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French and Indian War
In 1763 the French and Indian war finally came to an end. The war caused British treasury to become drained and King George III and his advisors believed that the colonists should help pay for these wars. He passed the Stamp Act and colonists were angered because they didn't have any say in the Act. -
Increased Taxes
To increase taxes paid by colonists, Parliament passed the Sugar Act in 1764, and the Stamp Act in 1765, which imposed taxes on items such as newspapers and pamphlets. "No taxation without representation" he colonists protested. They believed that because they had no representatives in Parliament, they shouldn't be taxed. Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766, but then passed a Declaratory Act that said it had complete authority over the colonists. -
Boston Massacre
In 1770 British in Boston opened fire on a crowd of protesters. Colonists called the death of 5 protesters the Boston Massacre. This led to a bunch of colonists hurling British Tea into the harbor to protest tax on tea. It became known as the Boston Tea Party. Parliament passed harsh laws to punish Massachusetts and the other colonies opposed the British response. The tension caused Continental Congress to gather and decide what action to take. -
The American Revolution
As the American Revolution contiues, the Americans lacked military resources, money, and a strategic plan. They had some advantages though. They fought on their soil so they knew the geography very well and also had a strong leader, George Washington. After their triumph over Britain at the Battle of Saratoga, France, the Netherlands, and Spain extened their support. In 1781, the British were defeated. American, British, and French diplomats signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the war. -
The Constitution Becomes Supreme Law of the Land
The Framers of the Constitution were influenced by the ideas of Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau. "We the People of the United States" entered. The Constituiton created a federal republic. Seperation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches was an idea borrowed directly from Montesquieu. The Bill of Rights were the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. They both put Enlightment ideas into practice. In 1789, the Constitution became the nation's fundemental law.
