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End of the French and Indian War
The French and Indian war started in the 1750's. France's expansion into the Ohio River valley repeatedly brought the country into conflict with the British colonies. In 1756, the British formally declared war against France. The British took many defeats by the French but in 1757 William Pitt had a victory over the french. The Seven Years' War ended with the signing of the treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris in 1763 -
Pontiac's Rebellion
Started by a confederation of elements of Native American tribes, primarily from the Great Lakes region, the Illinois country and Ohio Country who were dissatisfied with British postwar policies in the Great Lakes region -
Paxton Boys attack Pennsylvania Indians
57 drunk settlers from Paxton slaughtered 20 innocent and defenseless Indians (Susquehannock). This was because they suspected them of connivance with other Native Americans who had been pillaging and scalping -
Proclamation or 1763
Intended to conciliate the Indians by persuading the colonist to not settle on Indian land. -
Sugar Act
The Molasses Act of 1733 had just expired a year earlier and the British decided to renew the same tax but with subtle changes. The British Parliament passed the Sugar Act of 1764. It was the first tax enacted by the British against the colonists for the purpose of making money. -
Stamp Act
An act of the British Parliament in 1765 that exacted revenue from the American colonies by imposing a stamp duty on newspapers and legal commercial documents. Led to the act's repeal in 1766 by the colonies -
Townshend Acts
Series of taxes and laws imposed upon the colonists. Examples include glass, paint, oil, lead, paper, and tea. Colonist had a very negative reaction to the taxes -
Treaty of Fort Stanwix
Treaty was finalized between the U.S and Native Americans from the six nations of the Iroquois League -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a mob and a squad of British soldiers. 5 colonist were shot, this led to a campaign by speech writers to rouse the ire of citizenry -
Somerset Decision
The Somerset case became a significant part of the common law of slavery and helped launch abolitionism. Contributed that slavery was contrary to "both natural law and the principles of the English Constitution" -
Boston Tea Party
Political protest that occurred on December 16th 1773. Were angry at the British for "taxation without representation" -
Tea Act
The Tea acts was an act that the British Parliament imposed to put a tax on tea. This later caused the Boston Tea Party. -
First Continental Congress
A meeting of delegates from the 12 of the 13 colonies who met from September 5th to October 26th 1774. Was a reaction to the Coercive Acts, a series of measures imposed by the British government on the colonies in response to their resistance to new taxes -
Intolerable Acts
A series of British measures passed in 1774 and designed to punish the Massachusetts colonists for the Boston Tea Party. One of the laws closed the port of Boston until the colonists of Boston paid for all the damaged tea. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Took place just a few months after the start of the American Revolutionary War. Boston was being attacked by thousands of American militia. The British were trying to keep control of the city and the valuable seaport -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
Were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. -
Common Sense
By Thomas Paine. Written in clear and persuasive prose, Paine gave the colonist moral and political arguments to encourage common peoples in the colonies to fight for egalitarian government -
Second Continental Congress
The second continental congress, which succeed the first met in Philadelphia. This was because the redcoats were again storming Boston. They talked about how they would meet the military threat of the British, and was agreed that a continental army would be created. -
The Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was important because it set a boundary line of the Native Americans and land open for European settlement. -
Declaration of Indepence
Adopted by Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776. The colonist severed their ties political connection with Great Britain. -
Battle of Trenton
Battle where after crossing the Delaware River North of Trenton the previous night, Washington led the army against Hessian Soldiers garrisoned at Trenton. After a brief battle, nearly the entire Hessian forced was captures -
Articles of Confederation
Served as a written document that established the functions of the national government of the United states after it declared independence, was later replaced by the U.S constitution -
Battle of Saratoga
The Patriot victory at Saratoga is often seen as the turning point in the war. Renewed the morale of the American public, but it convinced the potential foreign alliances (France), that the Americans could win the war -
Treaty of Alliance
Was signed with France on Feb 6th 1778. Created a military alliance between the United States and France against Great Britain -
Lord Cornwallis Surrendered to George Washington
Surrendered at Yorktown after the French and American troops overran two British strongholds. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris, was signed in Paris by representatives of King George of Great Britain and representatives of the United States. This treaty ended the American Revolutionary War -
Newburgh Conspiracy
A plan by the continental army officers to challenge the authority of the Confederation -
Citizen Genet Affair
The Citizen Genet affair began when he was dispatched to the United States to promote American support for France's wars with Spain and Britain. Genet arrived in Charleston, South Carolina on the French frigate Embuscade. -
Annapolis Convention
All 13 states sent delegates to discuss commercial problems bothering the United States under the Articles of Confederation -
Shays' Rebellion
The main cause of the rebellion was money. After the American Revolutionary War had resulted in massive war debts and farmers were angry. This event showed problems with the Articles of Confederation. -
Constitutional Convention
The point of the Constitutional convention was to decide how America was going to be governed -
Northwest Ordinance
Chartered a government for the Northwest Territory, Provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the territory, listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory. -
The Federalist Papers Published
The main purpose of the Federalist Papers was to explain the newly proposed constitution (Not articles of confederation) -
Election of George Washington
George was unanimously elected president of the United States. Had 69 electoral votes -
Beginning of the French Revolution
The revolution led to the end of the monarchy. Parisians stormed the Bastille in search of ammunition and in the hopes of freeing those who had been wrongfully imprisoned. -
Quasi War with France
The XYZ Affair caused the Quasi-War with France. This was an undeclared war fought almost entirely at sea between the United States and France -
XYZ Affair
A diplomatic incident between the French and United States diplomats that resulted in a limited, undeclared war known as the Quasi-War. U.S and French negotiators restored peace with the Convention of 1800 -
Hamilton's First Report on Public Credit
Called payment in full on all government debts and served the foundation for establishing government credit. -
Bill of Rights ratified
Added to contain a deceleration of human rights -
First Bank of the United States Chartered
The First Bank was a national bank, chartered for a term of twenty years by the United States Congress. -
Whiskey Rebellion
A rebellion in Penn State that started because of the whiskey tax. The whiskey tax was the first tax imposed by the federal government on a domestic product. -
Hamilton's Report on Manufactures
Projected the Future if the United States and its place in the world economy. Hamilton urged congress to promote manufacturing so that the United States could be "independent on foreign nations for military and other essential supplies.". -
Battle of Fallen Timbers
was the last battle of the Northwest Indian War. Was a struggle between Native American tribes in the Western Confederacy, including support from the British led by Captain Alexander McKillop, against the United States for control of the Northwest Territory -
Pickney's Treaty
The purpose of this treaty was to establish friendship between the United States and Spain, also defined the United States with the Spanish colonies -
Jay's Treaty
sought to settle issues between U.S and Britain that was left long unresolved. -
Election of John Adams
The John Adams election was unique because it was a test of whether the nation could transfer power through an election -
Alien and Sedition Acts
These Acts included new powers to deport foreigners as well as making it harder for new immigrants to vote -
Judiciary Act of 1800
Reduced the size of the supreme court from 6 justices to 5 and eliminated the justices' circuit duties -
Washington DC choose as US Capital
The United States Congress from Philadelphia to Washington D.C in 1800. Several different cities served as the national capital during the early years of the United States. -
Election of Thomas Jefferson
Sometimes called the "Revolution of 1800" Vice President Thomas Jefferson defeated the incumbent John Adams. Electing Jefferson ushered in a generation of Democratic-Republican rule.
