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Proclamation of 1763
King George III issued a royal proclamation that caused a furor amongst the colonists. This Proclamation of 1763 closed lands north and west of the Appalachian Mountains to settlement. The goal of the British was to put a stop to conflicts that had arisen between the Native Americans and the colonists due to the French and Indian War. However, many colonists had purchased land or had been given land grants in that area in exchange for their military service during the war. -
Boston Massacre
An incident in which British army soldiers killed five civilian men. The colonists and British soldiers openly clashed in Boston. This event was used as an example of British cruelty despite questions about how it actually occurred. -
Boston Tea Party
In a dramatic demonstration that the colonists will not submit to Parliament or British monopolies for the sake of cheap tea, a group of Patriots dressed as Mohawk Indians stage the Boston Tea Party after dark. To protest the Tea Act, which enables the East India monopoly to bypass colonial merchants entirely, the Patriots raid a British ship in Boston Harbor and throw 342 chests of tea overboard. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
In April, British troops were ordered to Lexington and Concord to seize stores of colonial gunpowder and to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock. At Lexington, open conflict occurred and eight Americans were killed. At Concord, the British troops were forced to retreat with the loss of 70 men. This was the first instance of open warfare. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress convenes at Philadelphia. The British now control Boston and the Massachusetts militia are laying siege to the town. The Congress has no choice but to assume the role of a revolutionary government, though it has no resources. -
Bunker Hill
On the same day that George Washington is commissioned, British and American forces engage in the first major conflict of the Revolutionary War. The battle is declared a British victory, but it is a devastating one: General Howe's forces suffer over 1,000 casualties before gaining the high ground. The colonials lose about 400 men. This major victory for the Colonists resulted in George III proclaiming the colonies in rebellion. -
Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense
Thirty-nine-year-old Thomas Paine publishes his radical pamphlet, Common Sense, advocating independence for America and an immediate end to all ties with Britain. The pamphlet sells thousands of copies in its first days of publication, emerging just as colonists learn of King George III's speech declaring the American Colonies to be in rebellion against the Crown. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress, states the reasons the British colonies of North America sought independence in July of 1776. -
Battle of Saratoga
Americans are victorious at the battle of Saratoga in New York state; British General John Burgoyne surrenders to American General Horatio Gates. This is a serious reversal for the British forces. Although Burgoyne himself is allowed to return home, his 5,700 soldiers are imprisoned in Virginia. Word of this victory leads to the alliance with the French, which proves critical towards winning the Revolution. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Revolutionary War. England recognizes the United States as a free and independent country. The two nations resolve the territorial boundaries in the Great Lakes region. The U.S. Congress agrees to recommend the restitution of property to rightful owners. The United States also pledges to prevent any future property confiscation. Both countries are granted access to the Mississippi River.
