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French and Indian War
This war between France and Britain was fought over land. They were fighting because the British wanted to expand their land. The colonists also wanted to expand their land as well. -
Treaty of Paris
The Teaty of Paris slit up the land between Spain and Britain. The land on the west side of the Appalachian Mountains was Spain's and the land on the east side of the Appalachian Mountains belonged to Britain. The British did this because they wanted to expand their land. The colonists began to move westward towards the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. -
Proclamation of 1763
The British colonists couldn't move west past the Appalachian Mountains. This is because the British government could not protect them and could not pay to protect them. The colonists moved west anyway because they did not like being told what to do. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act put taxes on sugar and molasses because the British need to pay for the war. It did not affect many colonistsbut the idea of taxing was a growing issue. Eventually this was repealed. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act put taxes on all legal documents. So basically it put taxes on every sheet of paper. They taxed legal documents to pay for the war. So what the colonists did was that they formed the Stamp Act Congress to organize a boycott. The stamp act was eventually repealed. -
Writs of Assistance
For the Writs of Assistance it said that the Customs Officers could search ships at will. They looked for items like money and some needed things. A few colonists were affected but because of this, merchants felt that this was an invasion of property. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts put taxes on household items. of coarse this was also to pay for the war. Because of this the colonists formed a boycott. Eventually the Townshend Acts were repealed. -
Boston Massacre
A voting mob confronted british soldiers at the Boston Customs House. Tensions rose and shots were fired into the crowd, killing five colonists. The British did this because they were trying to defend themselves. Two soldires were found guilty, six were not found guilty. -
Quartering Acts
The Quartering Act stated that the colonists HAD to provide food and housig for British solders. The British Government did this because they were trying to save money and not spend any for the care of their solders. The colonists HATED this, but little could be done. -
Tea Act
Tea merchants in the colonies were cut out of the tea trade because the British East India Company Lowered their prices. The British Government did this because they wanted to put the colonists out of the tea buisness. So because this happened, came the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The colonists hated the Tea Act so on December 6, 1773 the Sons of LIberty dumped 90,000 pounds of tea into the ocean. And so after this, came the Intolerable Acts. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts stated that the colomists could not hold town meetings and the Port of Boston was closed. Because this happened the First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia and the individual colonies began to unify and come together. -
1st Continental Congress
They met in Philadelphia. All of the colonies except for Georgia sent delagates. The delegates agreed to ban all trade with Britain untill the acts were repealed. Each colony also began training troops. This was important because while the delegates were not ready to call for independence, they were determined to uphold colonial rights. -
The "Give Me Liberty" Speech
This was a speech that Patrick Henry wrot because he expected a war. So he gave his famous speech at the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1775. In his speech he said these famous words, "Give me liberty or give me death." What happened after this was that the colonists agreed with him and afterwards the pamphlet Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, was published in 1776. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
On April 19, 1775 the British arrived at Lexington, where 70 militiamen were waiting. The British ordered the the Americans to drop their muskets but they refused. The British marched to concord, destroyed military supplies and engaged in battle where they were forced to retreat.4,000 minutemen and militiamen lined the road from Concord to Lexington and they shot the redcoats an they retreated BACK to Boston -
Ft. Ticonderoga
Americans attacked Britain in New York, captured Fort Ticonderoga and its large supply of artillery. -
2nd Continental Congress
The second continental congress also met in Philadelphia. The delegates created the Olive Branch Petition to declare their loyalty but thay asked if Britain to repeal the Intolerable Acts. They also created the Continental Army with Washington as the commander. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The Militia had fortifications so because of that the British attacked. The militia waited at the top of the hill and they were ordered to not shoot till they "see the whites of their eyes." The battle followed but the miltia was forced off the hill. The British won but they suffered 1,400 deaths. -
Common Sense is Published
Common sense was a pamphlet that basically said that it was silly that the colonists were being ruled by a small island on the other side of the world. This pamphlet was written by Thomas Paine. After the colonists read his panphlet they agreed that it was silly that they were being ruled by some tiny island. -
Battle of New York
The British wanted to capture New York City (the center of the Colonial economy). The British attacked Washington's army and inflicted heavy casualties. Washsington avoided being captured and retreated back to Pannsylvania. The British occupied New York City for the rest of the war. George Washington is HUMILIATED by the loss. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document that is based on John Locke's philosophy that thr people have rights that must be protected by the government. The Continental congress debated that the states' resolution calling for a break from Britain. But instead of all the Delageates agreeing they formed a commitee to draft a Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write this declaration and in two weeks the final copy of if was made. And the reaction after this, the U.S.A. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington launched a surprise attack crossing the frozen Delaware River. He captured over 800 Hessian prisoners without losing one man! -
Battle of Princeton
Washington captured another 300 British soldiers at Princeton New Jersey. Again without losing one man. -
Battle of Saratoga
American General Horatio Gates surrounded Burgoyne’s remaining forces at Saratoga. So what Burgoyne did was that he surrendered his entire army to the Americans. Saratoga was a turning point in the war Because Benjamin Franklin would help negotiate Treaty of Alliance with France and Spain. -
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Winter at Valley Forge
George Washington and his men spent the long cold winter of 1777-1778 in Valley Forge. The American troops were in desperate need of food and clothing.A French volunteer named Marquis de Lafayette used his own money to help and train the Continental Army. -
Battle of Yorktown
The time was right for Washington to set the ultimate trap when British General Lord Cornwallis moved his troops to Virginia. James Armistead (a slave) was a double spy and gave Washington information. Cornwallis was not impressed, he opted to board British ships and sail to New York.Before he could leave, a fleet of French battleships sailed into the Bay…Cornwallis was now trapped. -
Treaty of Paris
Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation so the United States gained all land east of the Mississippi River from Canada to Florida. Also the U.S. agreed to return all property taken from the Loyalists.