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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was between the British and the French, fighting for land in North America; especially the Ohio River Valley. The British fought in this war because they wanted to expand and settle in more land. The colonists supported the war; they were the people who wanted to colonize west of the Mississippi. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War, and gave Britian all the land east of the Mississippi River. The British signed this document because they wanted to settle in the land France had claimed. The colonists were happy about the Treaty of Paris because they were finally allowed to settle in the Ohio River Valley. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 forbid colonists to cross the Appalachian Mountains. Britian wanted to avoid conflict with the Native Americans, and couldn't protect the colonists if they crossed, which was why the Proclamation was written. The colonists were angered by this because they didn't appreciate being told what to do. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act placed a tax on all products sent to the colonies, including sugar and molasses. The British placed this tax to cover expenses from the war. Though the Sugar Act didn't affect many, the idea of taxes was a growing problem among colonists. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act put a tax on all legal documents , like newspapers and wills; basically every piece of paper used in the colonies was taxed. The British also placed this tax to cover expenses from the war. In result of this tax, the Stamp Act Congress formed to organize a boycott, and the tax was eventually repealed. -
Writs of Assistance
The Writs of Assistance were blank search warrants, allowing officers to search people at any time. The British used these search warrents to check for smuggled goods. Few colonists were affected by the Writs Of Assistance, but merchants felt it was an invasion of privacy. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts put tax on various household items, like paper, glass,, tea, lead and silk. Britian needed money to pay for troops, which was why the Townshend Acts were passed. The colonists boycotted this through the non-importation agreement until it was repealed. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when a rioting mob confronted British Soldiers at the Boston Customs House. Shots ended up being fired in the crowd, killing five colonists. The British fired the shots after insults were exchanged between the "Redcoats" and the "Yankees". Two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter after John Adams named the event a "massacre", which brought on the Anti-British feeling. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act stated that colonists had to provide things like food and housing for the British soldiers. This was passed to support the soldiers, without the British having to do so. This law was hated, but little could be done. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act cut out tea merchants in the colonies from the British East India Company trade. This happened because the company lowered their tea prices. The result of the Tea Act was the Boston Tea Party. On December 16, 1773, the Sons of Liberty dumped 90,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor. The result of this was the Intolerable Acts. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts told colonists they could not hold town meetings, and the Port of Boston was closed. The Boston Tea Party made British officials realize they "must master them or totally leave them to themselves and treat them as aliens". They chose to master the colonists. In result of these acts, the first Continental Congress met, and colonies began to unify. -
First Continental Congress 1774
After the Intolerable Acts, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. Delegates from every state but Georgia agreed to ban all trade with Britain until the Acts were repealed. Also, each colony began training troops. The Americans weren't ready for independence, but were going to uphold colonial rights. -
Give Me Liberty Speech
Britian held firm on the Intolerable Acts, setting more restrictions on colonial trade and sending out more troops. People thought a fight would show Britian the colonists weren't going to give up and that their strict policies should change, but Patrick Henry expected a war. On March 23, 1775, he gave his famous speech at the House of Burgesses in Virginia. The last line spoke the famous words, "give me liberty or give me death". This got the colonists more excited and more... -
Give Me Liberty Speech continued
..determined to fight the Bristish, splitting the people into two sides. The Loyalists sided with the king and liked living under British control, while the Patriots joined militias and fought for independence. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
When 700 British troops reached Lexington on April 19, 1775, 70 militiamen were waiting. The British ordered the Americans to drop their muskets, but they refused. It isn't known who fired the first shot, but within minutes 8 militia men were dead. After this, the British marched to Concord, where 4000 minutemen and militiamen lined the road. After a battle and all military supplies were destroyed, the British were forced to retreat. Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem calling the first shots... -
Battles of Lexington and Concord continued
...of the Revolution the "shot heard around the world". The result of these two battles? The real beginning of the Revolution. -
Second Continental Congress
When the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, they created the Olive Branch Petition to declare their loyalty to England, but ask for the repealing of the Intolerable Acts. The Second Continental Congress also established the Continental Army with the trusted George Washington as it's leader. -
Fort Ticonderoga
In Boston, the Continental Army surrounded British troops at Fort Ticonderoga. With captured cannons, they threatened to bombard the city. British troops were forced to leave Boston, taking many Loyalists who feared for their saftey with them. -
Bunker Hill
The British had attacked the fortifications the militia built, but the militia were ordered "don't fire unti you see the white of their eyes". Although the Americans were forced off the hill and lost, Britian suffered more than 1400 deaths and casualties. -
Common Sense Published
Thomas Paine, an Englishmen living in the colonies, believed it was ridiculous for an island all the way across the world to govern America. He also thought there were many markets outside of Britain willing to trade for colonial goods. In 1776 he wrote the pamphlet Common Sense, which increased public support for American Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
In June of 1776, the Continental Congress formed a committe to draft the Declaration, which would completely separate the colonies from Britain. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write it. On July 4, 1776, Jefferson had completed most of the document, and it was declared. The Declaration of Independence not only made the colonies free, but since it was based on John Locke's philosphy of rights, it gave the people unalienable rights. Among these were Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. -
Battle of New York
The British wanted to capture New York City, so they attacked Washington's army and inflicted heavy casualties. However, Washington avoided capture and retreated to Pennsylvania. The British occupied New York for the rest of 1776. -
Battle of Trenton
On Christmas Day, 1776, Washington launched a surprise attack in Trenton, crossing the freezing Delaware River. He captured over 800 Hessian prisonors without losing one man. -
Battle of Princeton
In early 1777, Washington captured another 300 British soldiers at Princeton, New Jersey. However, he then went on to lose the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, right outside Philadelphia. The British occupied Philadelphia for the rest of the winter. -
Battle of Saratoga
British General Burgoyne planned to cut off New England from the rest of the colonies, but Daniel Morgan and other colonists had another idea. American General Horatio Gates surrounded Burgoyne's forces at Saratoga, New York, forcing him to surrender his entire army to the Americans. Saratoga was a turning point in the American Revolution because Benjamin Franklin was able to negotiate the Treaty of Alliance with France and Spain, giving us the extra help. -
Winter at Valley Forge 1777-1778
Washington and his men spent the long, cold winter of 1778-79 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, where conditions were harsh. The troops were desperate for food and warm clothing, and were fighting off frost bite! Marquis de Lafayette was a French volunteer who used his own money to train and supply the Continental Army. -
Battle of Yorktown
British General Lord Cornwallis moved his troops to Virginia, giving Washington the perfect time set a trap. with the help of African American double-spy James Armistead, who gave Washington information. Washington had 16,000 American and French soldiers ready to fight, but Cornwallis wasn't impressed. When he tried to leave Virginia and sail to New York, a fleet of French battleships sailed into the bay and trapped him. Washington then led a 3 week attack on Cornwallis, until he surrendered... -
Battle of Yorktown continued
...York, a fleet of French battleships sailed into the bay and trapped him. Washington then led a 3 week attack on Cornwallis, until he finally surrendered on October 17, 1781.. we had won our independence! -
Treaty of Paris 1783
America was independent, but needed some regulations. Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation, America gained all land east of the Mississppi River, and all land the U.S. took from the Loyalists was given back.
