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The Enlightenment is described as the "Century of philosophy par excellence", due to the incredible intellectual and scientific growth during this time period. This revolution took place in both Europe and North America spanning from the 17th century to the late 18th century. An important idea of this time period was ability to reason. The human capacity to reason was the forefront for the growth in knowledge, human well-being, and individual liberty.
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The Sons of Liberty were a secret organization comprised of American patriots. These individuals opposed British policies and taxes. Many of the most notable acts of protest were formed by this group. They also played a vital role in the colonial resistance prior to the American Revolutionary War. One of the most well known quotes "Give me liberty or give me death!" is the closing line to Patrick Henry's (A prominent figure in the Sons of Liberty) speech made to the Second Virginia Convention.
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The British Parliament passed the 'Stamp Act' to help pay for British troops. These troops were stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years' War. The phrase "No Taxation Without Representation" was coined during this time period by the colonists. They believed that it was unjust to pay taxes without having representation in Parliament.
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The Boston Massacre was an incident in which British soldiers fired into a mob of colonists. 5 were killed and 6 others were injured. Tension was already at dangerous levels before this tragedy took place. All it took to begin was a private from the British military striking a locals head with his musket. -
The Boston Tea Party was a key event in the defiance of the colonies. American colonists, disguised as Mohawk Indians, boarded British Ships in the Boston Harbor. They threw 340 chests of tea owned by the East India Company into the water. This act of protest would stand as a hit at the British and the East India Company. -
The First Continental Congress Meeting consisted of delegates form twelve of the Thirteen Colonies. This event was hosted in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The main objective was to decide a response to the 'Intolerable Acts' passed by the British Parliament. The delegates negotiated a boycott of the British imports to urge them to repeal the Intolerable Acts.
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General Thomas Gage sent 700 British soldiers to Concord to seize supplies. At dawn the British reached the town of Lexington. The patriots in the area have already assembled to combat this force. One soldier fired the first shot, this would be known s the "Shot heard 'round the world." This would mark the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The battle would end in a surprising American victory. -
The second Continental Congress consisted of many of the most well known colonial delegates. These individuals began meeting after the beginning of the Revolutionary War. This congress served as the national government of the American colonies for the remainder of the war. Many of the duties our government handles today were done by this make-shift convention.
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The Battle of Bunker Hill was an early battle in the American Revolutionary war. The Patriots lost, but not without a fierce resistance against the attacking British. In all, the British suffered around 1000 casualties, while the Americans had less that half of that at 450 killed/wounded. This battle would serve as a sign to the world that the American military was a force to be reckoned with. -
The Declaration of Independence, was a statement written by a select committee of five individuals. Members of this committee included Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. The actual writing of the statement is that of Jefferson. This article declared independence from the British rule over the 13 colonies. -
The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution of the United States. Each individual state retained considerable power. Under the jurisdiction each state only had one vote in congress, unlike the modern day proportional population representation. Fear of economic collapse came only a few years after the Revolutionary War. This led to the redesign of the government into what we now know today.
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This treaty officially ended the American Revolution and recognized the United States as an independent nation. As the name suggests the treaty was hosted in Paris, France. The three American ambassadors were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay. Great Britain sent one individual to negotiate the treaty, David Hartley. It was signed by both parties and the United States became its own independent nation. -
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement between the delegates from the Northern and Southern states. It stated that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted when determining taxation and representation in Congress. Some Northern delegates urged the representation to be based on the number of the states free population. Of course this was opposed by the Southern delegates as the number of slaves was vast giving them power. In the end this compromise was made by the two sides.
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The Great Compromise was an agreement made between the states. It consisted of a decision of dual representation in congress. In the House of Representatives each state would be allotted a number of seats according to its population. In the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats. This compromise would find the middle ground between the larger and smaller states. Every state had equal representation in accordance to their economical output, and entirely in the Senate. -
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 amendments of the United States constitution. It is a guarantee of essential rights and civil liberties. Examples of these include, the freedom of religion, the right to free speech, and trial by jury. After the Constitutional Convention, the missing bill of rights was highlighted by many anti-federalist. This flaw led many states to make an agreement to ratify the Constitution under the condition that a bill of rights was added.