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Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was the sudden change in politics, philosophy, science and communications from 1685 to 1815. Many of the Enlightenment ideas inspired the American Revolution. -
John Locke writes Two Treatises of Government
The First Treatise refused the divine right of kings and stated how everyone can govern themselves. The Second Treatise stated how all men are in a state of nature, where he is able to live, act, and use his possessions as he wants. -
The French and Indian War
The French and Indian war was fought between the British and the French after both colonists seeked expansion throughout the Ohio Valley. The British ended up winning which forced the French to give up all claims in Canada and all French holdings east of the Mississippi River. -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War in 1763. It granted Canada and all French holdings east of the Mississippi River except New Orleans to the British. -
Pontiac's Rebellion
The Pontiac’s Rebellion was a war fought between American Indians of the Great Lakes region after the French and Indian war. An Ottawa Indian chief named Pontiac went to other Indian chiefs to start a rebellion because the British fur trappers and traders were on the land where the French and Indians lived. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763, issued by Great Britain, prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. This proclamation closed down colonial expansion westward and was the first measure to affect all thirteen colonies. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was imposed in 1765 end it was a tax and legal documents. This act required all colonist pay a tax on every piece of printer paper. Colonists did not respond well, and colonial boycotts lead to the repeal of this act. -
The Quartering Acts
The Quartering Acts of 1765 required all colonies to house British soldiers in barracks provided by colonists. It also required colonists to provide food for the soldiers if they were in the area. -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress assembled in New York City to plan a protest against the Stamp Act and was the first meeting of representatives from many American colonies to determine a course of action. The congress approved the Declaration of Rights and Grievances. -
The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts was introduced into the English Parliament by Charles Townshend in 1767. These acts imposed taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea imported into the colonies. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was caused by an argument that broke out between a British soldier and a colonists about jobs. 5 victims died in the massacre including Crispus Attucks. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists from Massachusetts dressed up as American Indians boarded three British tea ships and dumped over 18,000 pound of tea into the water. The protest was caused by the Tea Act of 1773. -
Minutemen
The Minutemen were the American forces that were known for being highly mobile and rapidly deployable. They were colonists that chose to organize a well prepared and self trained military force during the Revolutionary War. -
The Coercive Acts
The Coercive Acts was a series of laws meant to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party. It was passed by Parliament in 1774. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from twelve of the Thirteen colonies that met in Pennsylvania. This meeting was made to discuss British Parliament’s enactment of the Coercive Acts imposed on American colonies. -
Lexington and Concord
On April 19, 700 British troops attacked a mere 77 American troops in Lexington after an initial shot was fired. The British continued to Concord in search of weapons and ammunition where they were attacked by thousands of minutemen. This was the first battle in the Revolutionary War. -
The Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met after the Revolutionary War began in 1775. In 1776, it wrote the Declaration of Independence. -
Thomas Paine writes Common Sense
Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine and it challenged the authority of the British government and royal monarchy. It is credited with uniting citizens and political leaders behind the idea of independence and is considered one of the most influential pamphlets in American history. -
Declaration of Independence
n June 1776, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and two other men were tasked with drafting a formal statement of the colonies’ independence. The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, signaling the birth of American independence. -
Beginning of French Involvement in the American Revolution (Treaty of Alliance)
In 1776, the Continental Congress sent Benjamin Franklin, Silas Deane, and Arthur Lee to secure an alliance with France. The treaties of Amity and Commerce and Alliance were signed on February 6, 1778 by the Americans and the French. War between the British and the French officially began one month later. -
The Battle of Saratoga
On September 19, the British won a small victory over the Americans and decided to attack again on October 7th. The British lost the second battle and had to surrender. This victory over the British convinced France to enter the war as an American ally. -
The Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the most important battle in the Revolutionary War. About 17,000 American and French soldiers surrounded Cornwallis and 9,000 British troops in Yorktown,Virginia. Cornwallis surrendered on October 17, 1781, ending the Revolutionary War. -
Benjamin Franklin and the Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the United States’ independence. It was negotiated between the British and the Americans, led by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. The final treaty was signed on September 3, 1783 and the Continental Congress ratified it in 1784.
