-
The Enlightenment, Age Of Reason. A movement that consisted of European politics, philosophy, and science that emerged during the "Long 18th century." During the Age of Enlightenment, countless books, essays, inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, and wars/revolutions were created. These ideas were used by the American and French Revolutions. In the end, the Age of Enlightenment ended as 19th-century Romanticism was formed. https://www.history.com/articles/enlightenment
-
On March 22, 1765, the Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament, which helped pay for British troops that were positioned in the colonies during the Seven Years' War. Requirements for this act were that colonists had to pay a tax, which was represented by a stamp, on many different forms of papers, such as documents and/or playing cards. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/stamp-act-1765 -
The Sons Of Liberty. An organized Patriot paramilitary political organization hidden in secrecy. Unknown to the world. They were created to undermine British rule in colonial America and were influential when it came to being involved in the Boston Tea Party.
https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/sons-of-liberty -
On March 5th, 1770, the Boston Massacre began. British soldiers fired into crowds of colonists in Boston, resulting in five men dead and injuries to many others. Tensions were high as the British were enforcing unfair laws/taxes. This incident began as a normal confrontation between colonists and one British soldier, then quickly escalated into chaos. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/march-5/the-boston-massacre -
On December 16th, 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place, as a protest by American colonists who were against the British Tea Act. This act allowed the British East India Company to sell tea to the colonies, which undercut local merchants. Colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians so they could board British ships in Boston Harbor and ultimately dump 342 chests of tea into the water. https://www.bostonteapartyship.com/ -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord was fought on April 19th, 1775. This marked the beginning of the American Revolution. British troops were sent to Concord, Massachusetts, and were met by a small group of colonists at Lexington. The first shots were taken, and are now known as the "shot heard 'round the world." The British faced strong resistance and retreated to Boston, but were ambushed by colonists. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/lexington-and-concord -
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th, 1776. It was adopted by the Second Continental Congress, which declared the American colonies' separation from British rule. It was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson to outline the colonies' grievances against King George III and also assert the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/declaration-of-independence -
The Battle of Trenton occurred on December 26th, 1776. This battle was a key victory for the Continental Army during the American Revolution. General George Washington led a hidden attack against the German soldiers allied with the British in Trenton, New Jersey. This resulted in victory for America, a turning point for the Continental Army. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/trenton -
The Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1777, served as the first constitution of the United States. The result of this was a weak central government that had loose unions of sovereign states. Under these Articles, Congress could declare war, conduct foreign affairs, and also maintain an army/navy. Change, however, was difficult due to the amendments requiring unanimous vote approval from all 13 states. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/articles-of-confederation -
On August 16th, 1780, the Battle of Camden took place in South Carolina. It was a major defeat for the Americans during the Revolutionary War. The Continental Army faced off against British troops. Due to horrible planning, low energy, and untrained soldiers, the Americans suffered a disastrous outcome that led to heavy losses. They ended up fleeing the battlefield. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/camden -
The Battle of Yorktown was fought between American and British soldiers. A war that lasted six years led to the final Battle, which resulted in American victory over the British, and a new nation being born, the United States. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/yorktown
-
A treaty that was signed between the American colonies and the British. The result of this was the United States becoming an independent nation. A total of 3 documents were signed, 2 of which are stashed and kept hidden in the National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/treaty-of-paris -
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement made between the Northern and Southern States during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. It was to agree on how enslaved people would be counted for representation and taxation. It was the result of how enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a "normal" person when determining a state's overall population. https://www.britannica.com/topic/three-fifths-compromise -
A proposal that was made by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth. It was required to balance state representation by having a two-house Congress. One house would be an equal representation for each state in the United States. The other house would be represented based on the state population. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/connecticut-compromise-great-compromise -
The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, were adopted in 1791, were created to protect individual liberty and limit the power of the federal government. This made sure that rights such as freedom of speech, religion, etc. were guaranteed. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/bill-of-rights/how-did-it-happen#:~:text=A%20joint%20House%20and%20Senate,the%20%E2%80%9CBill%20of%20Rights.%E2%80%9D