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French and Indian War
The French & Indian war was a war fought between the French and the British. The British won the war. They gained lots of land but spent a load of money on the war. They increased the taxes on the colonists which upset the and ultimately led to the American Revolution. -
Treaty of 1763
The Treaty of 1763, also known as the Treaty of Paris ended the French & Indian war. The treaty surrendered all of France's land in mainland North America. This means all of the land east of the Mississippi river other than New Orleans was now British territory. This also includes islands like the West Indian islands of Grenada, Saint Vincent, as well as Tobago. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George lll. The document stated that there was to be no settlement westward of a line drawn across the Appalachian mountains. This was put into place after a Native American revolt. So, basically, all of the land the colonists had just fought for was just handed over, and this definitely did sit well with them. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament. It imposed a direct tax on all paper documents. Ranging from newspapers to legal documents. Colonial opposition led the the repeal in 1766. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was when the British troops opened fire onto a mob of colonists. Several people were shot and killed, while others were only injured. This event was heavily publicized and led to a lot of the colonists joining the patriots. -
Committees Of Correspondence
In 1773 the colonies began to write to each other. This was very important because as tension between the colonies and Britain rose they needed a way of keeping in touch with each other. Each colony appointed a standing committee for intercolonial correspondence. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest held by the Sons of Liberty. Britain decided to start taxing the tea, which angered the colonists. The Sons of Liberty decided to dump all of the tea in the harbor into the water. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were put in place by the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. The laws were meant to punish the colonists for their defiance. There were 5 laws put into motion, spanning from mandatory sleeping quarters and food for British soldiers, to no meetings between the colonists allowed. -
Lexington & Concord
Lexington & Concord were two separate battles. However they were the first military engagements between the colonists and the British. In these battles, 73 people were killed, 174 wounded, and 53 went missing. -
Bunker Hill
The battle of Bunker Hill was a fight we lost. We were outnumbered and outgunned. However we didn't go down without a fight, we surprised the British and took down a good many of them before our forces were overrun. The famous quote that came from this battle was "Don't shoot before you see the white in their eyes." -
Publication of Common Sense
This was a pamphlet written by Thomas Pain to encourage common people in the colonies to join the fight against the British. It advocated independence from Britain to the people in the colonies. He marshaled people in the colonies to fight for a new government. -
Declaration of Independence
Delegates from all 13 colonies got together and wrote a Declaration of Independence. This declaration stated that the colonies were no longer under British control, and that they were their own country. The document also stated 3 important ideas, all men are created equal, everyone is born with certain rights, & Liberty and pursuit of happiness. -
Valley Forge
Valley Forge was the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental army. The army was led by George Washington. After many defeats however, many men began to question if he was really the one best suited to lead the army. They began to believe he was incompetent. -
Saratoga
The battle of Saratoga was the climax of the Saratoga campaign. Giving a decisive victory to the Americans over the British in the revolutionary war. It included two battles fought across 18 days. This was a huge win for the Americas as well as a turning point in the war. -
Cowpens
Daniel Morgan was in charge of the army that marched on Cowpens. This was the most decisive victory for the Americans as it boosted patriot morale. It was also huge because British officers that could not be replaced were killed as well. This battle was so important, that it ultimately led to the surrender in Yorktown. -
Yorktown
George Washington led an army of 17,000 to Yorktown. Cornwallis laid in wait with 9,000 soldiers of his own. They were doomed from the start but they fought in hopes of reinforcements arriving in time, little did they know there was noone left to help them. After just short of a month of fighting Cornwallis surrendered ending the Revolutionary war. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 was signed by both U.S. and British representatives. This officially ended the war. The British officially recognized the colonies as The United States of America, or their own country. This also granted the Americas significant western territories.
