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Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a tax put on the American colonies by the British in 1765. It required them to pay a tax on printed materials such as newspapers, magazines, and legal documents. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were five laws that were passed by the British Parliament against the American Colonies in 1774. It included the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, Quartering Act, and Quebec Act. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord signaled the start of the American Revolutionary war on April 19, 1775. Thousands of militiamen surrounded Boston, and the Americans felt they had pushed back the British giving them the courage to continue to unite and fight. -
Declaration of Independence
On July 4, 1776 the Congress officially adopted the final version of the Declaration of Independence. It established the United States as an independent nation. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga resulted in the surrender of British General John Burgoyne. Colonists defeated Burgoyne’s British troops. This decisive victory by the Americans was a turning point of the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Yorktown
French and American troops surrounded the British Army at Yorktown. For eleven days the American forces bombarded the British. Finally, Cornwallis sent out the white flag for surrender. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was the official peace treaty between the United States and Britain that ended the American Revolutionary War. It was signed on September 3, 1783. -
Constitutional Convention
In May of 1787 the Constitutional Convention gathered to discuss changes to the Articles of the Confederation. After some debate it became apparent to the representatives that a new Constitution was needed. It was signed on September 17, 1787, by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.