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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a 7 year war between the British and there colonies in the New World against the French. The conflict began with France's expansion into the Ohio River valley. This brought conflicts claimed by the British colonies. After a series of conflicts and battles, the British government officially declared war on France. From 1754 to 1755 the French won a string of victories against the British. The tide of the war turned to the British in 1757 and would win the war 1763. -
Treaty of 1763
The Treaty of 1763 or The Treaty of Paris was the treaty that would end the French and Indian War that went on for 7 years. With the treaty the French gave up all of its territories in North American mainland. With losing all territories in the mainland , any foreign military threat to the British colonies was ended. The French regained the Caribbean Islands from the British. The treaty brought Spain into the mix and they received all French territories west of the Mississippi River. -
Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was issued by King George III after the gaining the French territory in North America following the French American War. The proclamation forbid all settlement west of a line drawn on the Appalachian Mountain which was depicting an Indian Reserve. This proclamation created the first early disputes between the colonies and Britain. This would be the first big contributing factor of the Revolutionary War. The proclamation was not meant to be a law forever but more as temporary. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act which was imposed on the British colonies by the British was a tax to pay for the events of the French American War. The tax was put on all printed documents, newspapers, contracts, wills, legal papers, magazines, bills of sale, and advertisements. This tax was a major factor to the start of the American Revolution. The colonies would form boycotts against the British. The saying "no taxation without representation" came from the Stamp Act. The tax eventually led to the AR War. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a very deadly riot that occured on King Street in Boston. It began as a street brawl with a couple of colonists and one British soldier but escalated into a deadly event. This conflict setup the road to the American Revolution. The event began when colonists attacked a store of a known Loyaltist. An officer who lived nearby went stop the attack, he shot his pistol through the window of the store and killed an 11 year boy. This caused outrages and several days of chaos. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the colonies against the British. American colonist would dump 342 chests of tea imported by the British. The protest was set up by the Sons of Liberty. The colonists held this protest out of anger of "taxation without representation" and be stepping stone into the American Revolution. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were a set of laws by the British Parliament after the events of the Boston Tea Party. The laws were created to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party. The Acts that were put in place were: Boston Port Bill, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and Quartering Act. This angered the colonists further and fueled the drive of the American Revolution. The Intolerable Acts was a final building block for the American Revolution. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord were the military engagements of the Revolutionary War. The night of April 18, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to Concord to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, colonial militiamen began to prepare intercept the British troops. The confrontation began on the green of the town of Lexington, and soon the British troops were quickly retreating from intense fire from the militiamen. There were 73 redcoats killed. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was in the early stages of the American Revolution and was sign of hope for the colonists even though they lost the battle. The battle started when the patriots were trying to delay a British attack but instead started one. The hope this battle gave to the colonists was that patriotic dedication could overcome the superior British army. American officer William Prescott allegedly gave the famous order, "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!" -
Publication of Common Sense
The Publication of Common Sense was a major influence on the colonists vision. It advocated independence for the colonists and the idea of breaking away from Britain. It used political arguments, morals, and events to inspire and persuade the colonists to start the breakaway from Britain. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document written by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, which announced the separation from Britain and explained the breakaway from Britain. The document states that men have 3 Inalienable Rights including Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness. The 56 congressional delegates who signed the document were now targets of the British. John Hancock was the first to sign and was the largest signature on it. -
Battle of Trenton
Although this was a small battle it was a vital victory for the Americans over the British. The importance of this battle was that the Hessian army was defeated by George Washington's raid across the Delaware River. The Americans were energized by the easy victory of the British. -
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Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was in the second year of the war and it had two crucial battles that took place 18 days apart from each other. It was a major victory for the Continental Army and served as a major turning point in the Revolutionary War. This was the most key victory to date for the colonists against the British. It is estimated that 1,465 soldiers died including 330 American soldiers and 1,135 British soldiers died. -
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Valley Forge
The six-month encampment of General George Washington's Continental Army was a major turning point in the American Revolution. It was a winter camp where George Washington determination was proved by transforming the weakened Continental Army into a unified, world-class military that was capable of defeating the British. With the help of Friedrich Wilhelm Baron who was a former Prussia military officer, George Washington was successful and determined to win the war. -
Battle of Cowpens
The Battle of Cowpens was another important victory for the patriots. Not only did it boost the morales but gave the British casualties they could not replace and was the beginning of reason of Cornwallis's surrender in Yorktown. The victory was on the northern border of South Carolina that slowed Cornwallis's campaign to invade North Carolina. British deaths were estimated at 600 while Americans only lost 72 soldiers. -
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Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the last major Revolutionary War battle. It also was the first step into a new nation and being independent. This cemented the reputation for Washington for his leadership and he would soon become the first president. The French sent troops in aid of America against the British. America needed a big victory to become an independent country with all 13 colonies, with the victory they were able to become a country. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolution and the fight for independence. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay were the American statesmen who negotiated the treaty with King George III. In this treaty the royal crown would recognize the independence. Britain would also give up most of their land east of the Mississippi River and America would double in size. This would start their movement of western expansion.
