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French and Indian War (The Seven Years War)
The French and Indian War occured between the French and the English. Both countries had the support from the Americas. The French were supported by Native American tribes and American colonists. Fighting occured between French and English sides, and war was offically declared in 1756. The English eventually won the war(1763), but the longevity of the war caused England to need a way to create revenue. Thus, tax acts for the colonists. -
Sugar Act
The British Parliment passed an Act causing Americans to pay a tax on imported molasses and other foreign products. Although this act reduced the tax to less than before, colonists who had found ways around the tax were now forced to pay because the British enforced the tax by having a stronger Navy presence. -
The Boston Massacre
British soldiers fired on a patriot “mob”. Colonists threw snowballs, sticks, and stones and harassed soldiers. Five colonists died during the “massacre”. It became a landmark event that patriots used to push the colonies to separate from England. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act brought no new taxes to the Colonists. The act was to sell tea to the American colonists at a bargain price. Colonists were wary about the Tea Act and refused to buy the tea. Boston’s governor held the tea ships in the Boston harbor, but the colonists would not allow the tea to be unloaded. This is what spurred the Boston Tea Party. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
General Gage planned to send British military to round up patriots, Samuel Adams and John Hancock, and seize gunpower. The plan was leaked, and groups of riders were sent out to alert the Minutemen that British (Regulars) were coming. When the British arrived in Lexington and Concord, colonist Minutemen greeted them. The shots fired at Lexington and Concord were known as "the shot heard round the world."
