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French and Indian War
Lasted from 1754 to 1763. War fought between Britain and France over land in North America. Colonists under the leadership of George Washington fought for Britain, who won the war. -
The Albany Congress
Lasted until July 11, 1754. Representatives from seven colonies met with 150 Iroquois Chiefs in Albany, New York. The purposes of the Albany Congress were twofold; to try to secure the support and cooperation of the Iroquois in fighting the French, and to form a colonial alliance based on a design by Benjamin Franklin. -
Signing of the Treaty of Paris
The signing of the Treaty of Paris was the end to the French and Indian War, leaving Great Britain in debt. -
Proclamtion of 1763
Wary of the cost of defending the colonies, George III prohibited all settlement west of the Appalachian mountains without guarantees of security from local Native American nations. The intervention in colonial affairs offended the thirteen colonies' claim to the exclusive right to govern lands to their west. -
Sugar Act
This was Britain's first attemp to finance the defence of the colonies. In order to reduce smuggling and to encourage the production of British rum, taxes on molasses were dropped; a levy was placed on foreign Madeira wine and colonial exports of iron, lumber and other goods had to pass first through Britain and British customs. This raised protests throughout the colonies. -
Currency Act
The Act effectively assumed control of the colonial currency system. It prohibited the issue of any new bills and the reissue of existing currency. -
Stamp Act
Parliament required all legal documents, newspapers, and pamphlets to use a watermarked, or "stamped" paper on which a levy was placed. -
Quartering Act
Colonial assemblies were requiered to pay for supplies for Britain. The New York assembly argued against it. -
Virginian Resolution
The Virginian assembly refused to comply with the Stamp Act. -
Stamp Act Congress
Lasted until October 25, 1765. Representatives of nine of the thirteen colonies declared the Stamp Act to be unconstitutional because it was a tax levied withouy their consent. -
Declaratory Act
Parliament finalizes the repeal of the Stamp Act, but declares that it has the right to tax colonies. -
Townshend Revenue Act
Duties on tea, glass, lead, paper and paint were placed to help pay for the administration of the colonies. It was named after Charles Townshend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Colonial assemblies condemned taxation without representation. -
British troops arrive in Boston
Troops arrived in Boston in response to the politcal unrest. -
Boston Massacre
A crowd of colonists, angered by the presence of troops and Britain's colonial policy,began harassing a group of soldiers guarding the customs house. A soldier was knocked down by a snowball and discharged his musket, sparking a volley into the crowd which killed five civilians. -
Repeal of the Townshend Revenue Act
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Burning of the Gaspee
The revenue schooner Gaspee ran aground near Providence, Rhode Island and was burnt by locals angered by the enforcement of trade legislation. -
Tea Act
In an effort to support the ailing East India Company, Parliament exempted its tea from import duties and allowed the Company to sell its tea directly to the colonies. Americans resented what they saw as an indirect tax subsidising a British company. -
Publication of Thomas Hutchinson's letters
Happened throughout July. In these letters, Hutchinson, the Massachusetts governor, advocated a 'great restraint of natural liberty', convincing many colonists of a planned British clamp-down on their freedoms. -
Boston Tea Party
Angered by the Tea Acts, American patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians dump £9,000 of East India Company tea into the Boston harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
Happened from May to June. Four measures were put in place that stripped Massachusetts of self- government and judicial independence following the Boston Tea Party. The colonists responded with a boycott of British goods. -
Continental Congress
Happened throughout Spetmeber.Colonial delegates met to organize opposition to the Intolerable Acts.