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The Navigation Acts were 17th and 18th-century laws by the English Parliament regulating colonial trade to benefit England. They required certain goods to be shipped only to England and mandated that imports be carried on English or colonial ships. While they supported some colonial industries, they restricted economic opportunities, leading to smuggling and resentment, which contributed to tensions with Britain and the American Revolution. -
The French and Indian War was a conflict between the British and French in North America over territorial disputes in the Ohio River Valley. British victories, especially at the Battle of Quebec, led to the Treaty of Paris in 1763, which ceded Canada and lands east of the Mississippi to Britain. This established British dominance but fueled colonial resentment over taxes, contributing to the American Revolution, while Native American tribes faced increased encroachment from settlers. -
The Stamp Act of 1765 required American colonists to buy stamped paper for printed materials, marking the first direct tax on them. It aimed to raise revenue for British debts and troops, but colonists opposed it as a violation of their rights, coining "no taxation without representation." Protests led to its repeal in March 1766, but it affirmed Parliament's right to legislate for the colonies, increasing tensions that contributed to the American Revolution. -
The Quartering Act of 1765 required American colonies to house British troops, aiming to reduce military costs. This imposition angered colonists, who viewed it as a violation of their rights. Revised in 1774 as part of the Intolerable Acts, it deepened colonial resentment and contributed to the tensions leading to the American Revolution. -
The Townshend Acts of 1767 imposed duties on imported goods like tea, glass, and paper to raise revenue and assert British control over the colonies. Colonists resisted fiercely, viewing the acts as rights violations, leading to boycotts and non-importation agreements. Although most duties were repealed in 1770, the tax on tea remained, contributing to events like the Boston Tea Party and intensifying revolutionary sentiment against British rule. -
The Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770, was a violent confrontation in which British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five, including Crispus Attucks. Provoked by harassment from the crowd, the soldiers' actions were quickly used as propaganda by colonial leaders to depict the event as a brutal attack on innocent civilians, fueling anti-British sentiment and becoming a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the American Revolution -
The Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773, was a protest against the Tea Act, allowing the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies. Disguised as Mohawk Indians, colonists from the Sons of Liberty boarded three ships in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 chests of tea, valued at about £10,000, into the water. This defiant act escalated tensions with Britain, leading to the Intolerable Acts and becoming a symbol of colonial resistance -
The Intolerable Acts, passed in 1774, were four laws aimed at punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. They closed Boston Harbor, restricted town meetings, allowed royal officials to be tried in Britain, and required colonists to house British troops. These measures sparked widespread outrage and united the colonies in opposition, ultimately contributing to the American Revolution. -
The Olive Branch Petition, adopted by the Second Continental Congress in July 1775, was a plea to King George III expressing loyalty while addressing grievances like taxation without representation. It aimed to end hostilities but was rejected by the king, intensifying the push for independence and paving the way for the Declaration of Independence in 1776. -
The Second Continental Congress met on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, uniting delegates from the thirteen colonies to coordinate the war effort after Lexington and Concord. It appointed George Washington as commander of the Continental Army and shifted from seeking reconciliation to declaring independence in 1776, acting as the national government. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, was the first engagement of the American Revolutionary War, known as "The Shot Heard 'Round the World." British troops aimed to seize colonial supplies but encountered militia in Lexington, leading to the first shots fired. The British continued to Concord but faced a larger colonial force that forced their retreat back to Boston, suffering heavy casualties. This pivotal clash united the colonies in their fight for independence. -
"Common Sense," published by Thomas Paine in January 1776, was a influential pamphlet that advocated for American independence from Britain. It criticized monarchy and argued for a democratic republic, resonating widely and helping to shape public opinion in favor of independence, paving the way for the Declaration of Independence later that year -
The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, proclaimed the colonies' break from British rule. Primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson, it outlined grievances against King George III and emphasized ideals of equality and unalienable rights, including life and liberty. The document affirmed the right to change an unjust government and served as a rallying call for freedom, marking a crucial moment in the formation of the United States. -
The Articles of Confederation, ratified in 1781, was the first U.S. constitution, creating a weak central government with limited powers. It lacked the authority to levy taxes or regulate commerce, resulting in economic instability and state conflicts. These issues led to the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where a new Constitution was drafted to establish a stronger federal government. -
Shays' Rebellion, from 1786 to 1787, was an armed uprising in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays and farmers protesting high taxes and debt collection. The rebellion aimed to stop court proceedings to prevent property seizures, exposing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Though suppressed, it highlighted the need for a stronger national government and spurred the call for the Constitutional Convention in 1787. -
The Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia from May to September 1787, where delegates from twelve states aimed to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. They drafted the U.S. Constitution, with key debates on representation and federalism. The Constitution, establishing a stronger federal government with checks and balances, was signed on September 17, 1787