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The Albany Congress
The British Government called a meeting of colonial leaders. The meeting took place in Albany, New York. The British wanted the colonies to agree to cooperate in defending themselves against the French. The British also invited Iroquois to this meeting, the reason why they invited the Iroquois was because they hoped to form a alliance with the Iroquois against the French. The Iroqouis refused to make a alliance. Franklin had a plan called the Albany Plan Of Union, but colonial assemblies said no -
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The French And Indian War
The British, Iroquois And Colonists fought against the French, Huron, and Algonkin in the French And Indian War. The British and French were fighting for the Ohio River Valley. By the British winning this war, the French lost all of their North America Empire. -
The Treaty Of Paris
In February 1763, Britain and France signed the Treaty of Paris.The treaty of Paris was a event that ended the French and Indian War. France lost almost all of its North American possessions. France ceded, or surrendered French Canada to Great Britain. Great Britain also gained all of other French territory east of the Mississippi, with the exception of New Orleans and also received Spanish Florida. Mainly almost all of France's land went to Great Britain. -
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Pontiact's War
In the last days of the French and Indian War, the leader of the Ottawa nation, Pontiac, formed a alliance of western Native Americans. In May 1763 Pontiac and his allies attacked British Forts and settlements throughout the area. Nearly half a dozen western British forts were destroyed and at least 2,000 backcountry settlers were killed. British settlers reacted with equal viciousness. They killed Native Americans who had not attacked them. -
Proclamation of 1763
Britain wanted to avoid further wars with Native Americans on the frontier. Therefore, the British government issued the Proclamation of 1763. It banned colonial settlement west of a line drawn along the Appalachian Mountains. Settlers were told they had to move to a location east of that line.The Proclamation Of 1763 angered many colonists who believed they had the right to reside wherever they wanted. The proclamation was widely ignored and proved impossible for the British to enforce. -
Sugar Act
The British effort to impose new taxes on the colonies began in 1764 when Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which put a duty, or import tax on several products, including molasses. It also called for harsh punishment of smugglers. Colonial merchants, who sometimes traded in smuggled goods, protested. -
Stamp Act
An even more unpopular act was the Stamp Act, passed by Parliament in early 1765. The Stamp Act required that all colonists buy special tax stamps for all kinds of products and activities. The stamps had to be placed on newspapers, wills, licences, insurance policies, land titles, contracts, and other documents. -
The Quartering Act
One year later, Parliament passed the Quartering Act. The purpose of The Quartering Act was to save money. To enforce the Proclamation of 1763, Britain kept about 10,000 soldiers in the colonies. The act required colonists to quarter, or house, British troops and provide them with food and other supplies. The colonists protested them angrily. -
Boston Massacre
On March 5th, 1770, Parliament repealed all the Townshend duties, except the one on tea. That tax was left in force to demonstrate Parliament's right to tax the colonies. Parliament had not acted in time. On March 5th 1770, in Boston, an angry crowd of workers and sailors surrounded a small group of soldiers. They shouted at the soldiers and threw snowballs and rocks at them. The frightened soldiers fired into the crowd, killing five and wounding six. -
The Tea Act
In 1773, the British Parliament passes the Tea Act. It was intended to help the British East India Company, one of Britain's most important companies.For many years, the company had made money growing tea in India and selling it in Britain and the colonies.Fredrick North, the prime minister of England,felt that the colonists should not object to the tea act since the price was lowered. Some colonists reacted angrily to the part that gave East India Company a monopoly, or total control of market. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists called the Sons of Liberty soon organized in port cities to stop the East India company tea from being unloaded.They threatened ship captains who were bringing in tea & colonial tea merchants who said they would buy it.No tea was unloaded,in NY Philadelphia.The Boston Governor Thomas Hutchinson wanted tea to be unloaded.On December 16 1773,a group of men dressed as native Americans boarded the tea ship,during the next 3 hours,they destroyed 90,000 pounds of tea. -
Intolerable Acts
The Boston Tea Party outraged the British Government. King George the third called for a tough action to make examples of the people of Boston.In response to the incident, Parliament passed 4 laws, they were so harsh they were called Intolerable Acts.The first act closed the port of Boston. Two others increased the powers of The Royal Government, another abolished the upper house of Massachusetts legislature, and the forth law strengthened the Quartering Act. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting that took place in Philadelphia in October 1774.12 of the 13 colonies sent delegates. Only Georgia did not send representatives. Among the delegates were John Adams and Sam Adams from Massachusetts, John Jay of Ny,and George Washington and Patrick Henry from Virginia. The congress demanded the repeal of the Intolerable Acts and declared that the colonies had a right to tax and govern themselves. The Congress also called for a new boycott. -
The Battles Of Lexington & Concord
Thomas Gage sent 700 troops to seize the arms & capture some colonial leaders.Five miles from Concord in the town of Lexington,77 men were waiting when the British arrived.The Bristish commander ordered the minutemen to leave,they refused.Sundenlly a shot rang out,It turned out to be the first shot of the American Revolution.A larger battle took place in nearby Concord and 400 minutemen fought British killing Three.4000 Americans fired.By the time they reached Boston,300 had been killed or hurt. -
Battle For Fort Ticonderoga
Some colonist made a surprise attack on Fort Ticonderoga.Ethan Allan was leading the force.Allans force of 83 men reached the fort by crossing a lake at night & surprising the British early morning.Only 42 British troops were guarding the fort,and surrendered almost immediately.The fort was important because it controlled the main route to Canada and they also held valuable weapons like cannons.When the Mountain Boys took the fort,they seized dozen cannons.Cannons were later moved to Boston. -
The Second Continental Congress
As the crisis with Britain deepened, the Second Continental Congress came together in Philadelphia in May 1775. The delegates included Thomas Jefferson from Virginia,Boston merchant John Hancock,and Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia. The Congress chose George Washington as the commander of the newly formed Continental army. He was well respected.The congress also took steps to pay for its army by printing paper money. The Congress was starting to act like a government. -
The Battle Of Bunker And Breed Hill
On the morning of June 17, British soldiers took position on the base of Breeds hill.Genral William Howe decided to attack straight up Breeds Hill. The American commander Israel Puntnam New his soldiers did not have much ammunition. The Americans waited until the British were only about 150 feet away. When they opened fire, hundreds of British soldiers fell dead or wounded.The British won the battle but at a terrible cost. The fight did not solve Britains problems. -
Olive Branch Petition
The first resolution was called the Olive Branch Petition and was sent to King George. The petition stated that the colonists were loyal to the king. It asked George to stop the fighting so all disputes between the colonists and Britain could be solved peacefully. The effort to make the peace failed. King George did not bother to answer the Olive Branch Petition. Instead, he declared the colonies were ''in open..rebellion''. Parliament meanwhile voted to send soldiers to end the revolt. -
The Invasion Of Quebec
While Washington was training one army outside Boston, two other American armies were moving north into Canada. In late December the Americans attacked Quebec during a severe snowstorm. The attack was turned back. Montgomery was killed and Arnold was wounded. The Americans stayed outside Quebec until May 1776, when the British landed new forces in Canada. Weakens by disease and hunger, the Americans withdrew, leaving Canada to the British. -
The British Withdrawal from Boston
In March, Washington placed the cannons on high ground overlooking Boston. The British could no longer defend the city. On March 17, 1776, they withdrew from Boston by sea and never returned. Although the Americans won in Boston, Washington knew the war was far from over. Britain still held most of the advantages. They us the most powerful navy in the world. They used it to transport troops &supplies and to blockade American Ports. The British also strengthened there army by hiring mercenaries.