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War of Jenkins' Ear
England declared war on Spain at this time. This war was instigated by the thought that British merchant ships were allegedly sunk by Spanish privateers. Captain Robert Jenkins was aboard one of these ships which came under attack and had his ear cut off by a Spanish commander in 1731. -
Citation Jenkins' Ear
"Jenkins' Ear, War of (1739–1742)." Europe, 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/war-jenkinss-ear. -
The French and Indian War
Comes about as a result over land in the Ohio River Valley between the French and the British. When France's expansion went into the Ohio River Valley, a series of small battles over this led the British to declare war with the French between 1756 to 1763. Also known as the Seven Years War. The peace conference was in 1763 and the British established that France could keep the west Indian sugar islands and they received Canada from France. -
Citation French and Indian War
History.com Staff. "French and Indian War." History.com. 2009. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/french-and-indian-war. -
Citation for Boston Massacre
"The Boston Massacre..." Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers - Historic Newspapers. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/214237. -
The Boston Massacre
A mob of American colonists arrived at the Boston Customs House and began to taunt British troops that were there on guard. Colonists were there to protest the very unpopular tax that was to be imposed by the British Parliament. The American colonists began throwing snowballs at the British guards which in turn caused them to start firing causing five American colonists to die while three others were injured. Later, the British guards were put on trial for murder but were acquitted. -
The Revolutionary War
Also known as the US War of Independence. Both political and philosophical war between the residents of the 13 colonies and her government of Great Britain. It was a basic conflict rooted in the perceived justification that taxation without representation was unethical from the standpoint of Britain's 13 colonies. The war came about through a series of punitive measures set out by Britain to enforce control over her colonies which resulted in outright warfare between the two nations. -
Citation for Revolutionary War
The History Place - American Revolution: English Colonial Era. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/revolution/rev-col.htm. History.com Staff. "American Revolution History." History.com. 2009. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history. -
Treaty of Paris
This peace treaty was between the United States and Great Britain which essentially was a formal ending to the American Revolutionary War. While the treaty encompassed a number of issues such as release of prisoners of war, naval and sea rights, the most important feature was that Britain recognized the United state as a sovereign, independent nation. -
Citation for Treaty of Paris
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774 - 1875. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=008%2Fllsl008.db&recNum=94. -
Final draft of new the constitution
Delegates from all 13 states came to Philadelphia to rewrite the Articles of Confederation during the Second Continental Congress. They met to voice their desire to become a sovereign and independent nation no longer under British rule. The Declaration put forth the idea that the people had certain unalienable rights including the right to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. When the Declaration was created the colonies had been at war with Great Britain for over a year. -
Citation for Final Draft of the New Constitution
PBS. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.pbs.org/ktca/liberty/chronicle_timeline.html. -
The War of 1812
The war centered around England's naval blockade of France in order to stymie trade to France. Britain was forcibly boarding American vessels looking for "deserters" and impressing them into the Royal Navy. After a series of small naval battles, the war began. Britain was weakened as much of its force was in Europe fighting the France. With sentiment in Britain to end the war over wartime taxation and with the defeat of Napoleon, tensions between the US and Britain eased and ended. -
Citation War of 1812
"The British destroy Washington, D.C. in the War of 1812..." Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers - Historic Newspapers. Accessed June 26, 2017. http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/644277?list_url=%2Flist%2Fcategory%2F126-war-of-1812.
