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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a bloody war in the 18th century caused by rising tension between the British and French in the New World. This tension led to a string of battles over land occupation. At first the French held the upper hand, but this quickly changed when the British changed their strategies and gained Native American allies. The British captured Quebec in 1759. "The French and Indian War (1754-1763)." SparkNotes. SparkNotes. Web. 14 Sept. 2015."The French and Indian War (1754 -
Stamp Act
This act was passed by Parliament and imposed a fee on all paper used by the colonists. Although the monetary amount was small, this act was viewed as offensive because it was a direct attempt to raise money for England. It was feared to lead to other more heavy taxation in the future.
"History.org: The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation's Official History and Citizenship Website." A Summary of the 1765 Stamp Act : The Colonial Williamsburg Official History & Citizenship Site. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Acts were a series of taxes created by Charles Townshend. These acts placed a tax on various items such as lead, glass, paper, and tea. The colonists viewed these taxes as an opressive abuse of power and protested, leading the British government to take away all of the taxes except for the one on tea. "Townshend Acts." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Boston Massacre
When British troops were placed in the city of Boston, it created great anger and tension for the colonists. When a group of citizens attacked a British guard, the troops fired into the crowd and killed five people. Rising tension from this event was a large factor in causing the Revolutionary War. "The Boston Massacre." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was another policy created by the British government to attempt to bring them out of their severe debt. The East India Company was failing, and this act attempted to save it. Parliament gave the company a monopoly on tea trade, meaning that although the price of tea would be cheaper than ever, the colonists would have to allow Britain to tax them. In response, the colonists refused to let the ships land. "Tea Act." History.com. A&E Television Networks. Web. 14 Sept. 2015 -
Boston Tea Party
The colonists had become increasingly agitated with taxes imposed by Parliament that they had no representation in. After the Tea Act, the arrival of ships full of tea caused a furious reaction. On the night of the Boston Tea Party, a furious group of people marched onto the ships and dumped all of the their tea cargo into the harbor. "The Boston Tea Party, 1773." The Boston Tea Party, 1773. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Intolerable Act
The Intolerable Acts were the name given by the colonists to a set of acts from Parliament. They were an attempt both to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party and also to try to bring them back within Britain's control. The Coercive Acts, as the British called them, included the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, Quartering Act and the Quebec Act. "The Intolerable Acts." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies. They met in response to the Intolerable Acts. They wrote several documents including a Declaration of Rights and Articles of Association. If Britain refused to meet the requests and statements of these documents, the colonies would stop exporting goods to England. "First Continental Congress." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Lexington and Concord
British General Gage had a secret plan to attack Lexington and Concord. Men including the famous Paul Revere galloped through the countryside warning people of the approaching attack. The militia, or "minutemen" prepared to meet the British troops. Battles occured and from that point forward, the rebels were no longer seen as an angry mob, but a force to be feared. "Lexington and Concord." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Second Continental Congress
The violence of the Boston Massacre and now the attacks on Lexington and Concord let to another meeting of the Continental Congress. An army was created to defend against the British. The Continental Congress was now a full on governing body. At first, independence was not the goal, but as tension grew, the desire to be free of British rule became stronger and stronger. "Second Continental Congress." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 14 Sept. 2015. -
Publishing Common Sense
The book "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine wrote about flaws in the British rule and challenged various aspects of the government. This book was especially effective because it was written using common language that all citizens would understand and relate to. "Common Sense by Thomas Paine." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association. Web. 14 Sept. 2015.
