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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a major war fought in the American Colonies between 1754 and 1763. This war, also known as the Seven Year War is one of the major causes of American Revolution. The main enemies were the French and the British. Both sides had American Indian allies. The cause of this war was the expansion of the American colonies and its first conflict began with the construction of the Fort Duquesne in the Ohio country. At the end the French were defeated. -
Treaty of 1763
The Treaty of Paris also known as the Treaty of 1763 was a document that ended the French and Indian War. In the terms of the treaty, France gave up all its territories in mainland North America. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 forbid settlers to advance beyond the Appalachian Mountains which was delineated as an Indian Reserve. This allowed England to control westward expansion. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an Act of the Parliament which imposed taxes on the British colonies and it required that many printed materials like newspapers, pamphlets and cards be produces in stamped paper. Many merchants and lawyers required to buy stamps for ships' papers and legal documents. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a confrontation in which British soldiers shot and killed 5 Patriots that were protesting in Boston. This event became a symbol of British oppression and brutality. This event was called a massacre by the propaganda because a lot of colonists were loyal to the British and the colonists were trying to change that. This massacre also changed the relationship between the American colonies and the British. -
Committees of Correspondence
Committees of Correspondence were shadow governments and American colonies' first institutions for maintaining communication with one another. These institutions were proposed by Samuel Adams, he wanted to create this in order to publicize the grievances against England throughout the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political and mercantile protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston. The colonists were angry at Britain for imposing the taxation. 3 groups of 50 men dressed as Mohawk Indians broke open 342 tea chests and heaved them into the harbor. British demanded repayment for the property but Bostonians refused. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. These acts made the inhabitants of Massachusetts a martyr to the other colonies and sparked new resistance throughout the colonies. The acts were:
Closed the port of Boston
Reduced their self-government autonomy
Those accused of crimes now had to be tried in England
Must quarter troops -
Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord signaled the start of the American Revolutionary war. The British Army set out from Boston to capture rebel leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington as well as to destroy the Americans store of weapons and ammunition in Concord. These battles were not a victory for the colonists but they were a good propaganda because they spread the news rapidly and this gave the colonial people courage. -
Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was a battle were the New England soldiers faced the British army for the first time in a pitched battle. The bloody fight took place throughout a hilly landscape of fenced pastures that were situated across the Charles River from Boston. -
Publication of Common Sense
Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that advocates independence from Great Britain to people in the 13 colonies. This pamphlet is considered one of the most influential pamphlets in American history. Paine denounced the monarchy and argued that people are born in to a state of equality using arguments that average people could understand. -
Declaration of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence is an important part of American democracy because first it contains the ideals of the nation, it was adopted by the Continental Congress. The Declaration summarized the colonists' motivations for seeking independence. The first and most famous signature is that of John Hancock who was the President of Congress. -
Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga marked the climax of the Saratoga campaign, giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British. The victory of the Patriots at these battles is considered a turning point in the war because it convinced potential foreign partners that American could win the war -
Valley Forge
Valley Forge was where the American Continental Army made camp during the winter. The army was commanded by General George Washington. Valley Forge is called the birthplace of the American Army. This event is important because the suffering troops were held together by loyalty to the Patriots cause. -
Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was an engagement during American Revolutionary War fought near the town of Cowpens in South Carolina. Cowpens was the most decisive American victory of the war. It gave a major boost to Patriot moral. -
Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown joint Franco-American land and sea campaign that entrapped a major British army on a peninsula at Yorktown, Virginia. The siege ended military operations on the American Revolution and it's known as the last major battle of the American Revolution. It also cemented Washington's reputation as a great leader. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783, signed in Paris by representatives of the King George III of the Great Britain and representatives of the United States of America. The agreement recognized U.S. independence and granted the U.S. significant western territory, ending the Revolutionary War.