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Works Cited
Countryman, Edward. "American Revolution." Encyclopedia of Western Colonialism since 1450. Ed. Thomas Benjamin. Vol. 1. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2007. 41-44. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 May 2013.
Lustig, Mary Lou. "Colonial Society." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 2. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 290-293. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 27 May 2013.
Kennedy, David, Lizabeth Cohen and Thomas Bailey. The American Pageant: A -
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North American Colonial Society and Revolution
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Population
The colonies' population reaches 475,000 people, with Boston the largest city, following Philadelphia, and then New York. -
Baltimore
Baltimore is founded by Lord Baltimore in the Maryland colony. -
First public library
America's first public library is founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Benjamin Franklin. -
Georgia
Georgia is founded and known for being the colony for people in debt. -
Poor Richard's Almanac
Benjamin Franklin began publishing Poor Richard's Almanac which included weather updates, humor, proverbs and epigrams. -
Molasses Act passsed by English Parliament
The Molasses Act was one of the first taxes that caused issues with the colonists. It put heavy taxes on molasses, sugar, and rum imported from the Caribbean Islands to protect England from French competition. -
The Great Awakening Begins
Beginning in 1735 and ending in 1745, the Great Awakening was a series of religious revivals due to a decline in church membership and participation. The Great Awakening helped people get more involved with church and put people back into the hand of God. -
Iron Act passed by Englis Parliament
The Iron Act, passed in 1750, limited the growth of the iron industry in the colonies in order to protect the British iron industry. Like all the other taxes, the Iron Act placed a heavy tax on iron. -
French and Indian War begins
The French and Indian War, also know as the Seven Years War, began in 1754 over land disputes in the Ohio River Valley.In 1763, The French and Indian War ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Stated in the treaty, France gave England all land west of the Mississipi River, except for New Orleans. The Spanish were forced to give up east and west Floridea to the English, and in return, received Cuba. -
Proclamation of 1763 is signed by King George III
Signed by King George III in 1763, the Proclamation on 1763 prohibited English settlement west of the Appalachian mountains. Also, in attempt to decrease tensions with Native Americans, any colonist who settled west of the Appalachians was forced to move back east. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act increased the tax revenue in the colonies on sugars imported from the West Indies. After colonist's protested the tax, Great Britain lowered the tax, but colonist's were still agitated by the tax. -
The Currency Act passed by English Parliament
The currency Act restricted the colonists from distributing any legal paper money. This act threatened the economy in the industry-based North and the agriculture-based South. This act specifically pulled the colonists together to protest the act. -
Stamp Act passed by English Parliament
The Stamp Act placed a tax on all documents including: newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, almanacs, dice, and playing cards. The act angered many people, especially publishers, lawyers, ship builders, and merchants becasue they had to pay more for their items to be approved by the English. -
Mutiny Act
The Mutiny Act was passed in an effort to improve the strength of the British Army in the colonies and it also included a provision to quarter troops in private homes. -
The Sons of Liberty is formed
The Sons of Liberty, a secret colonist organiztion that opposed the Stamp Act formed in several colonial towns. Members of the Sons of Liberty used violence to force British stamp imposers to quit and make other colonists prohibit British goods. -
The Stamp Act is repealed by King George III
After much debate in the English Parliament, King George III signed a bill that repealed the Stamp Act. Benjamin Franklin, who appeared in front of Parliament, warned Britain of a possible revolution in the colonies if the Stamp Act continued to be enforced. -
The Declaratory Act is passed
The Declaratory Act stated that British Parliament had complete power to legislate and enforce any laws that controlled the North American colonies. -
English Parliament passed the Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts put a tax on paper, tea, glass, lead, and paints. Also, it established a board of colonial commissioners in Boston, Massachusetts. -
Boston colonists boycott English imports
After the Townshend Acts in June 1767, Boston colonists boycotted English items and imports, again. -
The colonies population
By 1770, the American colonies reached a population high of 2,210,000 people. -
Boston Massacre
On March 5th, 1770, 60 colonists attacks about 10 redcoats, and as the outcome, about 11 "innocent" colonists were killed or wounded, including Crispus Attucks. -
Townshend Acts repealed
Like the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts were repealed in April, 1770. All the taxes were repealed except for the tax on tea. -
Quartering Act is not renewed
Just days after the Townshend Acts were repealed, the Quartering Act was not renewed by English Parliament. -
Boston Massacre trials begin
Seven months after the Boston Massacre, trials for the British soldiers began. Colonial lawyars, John Adams, and Josiah Quincy defended the British soldiers involved in the massacre, and only two soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter. Both men were branded on the hand, and ten released. -
Tea Act is passed
Even though the Tea Act had been in place for 6 years, the Tea Act continued to tax the colonists. It also helped the Birtish East India Company by allowing it to sell to the colonists, avoiding the middleman. -
Boston Tea Party
On the night of December 16.1773, about 8,000 Bostonians dressed up as Mohawk Indians and dumped 342 chests of tea into tthe Boston Harbor. -
Series of Coercive Acts are passed
