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Albany Plan of Union
In response to French attacks on the frontier, in 1754 Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan for uniting colonies. The colonies rejected the plan, however, because it gave too much poer to an assembly made up of representatives from all 13 colonies. -
George III becomes king of Great Britain
He became king. He had different ideas about how the colonies should be governed. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War started as a struggle between the French and British over lands in western Pennsylvannia and Ohio. By 1756, several other European countires became involed. Great Britain won the war in 1763 and gained complete control of the eastern third of the continent. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed the first direct tax on the colonist. It required them to pay a tax on legal documents, pamphelts, newspapers, and even dice and playing cards. Parliament also passed laws regulating colonial trade in ways that benefited Great Britain but not the colonies. -
Stamp Act of Congress
In 1765 nine colonies sent delegates to a meeting in NY called the Stamp Act Congress. This was the first meeting organized by the colonies to protest King George's actions. Delegates to the Congress sent a petition to the king, arguing that only colonial legislatures could impose direct taxes such as the Stamp Act. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. This protest became known was the Boston Tea Party. In retaliation Parliament passes the Coercive Acts, which the colonists called the Intolerable Acts. One of these acts closed Boston Harbor. Another of the Coercive Acts withdrew the right of the MA colony to govern itself. By early 1700s, events clearly showed that revolution was not far off. -
Coercive Acts
Passed by the Parliament and called the Intolerable Acts by the colonists. One of the acts closed Boston Harbor. Another withdrew the right of the MA colony to govern itself. By the early 1700s, events clearly showed that revolution was not far off. -
Committees of Correspondence
By 1773, organizations called communites of corrospndence were urging resistence to the British. These committees consisted of colonists who wanted to keep in touch with one another as events unfolded. Samuel established the first committee. Massachuettes alone had more than 80committees. The two most prominent members of Virginia committee of correspondence were Thomas Jefferson and Packtrick Henry. -
First Continental Congress
Key Colonial leaders such as Pactrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington attended. The delegates debated what to do about the relationship with Great Britain. The finally imposed an embargo on Britain and agreed not to use Britsih goods. They also proposed a meeting the following year if Britain didn't change its policies. -
Lexington and Concord
The first blow fell early on the morning of April 19, 1775. British Redcoats clashed with colonial minutemen at Lexington and Concord in MA. This skirmish was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. -
Second Continental Congress
Within three weeks, delegates from all thirteen colonies gathered in Philidelphia for the Second Continental Congress. The Continental Congress immediatly assumed the powers of a central government. It chose John Hancock of MA as president. The next critical steps were to organize an army and navy, to issue money, and to appoint George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. They served as the acting governement of the colonies throughout the war. -
Resolution of independence
The congress approved Lee's resolution. The colonies offically broke with Great Britain. The Congress then turned its attention to Jefferson's draft. After considerable debate, a few passages were removed and some editorial changes were made. -
Declaration of Independence
On July 4, the Congress approved the final draft. John Hancock, the president of the Congress, was the first to sign the document, which eventually held the signatures of all 56 delegates. It explained the reasons for declaring independence. Its actual title was "The unaanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America."
