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The British Parliament passed a series of Navigation acts to regulate trade in America. They were only allowed to trade certain goods. All goods had to pass through England, allowing them to make profits. It was passed to promote the self-sufficiency of Britain. It limited the American economy, and caused smuggling.
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Allied with the Indians, the French went to war with Britain. Although the French were allied, they couldn’t defeat the British. Britain received territorial gains, but also got put in major debt. The war lasted a total of seven year, ending in 1763.
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The Stamp act was issued from the British Parliament to help pay for the war debt that Britain was in. Americans had to pay a tax on all paper products. The Colonists didn’t approve of taxation without representation, and furthermore boycotted the act.
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British troops started occupying the city of Boston, trying to enforce their tax laws. The colonists disapproved of their laws, and riots broke out. It made Americans aware of the unfair taxation and encouraged them to fight for their independence.
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The Tea Act was passed by the British to prevent the East India Company from bankruptcy. The act raised the tax on the American’s tea. Colonists disapproved of the taxation, which led to the Boston Tea Party.
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As Great Britain edged further into debt, they decided to pass tax laws on Americans to try to help pay them off. One was a tax on tea, which angered the colonists. They imposed "taxation without representation" (colonists had no say in the tax). They dumped chests of tea imported from Europe into Boston Harbor (Massachusetts) to protest their right to have a say in taxation. The economy suffered damage due to the loss of tea. The harbor shut down, causing trade to delay.
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Angered by the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts. They consisted of four acts meant to restore order in Massachusetts. They were the Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the administration of Justice Act, and the Quartering Act. American colonists weren’t happy with these acts. Colonies created the First Continental Congress to discuss British misrule.
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Representatives from 12 out of the 13 states (except Georgia-was under British control) came together to form the First Continental Congress. The colonists were outraged by the Intolerable Acts, and decided to get together and discuss about the British’s acts. The Congress eventually led the nation to a war to help win and secure their independence.
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The British had been advancing their military. The American soldiers were unsure of when the British were coming, but they knew they were under attack. The British decided to attack the Americans right outside of Boston. The Americans tried to fight back, but the British took the victory. These battles started off the Revolutionary War.
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The Second Continental Congress formed when the British were storming Boston. They discussed how they were going to respond to their military threats. They decided to create a Continental Army.
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After Britain’s mistreatment and America’s victory in the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence was adopted. It separated the U.S. into an independent and free nation. It allowed the U.S. to finally break free from Britain.
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The British faced George Washington’s army in eastern New York. They wanted to prevent the Americans from possibly allying with France. Washington’s army took the victory, as the British surrendered. The Americans gained the French, Dutch, and Spanish as allies as a result.
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After losing Philadelphia to Britain, George Washington took his army northwest to camp at Valley Forge. Due to the lack of preparation from Washington’s army, they suffered a harsh winter. Food shortages occurred, and they didn’t have access to proper clothing. Disease spread throughout the camp, killing many soldiers. Their stay at Valley Forge lasted six months. Over two thousand soldiers didn’t survive. When the weather turned, Washington was able to restrengthen his army.
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The Battle of Yorktown was the last battle in the Revolutionary War. With help from France, the Americans took the victory. Britain surrendered, leading the Americans to independence.
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The constitution was written to create a balance of government and freedom. It divides power between the states and the federal government. It caused population growth within the nation, and expanded their international responsibilities.
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The U.S. adopted 12 amendments to constitution, known as the Bill of Rights. Ten of them were ratified, and sent to the states for ratification.
