American Revolution Timeline

By zandrey
  • Mercantilism

    Mercantilism

    England’s economic policy: colonies provided raw materials and bought British goods.
  • Townshend Acts

    Townshend Acts

    Taxes on imported goods like glass, paper, and tea.
  • French and Indian War

    French and Indian War

    War between Britain France (with Native American allies) over land in North America.
  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party

    Colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to protest taxes.
  • “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine

    “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine

    Pamphlet encouraging independence from Britain.
  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre

    British soldiers killed five colonists during a protest in Boston.
  • Salutary Neglect

    Salutary Neglect

    A British “hands-off” policy where England loosely enforced laws in the colonies, letting them govern themselves.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act

    A tax on printed materials like newspapers and documents, angering colonists.
  • Quartering Act

    Quartering Act

    Colonists had to house and provide for British soldiers.
  • Intolerable Acts / Coercive Acts

    Intolerable Acts / Coercive Acts

    Punishment for Boston Tea Party: closed Boston Harbor, limited self-government.
  • Olive Branch Petition

    Olive Branch Petition

    Last attempt by colonies to avoid war with Britain; King rejected it.
  • Second Continental Congress

    Second Continental Congress

    Group of colonial leaders managing the war and moving toward independence.
  • Battle of Lexington & Concord

    Battle of Lexington & Concord

    First battles of the American Revolutionary War.
  • Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence

    Official statement declaring the colonies independent from Britain.
  • Daniel Shays’ Rebellion

    Daniel Shays’ Rebellion

    Farmers rebelled against economic hardship and weak government.
  • Articles of Confederation

    Articles of Confederation

    First U.S. government; weak central government with more power to states.
  • Annapolis Convention

    Annapolis Convention

    Meeting to discuss problems under the Articles of Confederation; led to Constitutional Convention.
  • Constitutional Convention / Philadelphia Convention

    Constitutional Convention / Philadelphia Convention

    Delegates wrote the U.S. Constitution, replacing Articles of Confederation.