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Treaty of Paris
This treaty ended the seven years war. This treaty changed the balence of power in North America. -
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Revolution dates
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Stamp Act
This act required colonists to pay for an official stamp, or seal, when they bought paper items. The tax had to be paid on legal documents, license, newspaper, pamphlets, and even playing cards. This act lead to protesting. Men even created a secret society called the sons of Liberty. After some time, Parliament repealed the Stamp act, but passed the Declatory Act, feeling the colonists had challenged their aurthority. This act stripped away much of the colonists independence. -
Townshend Act
This act passed taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.These allowed tax collectors to search for smuggles goods. The colonists hated these new laws because they took power away from colonial government. The colonists responded to this by boycotting, and even woman called themselves the daughters of liberties. -
Boston Massacre
At this time the British troops were positined in Boston. The tension between the troops and the colonist was great. Then, on March 5, 1770, a soldier and a colonist were arguing and then the soldier struck the colonist. People came running to the scene. The colonists were throwing names and snowballs, and testing the troops to fire their weapons. Then, a soldier shot into the crowd, killing 3 men, and 2 died a few days later. The colonist called the shooting, the Boston Massacre. -
Tea Act
This act allowed the British East India Company to sell directly to the colonists. The company went to the Parliament and asked them, if they could sell all of their extra tea directly to the colonists because it would make tea cheaper , and hopefully have less smuggling of tea. Colonists and smugglers were afraid of loosing business, so this act lead to the Boston Massacre. -
Boston Tea Party
In December, colonists disguised themselves as Indians and sneaked upon three ships filled with tea on the Boast Harbor. On the ships, the colonists dumped three hundred and forty chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. People said, " Boston harbor is a teapot tonight." -
Intolerable Act
The act was passed sometime in the spring of 1774. This act included the closing of the Boston harbor, Massachusetts charter was canceled. Royal officers accused of crimes were sent to Britian for Trial. A new Quarting Act required colonists to house and feed British soldiers, and the Quebec Act gave a large amount of land to the colony of Quebec. -
First Continental Congress
It was gathering of colonial leaders who were troubled about the relationship between the colonies and Britian. Colonists met at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia and remained there
in a strong debate for weeks. They encouraged the colonistes to keep boycotting Britsh goods and then they drafted the Declaration of Rights. -
The Declaration of Rights
The Declaration of Rights was a list of ten resolutions that were to be presented to King George the III. These rights included the colonists rights to Life, Liberty, and property. The goal for this was to state the colonists concerns and ask the king to correct them. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The British arrived at Lexington near concored where minutemen waited for them. This battle ended with in minutes, with only 8 minutemen dead and 10 wounded. The British then moved foreward to Concord. However, when they got there, most of the weapons were already hidden by the time they got there. So, they British set fire to a few buildings. The British had to retreat back to Boston, loosing many casualties due to the minutemen. -
Second Continental Congress
King George refused to address the conerns listed in the Declarations of Rights. So 12 colonists met in Philadelphia for te Second Continental Congress. Some called for war, while others called for peace. So they compromised. They sent word to colonial authourities asking for new state constitutions and they created the Continantal Army. The army was lead by George Washington. As the Washington prepared for war, the delagates signed the Olive Branch Petition. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Patriots were low on supplies. So one night the Partiots had dug in at Breeds Hill. Then the British saw that they had to fight uphill. They went and many of them died, making the first two attempts up the hill. At the third try they climbed the hill and the Patriots had to retreat due to not having enough ammunition. Thsi battle is known as the Battle of Bunker Hill. The British won, but loosing double the number of troops than the Americans lost. -
Olive Branch Petition
This petition was made as a last hope to restore freedom. However, King George refused to even read it. He looked for ways to punish the colonies. -
Common Sense
Common sense was written by Thomas Paine. It was a 47 page pamphlet that was distributed throughout Philadelphia. This pamphlet argued that citizens should make their own law and not the kings and queens. Colonists were changing their views of their kings. It also made a strong case for economic freedom and right to military self defense. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, that stated the colonies break from Great Britian. This document argued about Life, liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. It also stated how King George passed unfair laws and taxes, and that The colonies had the right to break away form Great Britian. However, this document did not state anything about woman, or the African and Native Americans. -
Battle at Trenton
On Christmas night Washington and his men silently rowed across the Delaware river. The next morning, while the Hessions were still sleeping after celebrating the night before, the Americans sprang upon them. This battle was important becasue Washington took a big chance by going on the offensive and he took more than 900 prisioners. -
Battle of Saratogo
British General John Burgoyne wanted to go through New York and cut off New England from the other colonies.He thought that General Howe was going to be in New York, but he was not after Burgoyne captured Fort Ticonderoga. The Burgoyne bogged down in thick forests when the Patriots surprise attacked them. Burgoyne surrendered to General Horatio Gates. This battle was the turning point in the Revolutionary war. -
Valley Forge
- The Continental Army stayed there till June 19, 1778. Washington and his troops were low on supplies and so they settled at Valley Forge. The suffered through the deathly winters of 1777-1778, with many soldiers dieing of disease and malnutrition, and the fact of being cold. The survivors stayed and drilled and marched unders orders of Baron Von Stuebon to make them better soldiers.
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Battle of Yorktown
The war was going badly for the Patriots. During this time as well, the Patriots began harassing British general Cornwallis in the Carolinas. Hoping he would stay in communication with the British navel fleet, Cornwallis moved his force of 7,200 men to Yorktown. It was there that Washington surrounded Cornwallis with men on land and the French took control of the Chesapeake Bay. They fought for weeks, but the British finally surrendered. The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle. -
Treaty of Paris
they signed the treaty on this day after more than two years to come to a peace agreenment. On this day, Great Britian recognized the independance of the United States of America.
