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French and Indian war
During late 17th and first half of the 18th centuries France had fought in three wars against the Native Americans. -
Writ of Assistance
In 1761 the Massachusetts governor authorized the use of writs of assistance, a general search warrant that allowed British customs officials to search any suspicious colonial ship or building. -
Treaty of Paris 1763
War between British and the French, on september 1759 the war took a dramatic turn. The british troops defeated the French in surprise attack.The war officially ended in 1763 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. -
Proclamation of 1763
To avoid further costly conflicts with the Native tribes, the British government prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. -
Treaty of Paris 1763
Confirmed US independence and set the boundaries of a new nation. US now stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Canada to Florida border. -
Sugar Act and colonist response
Sugar act did three things, halved the duty on foreign-made molasses so that colonists would pay a lower tax rather than risk arrest by smuggling, taxed new items, colonists that dont follow orders will get held in court, however had little effect on colonists besides merchants and traders. -
Stamp Act and colonist response
In March 1765 Parliament passed the Stamp Act, this act imposed a tax on documents and printed items such as wills, newspapers, and playing cards. -
Sons of Liberty is formed
In May 1765 the colonists united to defy the law, Boston shopkeepers, laborers, artisans, etc. joined together to make the Sons of Liberty. -
Declaratory Act
Asserted Parliament's full right "to bind the colonies and the people of America in all cases whatsoever." -
Townshend Act and colonists response
Taxed goods that were imported into the colony from Britain, such as lead, glass, paint and paper. Also imposed a tax on Tea. The colonists boycotted this response. -
Boston Massacre
A mob gathered in front of Boston's Customs House and taunted the British soldiers standing guard. Shots were fired and 5 colonists were killed or injured. -
Tea Act
This act was put into place to save the nearly bankrupt East India Tea Company. Granted the company to sell tea to the colonies free of taxes that colonial tea sellers had to pay. -
Boston Tea Party
On the moonlight night of December 16,1773 a large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans and proceeded to board docked British ships and dumped 18,000 pounds of the East India Company's tea into the ocean. -
Intolerable Acts
One law shut down British harbor, another the Quartering Act (authorized British commanders to house soldiers in homes), and General Thomas Gage was appointed new governor of Massachusetts. -
First Continental Congress meets
56 delegates met in Philadelphia and dre up a declaration of colonial rights. -
Minutemen
Civilian soldiers who pledged to fight against the British on a minutes notice. -
Second Continental Congress
Colonial leaders called in a meeting, some delegates called for independence while others argued for reconciliation with Great Britain. -
Continential Army
Congress agrees to create a colonial militia appointed by General George Washington as their commander. -
Midnights riders: Revere, Dawes, Prescott
Rode out to spread the word that 700 British troops were headed for Concord. -
Battle of Lexington
First battle of the Revolutionary War lasted 15 minutes one wounded British soldier and 8 dead colonists and 10 more injured. -
Battle of Concord
British troops were walking into Concord after Lexington. Between 3,000 and 4,000 minutemen had assembled and they fired in the marching troops from behind stone walls and trees. -
Battle of Bunler Hill
British General Thomas Gage decided to attack at militiamen on Breed's Hill. The colonists had lost 450 men while the british suffered over 1000 casualties. -
Olive Branch Petition
Petition signed by Congress sent to King George for peace between the two nations, which King George rejected. -
Loyalists and Patriots
Loyalists are those who oppose independence and remained loyal to the king. And Patriots are for Independence and the new world. -
Publication of Common Sense
Document created by Thomas Paine about how laws of England should not apply to the colonies and should be independent. -
Declaration of Independence
Each colony began to form its own government and Congress appointed a committee to prepare a formal way to declare independence. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to prepare the final draft. adopted on July 4, 1776 -
Red Coats pushed Washington's Army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania
The British tried to invade New York and the unready colonial troops were forced to retreat across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. -
Washington's Christmas night Surprise Attack
In a face of a fierce storm, George and his army took rowboats across the Delaware river and marched to New Jersey and surprise attacked British troops. -
Saratoga
Burgoyne surrendered at Saratoga when American troops surrounded him. -
French-American Independence
Battle of Saratoga changed the French people's minds about the colonies and signed an alliance to openly join in their fights. -
Valley Forge
More than 2000 soldiers died, desperately low on foods and supplies Washington and his army had to fight to stay alive. -
Friedrich Von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette
Marquis contributed to the war by uniting French forces, and Friedrich helped train the Continental Army. -
British Victories in the South
Charlsetown wa captured by British general Charles Cornwallis, and Yorktown was captured by him also -
British surrender at Yorktown
Cornwallis and his British troops surrendered after being surrounded by French and American troops.
