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Protest of the Stamp Act
American colonists (“Sons of Liberty”) boycotted all British goods until the tax was repealed a year later. The Americans opposed government officials and ridiculed the British “Placemen” (patronage holders). -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required all American Colonists to pay a tax on the printed paper they used. The money collected by the act was used to help pay the costs of protecting the American frontier. Colonists were taxed on things like newspapers, legal documents, and even playing cards. -
Gaspee Affair
The Gaspee Affair was when a group of the Sons of Liberty burned down a schooner belonging to the British Empire, the HMS Gaspee. This ship, or schooner, had been enforcing unpopular trade regulations. -
Committees of Correspondence Established
American Patriots used the Committees of Correspondence to spread the power of written word from town to town; to keep communication possible. The first committee was led by Samuel Adams. This helped resisdents to become aware of what was going on, and to hopefully become active. -
Boston Tea Party
The night a cargo of Darjeeling tea arrived at the Boston Harbor, Samuel Adams and other radicals were upset over the Tea act ( a tax on imported on low priced tea from Britain) so they dressed up as native americans and rebelled. This resulted in all the english tea being dumped into the Boston Harbor. -
Coercive Acts
The Coercive Acts, or the Intolerable Acts (referred to by the Colonists), are names for laws passed by British Parliament. The Boston Port Act shut down all commercial shipping in Boston harbor until Massachusetts payed the taxes owed on the tea dumped in the harbor and compensation to the East India Company. These acts triggered outrage throughout the Colonies. It included:
Boston Port Act
Massachusetts Government Act
Administration of Justice Act
Quartering Act
and Quebec Acts -
Quebec Act
The Quebec Act was passed by the British Parliament to establish a permanent administration in Canada to replace the temporary government created at the time of the Proclamation of 1763. It gave the Canadians complete religious freedom and restored French civil law. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress consisted of delegates from twelve British North American colonies coming together in Philadelphia. It was called in response to the passage of the Coercive Acts, which punished Boston for the Boston tea party. The Congress met to consider their options. -
Paul Revere's Ride
Paul Revere was sent to ride to Lexington to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the British troops were coming to arrest them. He had hung up two lanterns in the Christ Church in Boston, warning the Sons of Liberty that the British troops were arriving by sea. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord acted as the first military engagements of the American Revoutionary War. It took place within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Menotomy (Arlington), Lincoln, and Cambridge. This opened armed conflict between the thirteen Colonies and the Kingdom of Great Britain. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a federal legislature that belonged to the thirteen Colonies. The delegates gathered in Philadelphia, and discussed the military threat of the British MIlitary. They agreed that the continental army would be created. -
George Washinton Appointed General
Continental congress elected George Washington as the commander of the continental army. He was appointed to command all the continental forces. George Washington was then raised to be the General and Commander in Chief as the Continental Army (by a unanimous vote). -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American Revolution after the Battle of Lexington and Concord. It was fought in Charleston (now Boston), during the siege of Boston. The Americans held off two British charges but were finally forced to retreat on the third charge. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was the last attempt by the moderate party in the United States to avoid a revolutionary war. the petition was a symbol of peace. It signed by 48 members of Congress and considered Richard Penn of Pennsylvania (a descendent of William Penn) to be the founder of the Colony. -
Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition
The Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition was the response of King George II to the news of the Battle of Bunker Hill. It stated that the colonies stood in open rebellion to his authority and were subject to severe penalty. It trasnformed loyal subjects into disloyal rebels. -
Common Sense Published
Written by Thomas Paine, Common Sense challenged the royal monarchy and the authority of the British government. Paine used simple language that was easily understood by the common people. This was very important because it introduced the idea of claiming independence from Great Britain. -
British Evacuate Boston
The British Forces were forced to evacuate Boston after the Patriots General George Washington successful placement of forts and cannons on Dorchester Heights. The British were unable to use British ships in the Boston Harbor to destroy everything that the Americans set up, but a storm set in and in result gave the Americans time to complete the fortifications and set up their artillery. (11,000 British troops and 1,000 Royalists departed from Boston by ship, and sailed to Halifax, Nova Scotia.) -
Writing of the Declaration of Independence
Before the Declaration of Independence was written, the Continental Congress met in Philidelphia to discuss and vote for independance from England. The Congress selected a committee to do the writing of the Declaration. The committee composed of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. In turn, they instructed Thomas Jefferson to write the declaration. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence announced the independence of the thirteen American colonies from the British empire. It was signed by 56 men, but John Hancock signed the first and the largest. The declaration justified America's independance by stating natural and legal rights, and disregarding King George III. -
British Pulled out of Virginia
The British Pulled of Virginia during the Battle of Yorktown. Many troops died and their weapon supply was limited. The British hoped that more troops would come and provide assistance, but help did not arrive in time. The general attempted to escape but he failed because the Cononists saw him. Two days later, the British leader, Cornwallis signed to surrended, and they fled.
