-
Enlightenment
Enlightenment was a movement in Europe during 17th and the 18th centuries, that was all about new ideas and ways of thinking. John Locke and Thomas Paine are two huge philosphers that affected the Declaration of Independence and the Colonies views of the King after many taxes. -
French and Indian War
Both the French and the English viewed the Ohio River Valley as valuable. So the Virginians built a fort in present-day Pittsburgh. The French thought it was their land so they drove them off, which is how the war started. -
Treaty of Paris (French and Indian War)
Ended all dispute between the British and the French. It granted Canada and all of the French holdings east of the Mississippi River (except New Orleans) to the British -
The Proclamation of 1763
The British issued this so that no one could gain settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. This angered the colonists because they wanted to expand the land. This is a factor that led to the American Revolution. -
Stamp Act
The stamp act was a tax imposed by British parliament that all printed paper used in the colonies be taxed on. This tax angered the colonist enough that they wrote the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. -
Stamp Act Congress
In New York City, representatives in the colonies met to discuss the current British tax; the Stamp Act. This was the first time all the colonies met up to discuss something, so it was a good income when they all decided to rebel against the tax. This meeting also sparks a reoccurring event of the colonies meeting together to discus topics. -
Pontiac's Rebellion
Native Americans attack the British soldiers in Detroit. The Indians all came together to rebel against the British. This is one of the main consequences of the French and Indian War. -
Townshend acts
A series of taxes imposed by British Parliament. They taxed goods and services like glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. These taxes resulted in the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Massaccre
The colonists were angered with the British troops taking their jobs, so they started throwing snowballs at them. Someone fired their gun, and 5 soldiers were killed. 6 were injured. -
Quartering Acts
A series of acts that allowed British troops to live in the colonists' homes. They were poor to the colonists. This angered the colonists greatly, as it violated their privacy. -
Coercive Acts
Acts implemented by the British (also called the Intolerable Acts) that were seen as unjust. The Acts were meant to punish the Colonists for the Boston Tea Party. These Acts limited the Massachusetts' self government, closed the port of Boston, and expanded the Quartering Act. -
Boston Tea Party
Tea was the colonists' favorite beverage. So when the British taxed it unfairly, they were extremely angry. They dressed up as Native Americans and dumped the tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Minutemen
A secret colonist militia that secretly trained war tactics, supplied weapons, and were known to be ready in a minute hence the name minutemen. They were also known as the Sons of Liberty, and they became very important especially on the famous night of Paul Revere's night ride. -
The First Continental Congress
This was the first time all of the Colonies acted together. The Congress issued its final resolution: The Declaration of Resolves. And it spoke out against "taxation without representation". -
Battle at Lexington and Concord
Minutemen and British troops met at Lexington, Massachusetts. "The shot heard around the world" was fired and 8 colonists were killed. More fighting took place at Concord. -
Second Continental Congress
A meeting that the representatives decided to form a Continental Army, which they appointed George Washington to be the army general. Though most of the colonies were not in favor of breaking away from England, the army was a good idea in the long run, as more people were starting to agree from taxes, patriotism, and later "Common Sense" -
Thomas Paine writes Common Sense
Common Sense is a pamphlet made by Thomas Paine and it was all written to challenge the King Of England's way of ruling the colonies. Colonist became angry at the King and not so much parliament. -
Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson, declared its Independence from England, and declared America's "unalienable rights"; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Though the very things they say that make them independent contradict with Slavery in the US. Jefferson also goes into great detail of the grievances against the king. -
Battle of Saratoga
An American battle win, John Burgoyne British general, tries to have a big group of soldiers meet from the South, they never come so his soldiers are surrounded by Americans. Eventually he surrenders and this is a major turning point in the war. -
Battle of Yorktown
An American win in the Revolutionary war, it was a major positive affect in that only did we win, but captured the British commander after he surrendered, General Cornwallis. This was also one of the last significant battles of the war. -
Beginning of French involvement in the American Revolution (Treaty of Alliance)
The French had been sending supplies to the Americans throughout the war, but in 1783, they officially signed a document that said they would help America militarily if the British are too powerful. They also had a strong navy so they would help with any battles on water. -
Benjamin Franklin and the Treaty of Paris (1783)
The second treaty of Paris this time stated: The United States was independence was recognized by Britain, the proclamation of 1783 was no more in power, fishing rights of the Gulf of St. Lauren and off-coast of Newfoundland were the United States, America would pay debts owed to by the British, and the British would evacuate any post in United States which wasn't completed until 1796.
