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In 1764 British Legislation passed an act to try to end the British colonies smuggling of sugar and molasses from the Dutch West India Company (because they sold it at a lower price than Britain). It increased taxes on key goods in the colonies. This is one of the reasons for the "No taxation without representation" saying.
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In 1765 the Stamp Act was imposed on the colonies. This meant certain materials like newspapers and legal documents had to have a stamp on them to show the tax for them was paid to Britain.
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12 of the 13 delegates from the British Colonies got together and discussed how the colonies could respond to the British government' actions. They decided to boycott British trade and drew up a petition to the king asking to repeal the Intolerable Acts.
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Boston Port Act - Boston Harbor Closed until all the tea spilled was paid for Massachusetts Government Act - replaced the local council with an appointed council, enhanced the powers of the military governor, abrogated the colony's charter, and forbade town meetings without approval Administration of Justice Act - Britain's accused of crimes in the colonies are tried in England Quartering Act - People in colonies were forced to house British troops.
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The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence (written by Thomas Jefferson) on July 4, 1776, declaring American independence from the British Empire and formally starting the American Revolution.
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General Cornwallis surrendered to French and American forces at Yorktown, with the effect of the British deciding to end the war.
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The Treaty of Paris was signed and recognized the Independence of the American colonies.
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Delegates met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to revise the Articles of Confederation and created a federal system where the state government and national governments shared power.