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End of the 7 Years War
The Seven Year's war was a war fought by the British empire and other European empires. This war drained England's treasury, leading them to increase taxes on the colonies. The colonies were unable to pay with gold and silver, and increased the momentum on which they declared their independence from the British Empire. -
Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian wars, the British Empire attempted to maintain control over the autonomous new colonies. This proclamation made it illegal for the colonists to expand westward, which also began to outrage colonists, pushing forth the momentum in which colonists declared their independence from England. -
Sugar Act
The sugar act was placed by Britain in order to extinguish trade that the colonies had with other countries. The colonies had been trafficking sugar and molasses because of Britain's high tax prices. Due to the 7 year wars, Britain needed to replenish it's funds, so by cracking down on colonial trade, the empire would gain revenue. This deeply angered the colonists, perpetuating rebellions and a revolution. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act declared from England required colonists to have an official stamp on paperwork to officially prove that the individual had payed their taxes. This was one of the most important factors that lead to the American revolution. After the act was imposed, colonists touched the houses of those who officially distributed stamps. -
Boston Massacre
A group of British soldiers came to Boston with the cause to maintain order amongst the colonists. The crowd of colonists were shouting, and throwing snowballs at the soldiers, to which they responded by firing shots into the crowd, killing 3 people. This opened the eyes of British sympathizer colonists and neutral colonists. This event helped them switch over to the patriotic cause. -
Boston Tea Party
In response to the high taxes, Sugar and Stamp Acts, and the Boston Massacre, the colonists dressed up as Native Americans, raiding, looting, and throwing all British goods off their ships. This event lead to the British responding by closing their port, forcing the colonists to start a revolution. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was a response to the Boston Tea Party, and was declared in order to maintain power of the American colonies. The Boston Harbor was closed until the colonists paid the amount of money lost in the Boston Tea party. This was one of the "last straws" the colonist endured, propelling them into a revolution. -
First Continental Congress
In response to then abuse of power shown by the British government through the Intolerable Acts, colonial delegates met for the first time and discussed the freedoms they believed the colonists should have. This was known as the First Continental Congress, and was an extremely important event that influenced the way the Constitution was later written. -
Beginning of Revolutionary War
The prerequisites to the American Revolution included local militias believing in a patriotic cause. However, people dedicated to the cause increased rapidly, leading to a Continental Army. The American Revolution was probably the most important event that lead to to the draft of the Constitution because colonists were able to identify and die for the freedoms they believed they deserved. These ideologies were later transcribed onto paper. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
This event is considered the battle that set off the American Revolution. The British army met American militia in Lexington, with no intention of actually battling, a shot was set off, a shot that began the revolution. The colonial militia retreated to Concord where British soldiers discovered the militia was rapidly growing. This event not only began the American revolution, but also increased the amount of colonists that were willing to die for the patriotic cause. -
Bunker Hill
Bunker Hill battle was fought right outside of Boston. At the end of the battle, the British had far more injuries and casualties that the Americans did. This event was important because it showed the British that the revolution was not going to be easily won as they had previously thought. This also increased the confidence for the colonists in the patriotic cause -
Trenton
The battle of Trenton was a pivotal point in the American revolution. The British army had insufficient armies to fight the American revolution, which resulted in a victory for the colonists. It also showed that the colonists could fight a European style battle, which help the colonies get France on their defense. It victory also increase the strong beliefs in the patriotic cause. -
Common Sense published by Thomas Paine
The Common Sense pamphlets were a series of articles written about morality and the patriotic cause. Since literacy rates were high in the colonies, this pamphlet helped swayed majority of colonists toward the patriotic cause, increasing the amount of people getting involved in the Revolution. The ideologies depicted in the pamphlets helped articulate the American moral standards, which later ideologies can be depicted throughout the Constitution. -
Declaration of Independence
As Britain increased it's royal army and navy, word spread to the colonists. The common sense pamphlets sold rapidly spreading the ideology that independence is a fundamental right. This lead to the draft of the Declaration of Independence, which reflected these ideologies. Believing in human fundamental human rights and American independence was depicted and self evident when the later Constitution was written. -
Saratoga
In the battle of Saratoga, over 5,000 British troops surrendered to the Colonists. This event made it clear that the Colonists had the "upper hand" in the revolution and proved the American morality true. -
British soldiers occupy Philadelphia
British soldiers occupied Philadelphia for about a year, this lead patriots to flee, and the revolution to continue. The British troops however did not gain anything while occupying and later abandoned the cause. This event proved that the willingness for Britain to fight in the revolution was loosing momentum, this also helped change the place in which Americans identified as the capitol. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was the first constitution of the 13 American colonies. This constitution lead to the draft of the later United States Constitution that replaced the old one. -
Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and Treaty of Alliance
As the American Revolution continued, it became self evident that the patriotic cause would need for foreign aid. These treaties allied France with the colonies, providing necessities, and changing the direction of the war. -
Articles of Confederation ratified
When the Articles of Confederation were ratified by the 13 colonies, it showed the dedication toward the cause of being independent from Britain. This was an important event because the were a self evident proof of the American ideologies that were later drafted into the Constitution. -
End of Yorktown Battle
This battle was fought by the French and Americans against British troops. At the end of this battle the British surrendered, the following year peace negotiations began. This proved that the Patriotic cause was justified, resulting in independence, self government, and the draft of the later Constitution. -
Treaty of Paris
This document officially ended the American Revolution, resulting in the independence of the colonists. Peace negotiations began, and the ideologies fought during the revolution proved to be morally true for Americans, being later drafted into the Constitution. -
Annapolis Convention
This event took place in Maryland, people rallied over the Articles of Confederation, believing that they were inadequate. This lead to the draft of the United States Constitution. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's rebellion was mainly fought by American farmers as a response to the American tax collections. This alarmed politicians and pushes forth the revision of the Articles of Confederation. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention was an event in which delegates of the colonies met and discussed, revised the Articles of Confederation into the Constitution. -
Signing of Constitution
The signing of the Constitutions was an important event in which important political figures sign the revised Constitution. This made the document official, and reflected the American ideologies. -
Bill of Rights ratified
The bill of rights was ratified by all 13 states, putting them into affect. This bill reflected enlightenment ideologies which still hold true in the United States today.
