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Navigation Acts
A series of acts passed by British Parliament that limited colonial trade and monitored it. This lead to increased smuggling of contraband. -
French and Indian War Ends
France lost their war with Britain for territory in the New World, leading to tension between the two nations which ended up being in the colonists’ favor during their revolution. -
Stamp Act
A tax act passed by the British King George III and his advisors which put a tax on newspapers and pamphlets sold in the United States. This lead to the famous, “no taxation without representation,” phrase we so often see. -
Boston Massacre
A protest gone wrong when British soldiers opened fire on colonists throwing stones and snowballs at them, resulting in the death of five protestors. -
First Continental Congress
Brought on by the Intolerable Acts and naval blockades from Britain, delegates from the colonies met to discuss their response to this. It produced drafts for several documents, such as the Petition to the King asking for the redress of the Intolerable Acts. -
Tea Act
Act signed in by British Parliament that allowed merchants to sail directly to the colonies with tea shipment as opposed to stopping in Britain prior. This, however, backfired on Britain and raised hostility with the Americans. -
Boston Tea Party
A protest in which colonists cast British cargo into the harbor waters, and lead to more protests around Massachusetts and higher tension between colonists and British throughout the colonies. -
The Intolerable Acts
A series of bills passed by British rule in response to the Boston Tea Party, which lead to the lockdown of Massachusetts, more frequent pardons for British soldiers, and the occupation of British soldiers in American citizen homes. -
Lexington and Concord
The starting battle between the British and Americans, which lead to the rest of the Revolution and the Second Continental Congress. -
Second Continental Congress
Brought forth by the battles of Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress meeting elected George Washington to lead their newly formed Continental Army. -
Declaration of Independence Adopted
The colonies declared that they were separate from Britain, sparking further tension between colonists and British. -
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Battle of Saratoga
Turning point where Americans won the trust of France by being the victors of the battle, which lead to them allying with the Americans. -
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Winter at Valley Forge
Brutal winter that lead to many of the Continental Army soldiers to die of cold, hunger, and disease, which meant Washington was now leading a fraction of the men he used to. -
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Battle of Yorktown
Final battle of the war which ended in British defeat, and the independence of the 13 Colonies. -
U.S Constitution Written
Due to their newly gained independence, the colonies needed a new government and laws. The Constitution creates these, and the basis for many future laws. -
U.S. Constitution Adopted
The new United States needed a constitution, and George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin had written one that summer. The adoption of the constitution lead to the governmental systems of America we know today.