770 where British soldiers killed 5 colonists. The British Army had been stationed there since 1768 to help enforce Parliament. A mob started around a stationed British troop. The soldier called for help and more troops came. They surrounded the mob and as they got more out of control a shot rang out and a body hit the ground beginning the American Revolution. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party occurred as a result of the new taxes on imported tea. The colonists were very unhappy that they had to pay even more money for tea, so they made a plan to bring it to an end. The colonists dressed up as Native Americans and suck onto three British ships. They all lifted 342 crates of the British tea and threw it into the water, as a way of protesting against the new taxes. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord began on April 19th, 1775. The British troops came to Concord to take John Hancock and Samuel Adams into custody. However, Paul Revere had rode through Concord the night before and warned everyone that the British were going to attack. Since they were warned, the soldiers were prepared and knew the British were coming. To this day, no one knows who fired the first shot in The Battle of Lexington and Concord. -
Second Continental Congress
May 10, 1775 the Second Continental Congress assembled for the first time. The Second Continental Congress acted as a central government for the colonies. Some famous founding fathers in the Second Continental Congress are John and Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson. -
Declaration of Independence
On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was read out loud in front of Independence Hall. They all signed it. First to sign it was John Hancock, the president of the congress, signed it so large that King George could read it without his glasses on. Copies of the Declaration were printed into newspapers and spread through the newly declared states. All 55 signatures are still on the Declaration of Independence announcing the birth of the United States of America.