In response to the Boston Tea Party, the first part of the Coercive Acts, or the Intolerable Acts, was passed to control te Boston rebellion. The Boston Port Bill shut down the Boston harbor until Massachussets paid the East India Company for all the tea lost. -
Massachussetts Regulating Act
The next part of the Coercive Acts, the Massachussetts Regulating Act ended any political self-rule that resided in Boston. English Parliament took over all political power tat the colonists formerly had. -
Administration of Justice Act
The Administration of Justice Act protected any and all English officials from being sued in colonial courts. -
Quartering Act is passed
Unlike the Mutiny Act, the Quartering Act allowed British soldiers to use colonists' homes, and when this act was passed, it expanded to all of the colonies. -
The Quebec Act passed
The Quebec Act established a centralized government in Canada that was controlled by English Parliament. The Quebec Act upset the colonists because it expanded the Canadian border to the south into Boston, Connecticut, and Virginia. -
First Continental Congress meets
From September 5th, 1774 to October 26th, 1774, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelpia, Pennsylvania. 56 delegates were present and every colony except for Georgia was represented. Patrick Henry, George Washinton, Sam Adams, and John Hancock were all in attendance. -
Preparation for state of war begins
In Cambridge, Massacussetts, John Hancock and Joseph Warren begin to enter war with Great Britain. Eight days later, Parliament declared the state of Massachussetts to be in the state of rebellion. -
Patrick Henry's speech
On March 30th, 1775, Patrick Henry gave a speech the proved the discontent with British rule, in which he said the famous quote, "Give me liberty or give me death!" -
New England Restraining Act is enforced
Enforced by King George III, the New England Restraining Act forced the colonies to trade with England only and banned fishing at North Atlantic ports. -
Lexington and Concord
The first shots of the American Revolution are fired at Lexington. After the British attacked the colonists, British soldiers, or redcoats, began a long retreat back to Concord, while suffereing almost 300 total casualties. The first shots of the war were considered the "shot heard 'round the world" and the news of the battle spread through the colonies like an uncontained wildfire. -
Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia
The month after the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, where all thirteen colonies were represented. Upon meeting, there was still no set decision as to what should happen next, but the one thing they did decide was to keep fighting in hope that King George III and Parliament would address their grievances. -
The capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Colonists led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold caputred Fort Ticonderoga in New York. The fort was crucial for the colonists becasuse it was home to the supply of military equipment, including powerful cannons. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
In June 1775, when the British launched a frontal attack on the colonists, the British had fought until the colonists ran out of ammunition and were forced to retreat. "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes." -William Prescott -
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" is published
"Common Sense" was an influential pamphlet that pushed for the independence of America. The pamphlet reached out to the common man, who made up a large majority of the colonist's population. -
The colonies earn the support of France
After hoping for foreign support, King Louis XVI of France gave one million dollars worth of arms and weaponry. After France provided support, Spain later pledged support for the colonies. -
Congress appoints a committee to draft a declaration of independence
In order to declare independence from Britain, Congress apponited a committee that consisted of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Livingston and Roger Sherman. Seventeen days later, the first draft of of the declaration is presented in front of Congress. On July 4th, 1776, the declaration is ready to be signed. -
Declaration of Independence Signed
The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates from the Second Continental Congress. The Declaration included 27 grievances, or complaints, to English Parliament that formally addressed the independence of the colonies from Britain. -
San Francisco
San Francisco is founded by Spanish missionaries on the California coast. -
Newport, Rhode Island
The American naval base at Newport, Rhode Island is captured by British forces. -
Washington crosses the Delaware River
On Christmas morning, George Washington and 2,400 men crossed te Delaware River to carry out a surprise attack on the British-Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey. This victory boosts the hopes of American Patriots. -
Marquis de Lafayette
Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French aristocrat, arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to offer his services in the war without pay. With that, Congress appointed him as a head general in the Continental Army. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the war for the Americans. Benedict Arnold defeated General Burgoyne causing more than 600 British casualties and only 150 American casualties. The other factor of this battle was that France finally recognized America as an independent nation. -
Adoption of the Articles of Confederation
The Articales of Confederation was adopted by the government of the United States as the first constitution. Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was labeled the authority of the national government. -
Battle of Yorktown
When Yorktown is about to be captured by American forces, General Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington at Yorktown. -
Abolition
On July 8th, 1783, te Supreme Court abolished slavery in Massachussetts. -
Treaty of Paris of 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 officially ended the American Revolution. Signed by the United States and Great Britain, Congress ratified the treaty of January 14th, 1784. -
Abolition
In Virginia, the House of Burgesses granted freedom to any slave that served for America in the Continental Army.
