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The French Indian war, also known as Seven Year's War, was a North American conflict fought between Great Britain and France. The war was the result of territory disputes between British and French colonial forces. After the signing of the Treaty of Paris (1763), Great Britain gained significant land in North America, including all French territory east of the Mississippi. Unfortunately for the British, this also sowed seeds of unrest among the colonists, who were burdened by British taxes.
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British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to pay for the British troops housed in the colonies during the French Indian War. The act made colonists pay a tax on papers, documents, and even playing cards. The act was was passed directly from the British government, without any input from Colonist legislatures. Additionally, Colonists were forced to pay with British Sterling, rather than Colonist currencies. -
The Boston Massacre was one of the key inciting incidents sparking the American Revolution. British soldiers had been stationed in Boston to enforce the unpopular taxes levied by the British Crown. An altercation formed between the British soldiers and Colonists, and British soldiers fired into the crowd. Five Colonists were killed in the skirmish, including Crispus Attucks, who later became an abolitionist icon. -
In protest to the Townshend Duties, which had placed a tax on tea, Colonist revolutionaries dumped crates of tea into the ocean. On December 16, the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Native Americans, dumped 342 chests of tea overboard. The act energized Bostonian Patriots and pushed them to the revolutionary cause. As a result of the Tea Party, the Boston port is closed. -
The battles at Lexington and Concord were the first armed conflicts of the American Revolution. The governor of Massachusetts ordered the seizure of a stockpile of weapons belonging to the Massachusetts militiamen. The colonists heard word of this, and Paul Revere and other riders rode around warning people of their coming. The Americans successfully fought off the British, igniting their call for war. The famous "shot heard round the world" triggered the start of the Revolutionary War. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775 on Breed's Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts. British General Thomas Gage was under pressure to squash quash the colonial rebellion. News of an attack leaked and about 1,000 colonial soldiers gathered to defend Breed's Hill, often mistaken as Bunker Hill. The conflict proved that the Americans would not be easily defeated. -
The Olive Branch Petition was sent July 5, 1775 to the King as a last-ditch effort to avoid full war. The petition highlighted the Americans' loyalty to the British Crown and their want to avoid war. But it also pointed out the rights that the British Crown was denying the colonists. The petition offered several peaceful alternatives to war that could be taken. -
In January 1776, Thomas Paine's Common Sense pamphlet was released to the American masses. Paine laid out why the colonists should separate from Britain. The pamphlet appealed to the Americans and incited a feeling of revolution and separatism among the colonists. Common Sense left Americans wanting freedom and Independence like they never had before. -
Drafted on July 2nd, but signed and sent on July 4th, the Declaration of Independence declared the Colonies separate from the British government. Primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration highlighted the ideals which the Colonists felt they deserved, and which they were not currently receiving. While not technically a legal document, the Declaration signaled that the Colonies thought themselves independent from the British government. It served as the final severing tie. -
In late 1776, American morale among the soldiers had become quite low. George Washington planned a daring attack against the Hessian forces who were helping the British on Christmas night. Braving the freezing Delaware River, his forces caught the celebrating Hessians off guard and easily overwhelmed them. Not only was it seen as a huge victory, but it contributed to Washington's prestige and success as a military leader. -
The Battle of Camden was one of the most devastating defeats suffered by the American forces. The Americans, led by Maj. Gen. Horatio Gates marched into Camden, SC against British forces led by Gen. Charles Cornwallis. The Americans' defeat opened the south up for the British to take control, and was a huge morale blow for the Americans. -
The Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1777, were in effect from 1781 to 1789, when they were replaced by the Constitution. The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of America. The Articles of Confederation named the American Colonies to the United States of America. The Articles emphasized the states' individual rights.
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The Battle of Yorktown was the decisive battle at the culmination of the Revolutionary War, securing victory for the American Patriots. After a long, three-week siege, British forces surrendered to the Colonial and French armies. Before this, the war had become draining for both sides, and was now an unpopular conflict. Victory at Yorktown proved deciding in the fight for independence.
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The signing of the Treaty of Paris, named after the place where it was signed, officially ended the Revolutionary War. While the conflict initially only included the Americans and British, it grew to include the French, Spanish, and Dutch, all of which sent delegates. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay were sent on behalf of America. The treaty outlined England's recognition of America's independence and established new borders. -
Delegates from 12 of the 13 states gathered to discuss the Articles of Confederation in what came to be known as the Constitutional Convention. The priority of the meeting was to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and draft up a new Constitution. The new Constitution that came from the meeting emphasized a strong federal government as opposed to the Articles of Confederation, which emphasized states' rights. The Constitution came into effect in 1789, and has been ever since.