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French and Indian War
Britain needed money to finance war with France and Britain imposed taxes on the colonist to pay for the war. Colonist didnt think that they had to pay for it through taxes and they thought it was a waste. -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris helped Britain claim all of the land East of the Mississippi River and pushed France out of North America. Britain gained control of more land for expension and the colonist started moving outward but then the Indians started to attack. -
Proclamation of 1763
Britain wanted to avoid conflict with Native Americans and told colonists they couldnt be protected. So colonists were forbidden to cross Appalachian Mountains. Colonists also were angered because of British presence and being told what to do -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was taxes on all sugar and molasses. British wanted more money to help provide more secruity for the colonies. Colonist felt that the Sugar Act was taken away some of their basic rights, they were getting angry, and they had no say in the parliament. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax on legal documents and basically every piece of paper used.British placed high taxes on the colonies and the colonist started to boycott. The stamp act congress formed to organize boycott. -
Quartering Act
In the Quartering Act colonist had to provide housing and provisions for the British soldiers. Colonist started to protest, threatened to kill the king, kill some of the soldiers, and refused to house the soldiers. This act was implemented by General Tomas Gage, the commander in chief of North America. Soldiers were to be housed in barracks or empty public buildings and not in private residences. It was the duty of local legislatures to fund the expenses. -
Writs of Assistance
Writs of Assistance had let customs officers search ships at will. Colonist were outreaged, angry, and they started to protest. Few colonist affected but merchants felt this was an invasion of privacy. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act had place taxes on glass, lead, paints, and tea. Charles Townshend wanted to raise money to cover the cost for defending the colonies, and pay the salaries of governors and judges in the colonies. Colonist reacted by refusing to buy British goods. The Colonist had argued that they shouldnt be taxed since they had no representation in the British government. "No taxation without representations" -
Boston Massacre
troops discharging their muskets after being attacked by a rioting crowd. Three civilians were killed at the scene of the shooting, and two died after the incident. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a rioting mob confronted British soldiers at the Boston Customs House. Incident involving the deaths of five civilians at the hands of British troops on March 5, 1770, the legal aftermath of which helped spark the rebellion in some of the British colonies in America, which culminated in the American Revolution. A tense situation because of a heavy British military presence in Boston boiled over to incite brawls between soldiers and civilians and eventually led to troops -
Tea Act/Boston Tea Party
The company monopolized, or controlled, tea sales in the colonies. Boston Tea Party the people dumped 90,000 pounds of tea into the Boaton Harbor. Also the British Parliament that stated that the East Indian Company would have to cruise directly to the American colonies to export their tea instead of going first to Britain and then export it again to the same colonies. -
Intolerable Acts
Colonist could not hold town meeting. Closed the port of Boston until the tea had been paid for and "order" restored. The government of Massachusetts was altered, making almost all posts appointments of the King. Another act allowed British officers accused of crimes to be tried elsewhere than where the crime was committed. The last act that applied to the American colonies was the Quartering Act which allowed British troops to be quartered on the private homes of colonists without their consent -
1st Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress sent a letter listing their grievances to the king of England. They also came up with a plan to boycott British goods until the Intolerable Acts were repealed. The First Continental Congress laid the groundwork for the cooperation necessary to unite the colonies in their fight for independence. -
"Give Me Liberty" Speech
Patrick Henry's famous speech at the Viriginia House of Burgesses was the "Give Me liberty or Give Me death" speech. Many thought a fight would be a short show of force to make Britain change its policies. In the speech he had convinced Virginia that all the acts they had done to achieve peace had not worked, is not working and will never work. The solution he saw was to fight, and to fight not soon but now. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
First Battles of the American Revolution. In Lexington, British ordered Americans to drop their muskets and they refused. In Concord, British marched to Concord, destroyed military supplies and engaged in a battle where they were forced to retreat. It was also known as the “Shot heard around the world” -
2nd Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress met at the State House in Philadelphia.The Second Continental Congress meeting started with the battle of Lexington and Concord fresh in their memories. The New England militia were still encamped outside of Boston trying to drive the British out of Boston. The Second Continental Congress established the militia as the Continental Army to represent the thirteen states. They also elected George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. -
Ft. Ticonderoga
In May 1775, Ethan Allen and Captain Benedict Arnold of the Connecticut militia led the Green Mountain Boys of Vermont on a raid of Fort Ticonderoga.The Green Mountain Boys were a regiment made up of settlers from the Green Mountains of Vermont. There weren't many British troops located at the Fort. The Americans stormed the Fort at dawn while the British troops were still sleeping. They captured the Fort without a single shot being fired. -
Ft. Ticonderoga
In capturing the Fort, the Green Mountain Boys captured 78 pieces of heavy artillery including 59 cannons. These cannons were later moved to Boston and played a major role in driving the British out of Boston. -
2nd Continental Congress
They Created the Olive Branch Petition to declare their loyalty but to ask for reapeal of the Intolerable acts. -
Bunker Hill
Militia had built fortifications so the British attacked, Militia waited on the top of the hill and were ordered “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes. Battle ensured but the Militia was forced off hill, British won but suffered more than 1400 deaths and casualties. On June 17, 1775, British warships in Boston harbor opened an attack on Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. The British expected an easy victory. The colonial soldiers held their ground. (Militia men fortified the hills around -
Bunker Hill
Boston to fire on British ships) -
Common Sense
Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine. It increased support for American Independence. Paine's arguments helped persuade colonist to fight for independence. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson was choosen to compose the document. June, 1776 the Continental Congress debated the "free and independent states" resolution calling for a complete break form Britain. -
Battle of New York
British wanted to capture New York city. British also attacked Washington's army and inflicted heavy casualties. Washington avoided capture and the British occupy New York city for the rest of the war. -
Battle of Trenton
The battle was fought between the Americans against the Hessians and British troops after the Americans lost the battle in New York and were forced to retreat through New Jersey. Washington had launched a surprise attack and captured over 800 Hessian prisoners. -
Battle of Princeton
Washington captured another 300 British soldiers. Washington also won and drove the British out of New Jersey, almost for good. Americans drove British out of Princeton before the Cornwallis had a chance to return to defend his city. -
Battle of Saratoga
American General Horation Gates surrounded Burgoyne's remaining forces at Saratoga. Burgoyne surrendered his entire army to the Americas. Benjamin Franklin would help negotiate Treaty of Alliance with France and Spain.Saratoga was also a turning point in the war. -
Winter at Valley Forge
Washington and his men spent the long cold winter in Valley Forge. Troops were deseperate need of food and warm clothing. Many had died and became weak. -
Battle of Yorktown
Ended the Revolutionary War. British General Lord Cornwallis moved his troops to Virginia. Washington set traps and James Armistead was a double spy and gave Washington information. A fleet of French battleships sailed and Cornwallis was then captured. Washington would lead a 3 week attack. Cornwallis surrendered on October 17, 1781 and the americans had won their independence! -
Treaty of Paris
Great Britain recognized the Untied States as an independent nation. The United States was now independent, its boundaries would be the Mississippi River on the west, Canada on the north, and Spanish Florida on the south, and British would return any enslaved persons they had captured. U.S returned all property taken form the loyalist.
