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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was fought between French and Indians and the British and American Colonists. The war was a part of the Seven Years war and even though the British won, it was a very costly war and hurt them financially. This led to the unfair taxation of colonists in an effort to make more money for the British government. In addition, this was the first time that the colonists had joined together to fight against a common enemy. -
Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was issued on October 7, 1763 and forbid any expansion past the Appalachian Mountains for the American Colonists. This occurred following the French and Indian War and was done to keep peace with the Indians by keeping settlers from encroaching on their territories. This angered colonists because they felt like they deserved the land that Britain had won during the war and they wanted to expand Westward. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an act written by British Parliament that put high taxes on newspapers and legal and commercial documents. They did this to make revenue after their financial losses in the French and Indian War. Colonial opposition to the act later allowed it to be repealed, but it still helped encourage the revolutionary movement against the British. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when american colonists got into an argument with Britsh soldiers. They began harrassing the soldiers and threw sticks and snowballs at them. After a soldiers was struck down by an object thrown, he shot into the crowd of colonists and the other soldiers did the same. 5 American colnists died as a result. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest by the American Colonists against the British government as a result of the Tea Act which put high taxes on tea. Colonists boarded 3 trade ships in the Boston Harbor and threw 342 chests of tea into the ocean. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were passed by the British government in 1774. They were a series of five acts that were meant to punish the colonists for their actions at the Boston Tea Party. They included the Quartering Act, the Quebec Act, the Boston Port Act, Massachussetts Government Act, and the Administration of Justice Act. These acts angered the colonists greatly and built more tension between them and the British. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met at Carpenter’s Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from September 5, 1774 until October 26, 1774. There were representatives from 12 out of the 13 colonies at this meeting. This meeting was called in response to the Intolerable Acts that had been passed by the British Parliament. This gathering helped the colonists join together to define common problems that they had with the British government. As a result, the colonies decided to boycott all British goods. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
These two battles were the first battles of the American Revolution. Tensions had been rising between the American colonies and the British for years. British troops were marching towards Concord in order to destroy the weapons Americans had stored there and met some oppostition in Lexington first. After realizing they were outnumbered, Americans retreated to Concord where they waited for reinforcements. They were able to beat the British at Concord which gave them renewed confidence. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress first met on May 10, 1775 and then continued to meet throughout the Revolutionary War. The Second Continental Congress meeting was different than the first because it was now acting like a government. All thirteen colonies were represented and they accomplished a great deal towards American Independence. They established the Continental Army, wrote and sent the Olive Branch Petition, and issued the Declaration of Independence. -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
On May 10, 1775, a small force of Green Mountain Boys led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold defeated a small group of British forces at Fort Ticonderoga and looted their belongings. Even though this was a small event, it was the first victory of the Revolutionary War and gave the colonists the confidence that they needed to continue. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
This battle occurred on June 17, 1775. The British were planning on taking Breeds Hill and Bunker Hill so the Americans went to defend them. Even though it is called the Battle of Bunker Hill, most of the fighting took place at Breeds Hill. The British were led by General William Howe and the Americans were led by General William Prescott. After three charges up the hill, the Americans ran out of ammunition and admitted defeat. Even though this was a loss for Americans, it gave them confidence. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was drafted on July 5, 1775 at the Second Continental Congress. It was a letter sent to King George III as a means to try and find middle ground and negociate. It was the moderate party's last attempt to make peace with King George III and avoid a war. King George III rejected the petition and this gave the Americans that were unsure about a war for independence the push that they needed to be on board. -
Common Sense Published
“Common Sense” is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine on January 10, 1776. He wrote this in an effort to convince colonists that they should break away from British rule and declare their independence. This pamphlet was written in a way that colonists could understand and it played a major role in turning people towards the idea of American independence. -
Signing of the Declaration of Independence
After the colonists had been at war with Britain for over a year the colonists decided that it was time for them to declare their independence. The Second Continental Congress appointed five men to write the Declaration of Independence and they decided that Thomas Jefferson should write the first draft. After they had perfected Thomas Jefferson’s work they presented it to congress. It was officially signed on July 4, 1776. This day is still celebrated as Independence Day in the United States. -
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place of December 26, 1776. Even though it was a small victory, it was a very pivotal battle. The night before General Washington led his troops across the Delaware River. The next day he led the main body of the Continental Army in a battle against Hessian soldiers and they defeated them with very few casualties. This victory boosted the morale of the continental army and gave them the confidence they needed to continue in the war. -
Battles of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga were a series of battles that culminated in the Battle of Saratoga and the surrender of British general John Burgoyne. The battles took place at Bennington, Freeman's Farm, and Bemis Heights. As a result of this American victory, the French decided to form an alliance with America. -
Articles of Confederation Adopted
The Articles of Confederation were written and adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. This was the first constitution for the United States before they later wrote the Constitution that is still used today. -
United States and France sign the French Alliance
An alliance with France was critical for Americans during the American Revolution. Even though the Frnch had dealt with a great deal of conflict with the British in the past, they were unsure whether or not they should support Americans. Benjamin Franklin worked very hard in an effort to persuade the French to help them. The American victory at the Battle of Saratoga swayed the French in their decision to form an alliance with America and on February 6, 1778, they signed the French Alliance. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown began on September 28, 1781 and ended on October 19, 1781. American and French troops surrounded the British at Yorktown. They bombarded them for 11 days and the British were very outnumbered. British General Cornwallis finally surrendered to General Washington and ended the battle. This battle turned the tide of the war and made the British realize that they were going to lose the war. It opened up the door for the treaty of paris. -
Treaty of Paris Signed
The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War. Terms of the agreement were negociated in Paris, France and Americans present were Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams. The treaty stated that Britain would recognize the thirteen colonies as free and independent states and that the boundaries of the United States allowed for Western expansion.
