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"hands off approach by Great Britain; British policy of loosely enforcing laws and regulations in the American colonies, allowing them to govern themselves. -
Beginning in 1763 economic policy England followed when it came to the 13 colonies. England saw the colonies as a market for English goods wanted to get money (taxes) natural resources from the colonies. -
The first direct tax on the colonists, requiring a tax stamp on all legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards. It triggered the famous cry: "No Taxation Without Representation!" -
A law requiring colonists to provide housing and food for British soldiers. Many saw this as a violation of their rights as English citizens. -
Taxes placed on imported goods like glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. This led to widespread boycotts of British goods. -
A street brawl between a "patriot" mob and British soldiers that ended in the deaths of five colonists. It was used as powerful propaganda to turn the public against the British. -
Members of the Sons of Liberty, disguised as Mohawk Indians, dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act. -
Britain’s punishment for the Tea Party. They closed Boston Harbor and suspended the Massachusetts government. This unified the colonies in their opposition to the King.
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A final attempt by the colonists to avoid war. They sent a petition to King George III pledging loyalty, but he refused to read it and declared the colonies in open rebellion. -
Known as “The Shot Heard Around the World.” British troops tried to seize colonial gunpowder; the resulting skirmish marked the official start of the American Revolution. -
A meeting of delegates from the 13 colonies that acted as the "de facto" national government. They created the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as commander. -
A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine using simple language to argue that it was common sense for the colonies to break away from the "royal brute" of England. -
Primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, this document formally announced the colonies' separation from England and listed their grievances against the King. -
The first "constitution" of the U.S. It created a very weak central government because the founders were afraid of creating another "King-like" tyranny. -
A meeting held to discuss trade issues between states. Only five states showed up, proving that the Articles of Confederation were too weak to govern effectively. -
An uprising of debt-ridden farmers in Massachusetts. Since the national government was too weak to stop it, this event convinced leaders that the Articles of Confederation needed to be replaced. -
Delegates met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles but ended up writing a brand new U.S. Constitution, creating the three-branch government system we use today.