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Stamp Act
It was passed by parliment on March 22, 1765 and became effective November 1 of that year. The purpose was to raise money to maintain the British troops in the colonies. Every legal document had to be written on specially stamped paper. This act brought upon much anger of the colonists who felt that this act impinged upon their rights as British subjects. The colonists did not have a part in parliment, therefore the Stamp Act was unconstitutional. -
Gaspee Affair
Lieutenant Duddinggton, of her Majesty's Ship Gaspee had a bad reputation of a enforcer. A party of fifty-five, lead by John Brown attacked the ship Gaspee at a place now known as Gaspee Point. That evening they surounded and boarded the Gaspee, wounding Duddington and capturing the entire crew. They all were hauled ashore and abandoned, to watch as the Gaspee was looted and then burned. None of the attackers made an effort to hide their idenities. No arrest was ever made on the attackers. -
Boston Tea Party
Victory to the French and Indian was was costly for the British. At the war's conclusion King George III and his government looked to taxing the American colonies as a way of recouping their war costs. The Crown's attempt to tax the tea angered the colonists to action that laid the groundwork for the American Revolution. One day the colonists threw every bag of tea from boats in the Boston Harbor into the sea. -
Coercive Acts
The Coercive Acts were a series of four acts established by the British Government in response to Americans' disobedience. The aim of the legislation was to restore order in Massachusetts and punish Bostonians for their Tea Party. The Boston Port Act, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, and The Quartering Act were the four acts. The fifth act, the Qubec Act, was joined. In response to this the First Contiental Congress met. -
First Contiental Congress
This met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, from September 5 to October 26, 1774. All of the colonies except Georgia sent delegates. The purpose of the First Contiental Congress was not to seek independence from Britain. The members agreed to boycott British goods and passed resolutions asserting colonial rights. They also agreed to meet again in May 1775, if the British did not change their policies. In response, the King and Lord North of England decided to punish and weaken the colonies. -
Committees of Correspondence Established
The Committees of Correspondence were provisional Patriot emergency governments established in response to British policy on the eve of the American Revolution throughout the Thirteen Colonies. They also served as a vast network of communication throughout the Thirteen Colonies between Patriot leaders. The first one met on September 5, 1774, at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, early in the American Revolution. It was in response to Intolerable Acts. -
Quebec Act
This act was a major cause of the American Revolution and helped provoke an invasion of Quebec by the armies of the revolting colonies in the winter of 1775-76. It was concidered one of the Intolerable Acts. The act was an effort to satisfy the people of Qubec and to prevent them from joinin the growing dissent and disaffection fomenting in the American colonies. Specifically, it restored French civil law. Also, religous restrictions were eased. -
Paul Revere's Ride
Paul Revere was instructed by Dr. Joseph Warren to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British troops were marching to arrest them. On his way to Lexington he allarmed each house and arrived in Lexington about midnight. He delivered the message that the British were coming then continued to Concord where weapons and supplies were hidden. He was arrested by the British patrol for some time then released. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
These battles kicked off the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Tensions had been building up particularly in Massachusetts between the 13 American colonies and the British authorities. On April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize an arms cache. It is unknown who shot first. There were many battles and in 1783, the colonists formally won their independence. The British had a much stronger army and outnumbered the colonists. -
Second Contiental Congress
It was convined in Philidelphia when the British once again stormed Boston. A contiental army was created to meet the military threat of the British. George Washington of Virginia would be the supreme commander. The congress authorized the printing of money to pay for the supplies. Still, in May of 1775 the majority of delegates were not seeking independence from Britain. Only radicals were of this mindset. Cries for independence continued to grow. -
British Leave Virginia
The British withdrawl from colonial Virginia began with John Murray, overtaken by the pace of revolutionary exents, retired from the Governor's Palace in Willliamsburg. He took the king's ship, Fowey off Yorktown on June 5, 1775. It was concluded on August 6, 1776 when the Governor left Virginia and sailed through the Capes,. -
George Washington Appointed General
The Congress unanimously voted him general and commander in chief to take the supreme command of the forces raised and to be raised, in defense of American Liberty, and desired his acceptance of it. Colonel Washington did not think he had the ability for this, "that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extensive and important Trust". Washington also did not accept money, he said he just wants the domestic ease and happiness. -
Battle on Bunker Hill
This was only days after George Washington was appointed Commander in Chief of the Contiental Army. The battle was actually fought on Breed's HIll. After the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the patriots controlled the hills surrounding Boston. The patriots heard through their spies that the British were planning to attack Bunker Hill. The patriots sent 1600 men to set up fortificatons on Breed's Hill, which was closer to Boston. The British suffered heavy losses but gained Breed's Hill. -
Olive Branch Petition
This was adopted by the Second Contiental Congress on July 5 and submitted to King George on July 8. It was an attempt to assert the rights of the colonists while maintaining their loyalty to the British crown. King George refused to read the petition and on August 23 proclaimed that the colonists had "proceeded to open and avowed revellion." -
Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition
This proclamation followed the conflict of Lexington and Concord in the spring of 1775. It was issued by King George III of England. It stated that the colonists stood in open rebellion to his authority and were subject to severe penalty, as was any British subject who failed to report the knowledge of rebellion or conspiracy. This document transformed loyal subjects into traitorous rebels. -
Common Sense Published
When Thomas Paine put forth his arguments in favor of American independence from Britain. It is considered one of the most influential pamphlets in American history. It played a huge role in transforming colonial squabble into the American Revolution. This 47-page pamphlet sold about 500,000 copies, powerfully influencing American opinion. -
British Evacuated Boston
The British were forced to evacuate Boston following General George Washington's successful placement of fortifications and cannons on Dorchester Heights, which overlooks the cite from the south. For the victory, General Washington, commander of the Continental Army, was presented with the first medal ever awarded by the Continental Congress. -
Protest of Stamp Act
Colonists were charged taxes on a variety of printed items, including newspapers, wills, and playing cards. In most cases, the tax would be small, beginning at a half-penny. American colonists in response rose up in protest against the tax before it went into effect. The protests began with petitions, led to refusals to pay the tax, and eventually to property damage and harassment of officials. -
Writing of Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman to write the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson wrote the first draft. The committee declared it to be almost perfect. The committee presented the document to the Congress after making a few corrections. Following a few more changes, Thomas Jefferson's work was approved. On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted and our nation was born. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence announced that the thirteen American colonies, then at war with Great Britain, regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. It also stated the principles that were the foundation for seeking independence. The Declaration of Independence has five parts; the Preamble, the Statement of Human Rights, Charges Against Human Rights, Changes Against the King and Parliament, and the Statement of Separation and Signatures.
