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End of the French and Indian War
In September 1760, the French and Indian War, between the British, French, and their American Indian allies, came to an end. This resulted in Britain attaining much more territory referred to as "New France," east of the Mississippi, as well as Spanish Florida (Boundless). -
Proclamation of 1763
It was issued by Britain's King George III to officially claim territory from the French and Indian War and develop a legal system in the newly claimed territories,that would mimic to an extent, that of England's (Miller). -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was put in place to rtax the colonies in order to fund their defense. All paper products have been "stamped" and colonists are angered over "taxation without representation." This leads to the development of the Stamp Act Congress to resist the laws (Clemens). -
Quartering Act
Britain enacted the Quartering Act of 1765 to require American colonists to house British troops within their own homes. This struck anger within many of the colonists (Today in History). Many do not care for a standing aarmy during peace time (Clemens). -
Stamp Act Congress
Development of the Stamp Act Congress was prompted by the Stamp Act within the colonies. Nine of thirteen colonies met in New York to discuss a response to the act. They drafted a Declarration of Rights and Grievances and this became known as one of the first unified meetings of the American colonies against Britain's policies (Stamp Act Congress). -
Boston Massacre
British troops fired into a crowd of colonists,killing five. Colonists were angered by their presence at boston to uphold and enforce the Townshend Acts (Boston Massacre). -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was put in place to help aid the British East India Company in financial distress. It would undercut the prrice of smuggled tea and allow direct transport of tea to North America and duty-free export from Britain. Colonists resisted and lead to an event known as the Boston Tea Party (Parliament). -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists of Boston, in response to the Tea Act, dumped three ship loads of tea into the Boston Harber. Thomas Hutchinson had refused to let the ships leave earlrier that day due to refusal to pay the duties. Samuel Adams let the raid that night and all involved were disquised as Native Americans (Boston Tea Party). -
Coercive (Intolerable) Acts
The Intolerable Acts were passed almost to punish the colonists in Massachusetts after the Boston Tea Party. It was was five seperate laws adopted by Parliament and the outcome resulted in the First Continental Congress (Intolerable Acts). -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met in September and closed proceedings October 1774. They met in Philadelphia, Penn. at Carpenter's Hall. Twelve of the thirteen colonies sent delegates and this is where the Declaration of Rights and Grievances was written to Britain's government (Mcgill). -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
These are the first two openning battles of the American Revolution. At Lexington the colonists were forced to retreat and the British continued to Concord only to be forced out to Boston by the Continental Army (Battle of Lexington and Concord). -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress convened to basically form an independent government. They decided to print their own paper currency and develop the Continental Army. Thomas Jefferson also assigned to begin the drafting of the Declaration of Independence (Mcgill). -
New York Campaign
It was the British and American interest in seizing New York as a strategic point of location from March 1776 through January 1777. The fighting began August 22nd and held one of the largest battles of the war, The Battle of Long Island. Americans rejected the peace treaty at the Starten Island Peace Conference and later in December Washington made his memorable "Crossing of the Delaware" for a surprise attack on the British in New Jersey (The American....1777). -
Battle of Princeton
After Washington's success at Trenton came his victorry at Princeton. This Confederate victorydrove British out of New Jersey (White). -
Battle of Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga began in September and ended the first week of October. It became a massive victory against the British and turning point for the Americans. It also instilled the support from France to enter the war as an American Ally. This victory gave new life to the Americans (Ushistory.org). -
Southern Campaign
The Southern Campaign was the British swarming to the South as a last effort to win the War against the Americans after their failure at Saratoga (Southern Campaigns). The British officially sailed troops to the South on December 26th 1779. The campaign did not go well for the British and eventually led to Cornwallis being cornered at Yorktown (Southern Campaigns). -
Articles of Confederation
On March 1, 1781 ALL colonies had officially radified the Articles of Confederation. It had a weak central government leavign most powerr with the states and the nation needed a stronger Federal government. This will lead to the Constitutional Convention later on (Articles of Confederation). -
Battle of Yorktown
At the Battle of Yorktown, The Americans and French battled the British. Washington and Cornwallis were the two opposing generals, but Washington had managed to cut off the food and ammunition support to the British forcing Cornwallis to surrender to the Americans. This is considered the end of the fighting of the war in America, yet it continued on overseas (Badertscher). -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention met in Philaadelphia in May and September 1787; the convention came into affect as a result of the Articles of Confederation failing. The Consitutional Convention called for a government supported by checks and balances. The drafting of the Constitution began here as well (Constitutional Convention...). -
Ratification of the Constitution
Finally, the Constitutionaal Convention had ratified the Constitution. Now all the states began to process and ratify it as well, creating a "law of the land," so to speak (Ratification of the Constitution).
