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The French and Indian War
The war lasting seven years between the British and the French. It was named thus because it concerned the Iriquois Indian tribes, who were allied with the French, and the British, who fought using the colonies. Fought primarily in the New France area, specifically for the Ohio river valley lands. General Geroge Washington lead the initial attack that started the war under General Braddock's orders. It ended with the victory of the British, the expelling of the French from the USA, -
The Proclamation Line of 1763
King George III created this fictional line after acquiring the land beyond the Appalachian lands from the French after the 7 years war. It forbade the citizens of the colonies from settling West of it. It was made to keep the empire organized and to keep the conflict with the Natie Americans to a minimum. -
The Sugar Act
This was a revenue-raising act passed by the Parliament of Great Britain. It was a indirect tax on the colonists. They felt angered by it because it strained their economy and was passed without their say in it; Basically "taxation without representation." -
The Stamp Act
A direct tax imposed on the colonies by Britain. It required many printed documents to be printed on embossed paper produced in London. The Americans had to pay it with British, not colonial paper, money. It was created to help pay for the troops stationed in America during the 7 Years War. -
The Quartering Act
These were two acts passed by hte British parliament on the colonists. It stated that they had to provide any needed shelter or accomodations to the British soldiers and to provide food for any in the nearby area. This caused anger between England and the American colonies because of no representation in Parliament and that they could not afford to support the soldiers and their own family. It was originally made to amend some of the issues that were experianced during the seven years war. -
The Stamp Act Congress
A meeting held between the elected British colony representatives held in New York against Parliament. IT was held after the Stamp act was passed, and the Americans were very upset and were trying to find a solution. -
The Declaratory Act
The stamp act was repealed by Pariliament in response to the damage done to the British economy by the boycotts of the colonists. It said that Parliament had as much athority over the Americas as it did oer Britain, and it had all rights to enforce or repeal laws. It was made to control them. -
The Townshend Acts
A series of five acts that Parliament passed: the Revenue Act of 1767, the Indemnity Act, the Commissioners of Customs Act, the Vice Admiralty Court Act, and the New York Restraining Act. They were made to raise the revenue of the colonies and to help pay the governors and representatives from England. -
The Boston Massacre
An event where the British soldiers opened fire on the colonies and killed five civilian men and injured six others in Boston. A group of British soldiers were verbally and physically harassed by the colonists, and they shot into the crowd without orders. An example of the extreme tension between the Americans and the English. -
The Gaspee Incident
The British officers who were in charge of the Customs Laws in the colonies were becoming aggressive, and the Sons of Liberty weren’t happy with it. On June 9,1772, about sixty men from Rhode Island attacked and destroyed the royal ship Gaspee. -
The Tea Act
The main reason this was passed in 1773 was to reduce the surplus of tea in the London Company warehouses, and also to reduce the amount of tea smuggled into the Americas.This event led to the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
December 16,1773, colonists in Boston dumped 3 ships worth of taxed tea into Boston Harbor because the British East India Company refused to return them to England. -
First Continental Congress
Representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss matters of England, and to write a list of grievances to send to the King. -
Intolerable Acts
A series of laws including the Quartering and Quebec Acts passed in 1774 by Britain to restrict self-government and historical rights. This made the colonists very unhappy with the British. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
British military attacked the towns of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts looking for Rebel weapons stores. It was the first battle of the war for independence. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Occured June 17, 1775 on Breed’s Hill, Bunker Hill was an adjacent hill and was the objective for both sides. The colonists heard the British were going to occupy the hills outside of Boston, so they set up new lines along the Charlestown Peninsula and put 1,200 troops on Bunker and Breed’s HIll. When the British found out where they were, they attacked. -
Patrick Henry’s Speech
The speech that Patrick Henry gave in order to coerce volunteers to join and create a colonial mitia to fight against the British. A famous line, "Give me liberty or give me death," was part of it. Helped convince the Americans to raise arms and fight for their much-wanted freedom. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775-76 describing the need for immediate independence from Britain. It also showed advantages for independence, making many people want to fight for their freedom. -
Declaration of Independence
Statement written on July 4, 1776 by the Continental Congress saying that the colonies considered themselves to be independent and no longer part of Britain.Thomas Jefferson composed the original draft.
