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Navigation Acts
In the aftermath of the 80s years war, the English Trade began to deteriorate. A series of laws wee imposed called the Navigation Act to regulate English ships and restrict trade and commerce with other nations. This act restricted the colonies from shipping any goods without stopping in an English port to have their cargos loaded/unloaded. -
French and India War Ends
The Treaties of Paris was signed ending the war officially. Due to the signing of the Treaty of Paris, France lost claims to Canada and gave Louisiana to Spain. Britain received Spanish Florida, upper Canada, and various French holdings overseas. Ensured the colonial and maritime supremacy of Britain and strengthened the 13 American colonies by removing their European rivals to the North and South. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first levied tax directly on the American Colonies by the British Parliament. It imposed a tax on all paper products in the colonies. It was created because British needed a way to get out of their great debt resulting from the 7 years war. The colonies insisted the tax was unconstitutional and resorted to violence against the stamp collectors. -
Boston Massacre
When British soldiers were out collecting taxes for the king, colonists began to attack a soldier protecting the kings' money. When the soldier called for backup, a shot was accidentally fired, causing a domino effect of shots fired. Five people were fatally shot and many wounded. This event energized the anti-British sentiment. -
Tea Act
Because the East India Company was on the verge of bankruptcy, the British Government created the Tea Act to help save them. Due to their hatred for this act, the colonists protested through the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
To protest the British Parliament Tea Act in 1773, Massachusett colonists snuck onto British ships and sunk 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. As the Parliament found out, they were openly outraged and created the Coercive Acts. -
Coercive/Intolerable Acts
Due to the colonists' actions during the Boston Tea Party, The British Parliament established four acts; The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, and The Quartering Act. The colonists ruched to the city in defense, sending forming their own provincial congress to mobilize resistance to the crown. -
First Continental Congress
Due to the Intolerable Acts, delegates from the 13 colonies got together (except for Georgia) in Philadelphia as the First Continental Congress. They issued a Declaration of Rights affirming its loyalty tot he crown but, showing their disapproval of the Acts. Articles of Association colonies stop importing goods from British Isles if the Coercive acts were not appealed. -
Lexington and Concord
In order to seize an arms cache, British troops marched from Boston to Concord. Once they found out, colonial Minutemen intercepted the redcoats and fighting began on a Lexington town. The British ended up retreating from fire. This event kicked off the Revolutionary war. -
Second Continental Congress
Due to Britains failure to redress the colonists grievances, the Continental Congress rebranded and ceased exports of all goods to Britain. -
Declaration of Independence Adopted
As King George III ordered the enlargement of the army and the navy against the Americans, Thomas Paine wrote his book called "Common Sense". This book outlined the importance of independence. Once many Americans began to see the benefits of independence, Thomas Jefferson began writing the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was finally adopted on July 4tth. -
Winter at Valley Forge
After a string of loses, the Continental army encamped for 6 months at Valley Forge. The conditions were extremely cold and harsh, and provisions were in short supply. Throughout their 6 months in Valley Forge, Washington Transformed the Army into a World-Class fighting unit. -
Battle of Saratoga
In 1777 Burgoyne moved some of his troops in an attempt to hold his ground in the war and fortify his encampment. He also wanted help from New York. This became a turning point in the war as it helped persuade the French to recognize American Independence and openly support/help us. -
Battle of Yorktown
Once the British General Lord Charles Cornwallis took over Yorktown as his new base, Washington decided it was time to fight back. He commands a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops to Yorktown to fight against Cornwallis’ 9,000 troops. Washington had the American Army block Britains escape through land and the French block their escape through sea. Cornwallis eventually surrendered and signed the Treaty of Paris officially ending the war after 8 years of fighting. -
US Constitution Written
Whilst under the. control of the Articles of Confederation, our government was very weak. Each state acted as though they were an individual country, not like they were a part of an entire nation. In 1787 convention delegates devised a plan for a stronger federal government with 3 branches- Legislative, Judicial, and executive. A system of Checks and Balances was created to ensure no one branch had too much power. The writing of the US Constitution eventually led to the adoption of it. -
Constitution Ratified
The defects of the Articles of Confederation became extremely apparent so the congress got together to draft a new constitution. On September 17, 1787 38 out of 41 delegates signed the newly drafted constitution. After much revisions the other delegates signed and New Hampshire became the 9th and last necessary state to sign the constitution making it the new law of the lan.