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Treaty of Paris, 1763
This is the treaty that ended the French and Indian War, giving England control of North America from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The English, in an attempt to prevent further conflicts with the Native Americans, forbid colonists from settling West of the Appalachian Mountains. This upset colonists because they saw it as an abuse of power. -
Sugar Act, 1764
The Sugar Act of 1764 was a taxation on molasses and sugars from the West Indies. -
Stamp Act, 1765
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a taxation on any and all paper products such as legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards. -
The Quartering Act, 1765
This was a law that said colonists were required to provide food and housing to any British soldiers in need. As more and more English troops moved into the colonies, feelings of distrust and dislike between the English and the colonists grew. -
Stamp Act Repealed, 1766
In 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp Act which was emplaced on their American colonies. -
Declaratory Act, 1766
The Declaratory Act of 1766 reaffirmed its right to bind the colonies "in all cases whatsoever". This act stated that Parliament's authority was the same in America as it was in Britain. This act was passed on the same date that the Stamp Act was repealed. -
The Townshend Acts, 1767
The Townshend Acts placed taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper and tea. Many Americans viewed these, as well as other taxes, as an abuse of power, which ended up leading to many boycotts and feelings of resentment towards the crown. -
The Boston Massacre, 1770
The Boston Massacre was when a mob of Patriots clashed with English infantrymen, resulting in five deaths. It was widely publicized by Patriots in order to encourage rebellion against the British. -
Repeal of Townshend Acts, 1770
Parliament agreed to get rid of The Townshend Acts, other than the tax on tea, in order to calm colonists. This didn't work. -
Boston Tea Party, 1773
The Boston Tea Party was a political uprising performed by the Sons of Liberty. To show their disagreement with the British Parliament, colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston harbor. -
Intolerable Acts, 1774
The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. They included closing the Port of Boston, taking away multiple rights in the Massachusetts colonial charter, and allowing for the lodging and feeding of soldiers in colonists' private homes. -
First Continental Congress, 1774
The first Continental Congress was a meeting of twelve of the thirteen colonies in Philadelphia. Representatives were not calling for independence, but to have certain legislations repealed. It called for a complete boycott of British goods. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord, 1775
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the Revolutionary War, fought outside of Boston. After their defeat, the British were forced to retreat to Boston. The colonists' victory provided a confidence for the war ahead of them. -
Second Continental Congress, 1775
The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1775. There, all 13 colonies were represented. During this meeting, they selected George Washington the head of the improvised army. Later in the year, the Congress passed many more bills such as the Olive Branch Petition and a Model Treaty. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill, 1775
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on the outskirts of Boston on Breed’s Hill. This was a moral victory for the colonists because the British were severely wounded. -
Olive Branch Petition, 1775
The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by the Continental Congress It was an attempt to assert the rights of the colonists while maintaining their loyalty to the British crown. King George rejected the petition and proclaimed the colonies in rebellion. -
Common Sense, 1776
Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine, encouraging America's independence. It compared this to a child growing up and becoming independent from their parent, and inspired many colonists to fight for freedom. -
The Declaration of Independence, 1776
On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by congress. Written by Thomas Jefferson, it officially declared America's independence from Britain. -
Battle of Trenton, 1776
At this battle, Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River, surprising and capturing 1,000 German Hessians. This victory greatly improved the colonist's morale. -
Battle of Saratoga, 1777
This decisive American win changed the tide of the war. After this point, France finally decided to enter the war against Britain. -
Valley Forge, 1777
Valley Forge was the military camp near Philadelphia where George Washington's army spent the winter of 1777–78. During thist time, hundreds of men died and more than a thousand deserted. -
Siege of Yorktown, 1781
The Siege of Yorktown was the final major battle of the Revolutionary War. With help from France, George Washington forced British General cornwallis into surrender. Although small fights continued for the next year, this was the end of Britain's reign in North America. -
Treaty of Paris, 1783
The Treaty of Paris in 1783 was a peace treaty between the United States and Great Britain that ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the independence of the United States.
