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The Albany congress
A meeting was held between all of the British colonial leaders and the Iroquois to try and unite the colonies and Indians together to have better chances of winning the war against the French. The Iroquois refused to be an ally to the British. So Ben Franklin made a plan for a council of representatives to be elected, these electives would have power over important matters of the war, the Albany congress approved the plan but the colonists refused. -
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French and Indian War
The war was between the French, Huron, and Algonkin vs. British, Iroquois, and Colonists. War between the two sides for control over Ohio river valley, after much conflict the British attacked the French capital and weakening them, and not long after the British won. By losing the war, the French lost almost all of their North American territory. Britain became very powerful within the North American continent. -
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Pontiac's War
Pontiac and his tribe joined with the other western natives to hopefully stop the British from expanding, the Natives wanted to keep their land. Both sides were shown no mercy. Many British settlements were destroyed and backcountry settlers were killed. Natives who had not even attacked were killed by the British. British won overall, defeating all of Pontiac's forces. -
The Proclamation of 1763
To avoid any more wars with the Natives, the British Government made The Proclamation of 1763, which stopped the British settlers from crossing a line on the Appalachian Mountains. Later proved the law was not followed and impossible to inforce, many ignored the law in general. -
The Treaty of Paris
The treaty was a document that ended the French and Indian war, after Britain won. The French lost almost all of their North American land, all of it going to either Spain or the British. British gaining the French Canada, land east of the Mississippi (except New Orleans), and Spanish Florida. Spain gaining everything west of Mississippi, also including New Orleans. -
Sugar Act
Britain needed to pay debts that they had created from the wars, so they are taxing the colonists. They first started taxing them on molasses Which was popularly needed at the time. It also subjected cruel punishment to people that smuggled in/out of the country. But to rebel against the British the colonists would tried to avoid buying them altogether. -
The Stamp act
The stamp act put a tax on all paper products, newspapers, land titles, and other documents. It was a very infamous act because it was almost impossible to avoid. The colonists protested angrily, they organized a boycott of all British products, and a petition to take back both the sugar and stamp act. The British government later repealed the act in 1766. -
The Quartering act
The Quartering act was to save the British money on the troops. The colonists were forced to house the 10,000 British troops and give them food and care. Colonists claimed it was a violation of their rights. They protested once again. -
The Boston Massacre
After many protests the British merchants were angry they had no business, they complained to the parliament. Finally the parliament repealed all townshed duties except the Tea act. But the government hadn't acted quick enough, a crowd of angry colonists surrounded the soldiers, they threw thing at them. Out of fear many soldiers fired they're weapons, killing and injuring many. The nine soldiers involved were tried in court and two were found guilty -
Tea Act
The Tea act was designed to help the British East India company, the most popular tea company in Britain. The colonist had boycotted the tea company and had made it lose much money. The act itself lowered the price of tea by allowing the company to ship straight through the colonies instead of through Britain. This made the colonists mad, they didn't like the idea that the British was giving the company total control and telling the colonists who to buy from and what to buy. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was an act of rebellion from the colonists. A group called the sons of Liberty was frustrated by the Tea act made previously. They threatened anyone who dared unload or import the Tea. On the night of the Tea Party, a group of people dressed as Native Americans and threw all of the tea they could find into the harbor. They destroyed 342 cases, 90,000 lbs. or tea, and millions of dollars worth of it. -
The Intolerable Acts
The British Government were very angry following the Boston Tea Party, they wanted to fire back. The Parliament passed 4 laws and the colonists named them the Intolerable acts.The first of which closed the port of Boston. The second was to increase the power of the royal governor by abolishing all of Massachusetts government, and stopped town meetings. One law meant that anyone who was accused of murder of a British colonial official would be forced to have a trial in Britain only. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting that was held to decide what to do next in order of the colonies. Almost each colony sent a representative, many later famously known people attended. The meeting decided that the Intolerable acts must be repealed. Also that each colony had a right to have control and tax when needed of themselves, without laws from Britain. They claimed to train militias and attack Britain if necessary. Finally they decided for a new boycott of everything British. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Massachusetts governor knew that arms were being stored in Concord, he sent 700 troops to take the arms and capture some of their leaders. As this happened 2 men went to warn the minutemen. In Lexington 5 mi away, the minutemen were ready, 77 of them. The British ordered them to go home, and they refused, somebody shot a gun, it started the American Revolution. In Concord 4000 minutemen fought the British, as the British retreated, the Americans shot at them and only a few made it to Boston. -
The Second Continental Congress
A second meeting was planned because the Parliament and King refused to meet the demands made in the first one. They had to revise and create new demands for the colonists to follow. First was for them to form and train and army, they made George Washington the commander of this new army. To pay for this new advance, they started printing paper money. -
Battle For Fort Ticonderoga
The colonists attacked the fort for ammunition, they needed many guns and cannons for the war against the British. Attacking was a group of colonists going for the Fort of Ticonderoga unexpectedly. 83 men attacked under leadership of Ethan Allen, British surrendered quickly. The colonists then took all of their valuable weapons, especially cannons, these are very important in fighting the British. -
The Battle of Bunker and Breeds hill
The British wanted to attack Bunker & Breeds hill, 2 important forts in the colonists. The colonists used the hills for better leverage to see the British coming. The British decided to attack by marching straight up the hill, the colonists waited in trenches. The British marched and the Colonists waited until they were in close shooting rang, they shot and many fell dead/wounded, they retreated and tried 3 times until the Colonists ran out of ammunition. The British won, but lost 1,000 men. -
Olive Branch Petition
The petition was a document to hopefully create peace once and for all between Britain and the colonies. King George received the petition and didn't even look at it, he refused and declared the colonies to be an open rebellion and sent 20,000 troops to hopefully stop the colonies. -
Invasion of Quebec
As the Battle against Boston/British took place. The Colonies had 2 other armies setting out for Canada. One led by Richard Montgomery, and one by Benedict Arnold.led. Arnold's crew was starving as they made their way through the woods. Finally the attacked Quebec in a snowstorm. Montgomery was killed and Arnold injured. Then then waited until the British sent new forces to Canada, then they were forced to retreat and leave Canada for the British because they were weak from hunger and disease. -
The British withdrawal from Boston
After the Battle of Bunker and Breeds hill, the British had retreated to Boston. George Washington had come to help organize and army. He had brought the cannons they had taken from Fort Ticonderoga to hopefully use against the British if necessary. Washington had Boston surrounded from high ground. The British were trapped unable to defend them or the city. Finally the British left on ships and retreated from Boston.