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Proclamation of 1763
King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763 that said no one can settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. Since the Document wasn't very enforced, the colonists ignored the Proclamation and moved west of the Appalachian Mountains, violating the Proclamations line. -
Sugar Act
This Act tried to stop Colonists from smuggling foreign-made molasses by halving the taxes. Although it was a great attempt, the Colonists could care less and still smuggled the molasses into the colonies anyway. -
Stamp Act
This Act infuriated the Colonists because for every legal document, license, newspaper, pamphlet, and almanac, they had to purchase a special stamped paper. They even went as far as to impose special "stamp duties" on packages of playing cards and dice. Eventually the Colonists were fed up and a group called the Sons of Liberty, founded by Samuel Adams, harassed customs workers, stamp agents, and sometimes royal governors. -
Repeal of Stamp Act
The Parliament couldn't bear the harassment of the Colonists any longer and on March 1766, they repealed the Stamp Act. Although they repealed the Stamp Act, they could not let the Colonists go out easy, so on the same day, they issued the Declaratory Act which clearly stated the power that the Parliament had. -
Boston Massacre
This event was just colonial propaganda. Mobs taunted the British guards and thus the guards had to defend resulting in only five Colonists killed. Samuel Adams and other colonial activists labeled this confrontation the Boston Massacre, making it seem the British attacked the defenseless citizens. Although many people agreed with the activists, John Adams, an outspoken supporter of Independence, saw truth from the event and defends British Soldiers in court. -
Boston Tea Party
This event was triggered by the Tea Act. The Tea Act, passed by the Parliament, was made to help and raise revenue for English Tea Companies. The British East India Co. was saved due to this act. Obviously the colonists did not like this because all they drink is tea, so they revolted. "Indians" who were actually colonists, dumped 343 crates of tea into the Boston Harbor which is equivalent to $18,000 worth of tea. Later on, this scene will be named the "Boston Tea Party". -
Intolerable Acts
Because of the Boston Tea Party incident, the Parliament hit the colonists back with the Intolerable Acts. These Acts made the Boston Harbor off limits to anyone, passed on the Quartering Act, soldiers can live temporarily in an individual's home, made Thomas Gage who was a general, the new governor of Mass., and planted Boston in military ruling. The Colonies' reaction was sour. They immediately formed the very first Continental Congress and later contacted 56 delegates to meet in Philadelphia. -
Lexington & Concord
This event is where the phrase, "The Shot head around the World" came from. A British general, Thomas Gage, decided to move troops to Concord and take all the supplied weapons from the revolution. During the march of the British troops, a man name Paul revere saw this and notified everyone in the countryside. Many British soldiers died that day ranging from 700-1000 soldiers. -
Battle of Bunker
One of the most important fight between the British and the Colonists was at Breed's Hill. A man named Putnam led the colonial troops to defend the hill, while the British were coming from downhill with 1500 soldiers attacking in 3 assaults. Through hard fought assaults, the Americans eventually lose out due to ammunition loss and resulting in losing the hill. Though the Americans might have lost, they injured a significant amount of red coats and had a tremendous moral boost. -
Common Sense
The Common Sense was a 47 page pamphlet that was written by Thomas Pain and listed outrages against the King. This pamphlet was very influential because it made more colonists agree and take sides with freedom from England.
