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The French and Indian War
This war was fought for seven years over territory. The english wanted to expand into the French territory, and battles broke out. The wars left Great Britain in debt. -
The Stamp Act
This was a tax imposed all on documents and paper goods. A stamp was placed on the items to show that they were paid for. The colonists boycotted and it was repealed a year later -
The Townshend Act
This act placed taxes on goods imported from Britain. After much boycotting from the colonists, it was partially raised, except for taxes on tea. -
The Boston Massacre
While British guards were standing guard enforcing a law, they were harassed by colonists were things were thrown at them. The soldiers fired into the crowd unordered, killing five colonists. The first death was Crispus Attucks colonists were verbally harassing them, the fired into the crowd, unordered. -
The Tea Act
When the Townshend Acts left a tax on tea, that was except for the East Indian Trading Company. This company was going bankrupt, so they excluded them from the tax in hopes the colonists would buy their tea. This angered the colonists. -
The Boston Tea Party
Instead of buying the East Indian tea as the British had hoped, the colonists rebelled and dumped all the tea into the Boston Harbor. -
The Intolerable Acts
After the tea incident at the harbor, the king of England passed the Intolerable Acts. They included shutting down the harbor, using civilian homes for British commanders and imposing martial law on Boston. Enraged over the Boston Tea Party, the King of England passed several outrageous laws such as shutting down the Boston Harbor and authorizing soldiers to live in peoples private homes. To keep Boston under control, it was placed under Martial Law. -
The First Continental Congress
Fed up with rude British rule, delegates met in Philidelphia to write a Declaration of Colonial Rights. -
Lexington and Concord
When the colonists were told to give up their stockpiled firearms to the Redcoats, they peacefully refused and simply left. A shot rang out, and the Redcoats shot at freewill and killed eight colonists.
The Redcoats moved forward to find the colonists and the weapons, instead they were attacked and overpowered at Concord. -
Second Continental Congress
At this meeting the colonists were divided over their loyalties to their motherland, and their need for independence. They establisted that the militia would be recognized as the Continental Army, and appointed George Washington as commander. spoiler alert: he becomes president -
"Common Sense" by Thomas Paine
"Common Sense", a best seller, with almost half a million copies sold, spread the ideas of a better life without Britain. Paine wrote that America could trade freely and be free from tyranny and unfair taxes.
