Events Leading Up to the Revolution

  • French and Indian War

    Britians purpose was to claim land west of the appilation mountains, but the french made forts to keep the British out. The result was that the British ended up winning the war in 1763, and Britain won France's land. The colonists reaction was to begin moving west.
  • Proclamation of 1763

    Britain could not pay for protection for the colonists from the indians, so they made a law that the colonists could not pass the Appalachian mountains. The colonist were very angry about this.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Britain intended on ending the war with the French, so the won all of the land east of the mississippi river. The colonists began to move west, but they got attacked by the indians.
  • Sugar Act

    Britains purpose was to pay for the French and Indian War, so they began taxing the colonists. They were taxed on sugar and molasses. It did not affect many colonists.
  • Stamp Act

    Britain wanted to pay off the war, so they began taxing the colonists on stamps that must be put on almost every piece of paper. The colonists were angerd so they boycotted and burnt the paper. The act was eventually repealed.
  • Writs of Assistance

    Britain intended on keeping out contriband, because they wanted their taxes on trade. Merchants were angred because they thought this was an invasion of privacy.
  • Townshed Act

    Britain still wanted to pay off debts, so they put taxes on household items like paper, glass, lead, silk, and tea. The colonists were angered and they boycotted it. It was eventually repealed.
  • Boston Massacre

  • Quartering act

    Britain did not want to pay for the soldiers quarters and food, so they made the colonists provide the soldiers a place to stay and food. This was hated but little could be done.
  • Tea act/Boston Tea Party

    The British passed and act that said all tea in the colonies must be purchased from the British East India company. The colonists snuck on the ships at night, dresed as Indians, and threw the tea overboard.
  • Intolerable Acts

  • 1st Continental Congress

    12 out of the 13 Colonies meet to talk about the Intolerable Acts and to make sure that the town understood how they felt about the new laws. They wanted to meet in 1775 if their needs were not met.
  • Lexington

    The British and Colonists exchange fire killing 8 minute men. No one knows who fired the first shot, but it was known as the shot heard around the world.
  • Fort Ticonderoga

    It was a fort built by the Canadians and the French. It was built by the end of lake Champlain.
  • Bunker Hill

    The colonists were low on supplies so they were orderd not to shoot until they saw the whites of there eyes. The colonists were eventually forced to retreat, but they ended up killing about 1,000 British.
  • Concord

    The British met hundreds of Minute men while looking for the supplies. The minute men ended up forcing the British to retreat.
  • 2nd Continental Congress

    The Colonies met again and sent an Olive Branch Petition to the King, asking for peace. King George refused it. So the Congress created a Continental Army and asked Thomas Jefferson to draft a document declaring their independence.
  • Common Sense

    Common sense was a book that was made by Thomas Paine. He made this to let the colonists know that staying with Britain was a bad choice.
  • Decleration of Independence

    Thomas Jefferson made a document that seperated the U.S. from the British. It was called the decleration of Independence.
  • Battle of Trenton

    Washington suprises the British on Christmas day by crossing the deleware river and capturing 800 Hessians.
  • Battle of New York

    The British attacked washingtin and his army and many colonists died, but Washing was somehow was able to retreat.
  • Battle of Princeton

    Washington and his troops continue onto princeton and they end up capturing about 300 British Soldiers.
  • Battle of Saratoga

    burgoyne planned on cutting off the colonists at saratoga but the colonies surrounded the British and forced Burgoyne and his men to surrender.
  • Winter at valley forge

    Washingtons army spent a winter at a place called Valley Forge. His troops sufferd from frostbite and starvation. He lost 1/3 of his troops.
  • Battle of Yorktown

    Washington sent a slave as a spy to get information on Cornwallis. Washington brings 16,000 troops to where cornwallis is and he trys lo leave, nut he is trapped by french ships.
  • Treaty of Paris

    britain now saw America as an independent country. the us also gained all land west of the mississippi. America agreed to return all land taken from the loyalists.