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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (known as the Seven Years' War by Europeans) was fought between France and Britain over trade routes and colonies. Britain emerged victorious and claimed all lands east of the Mississippi River except for New Orleans (Notes). -
Proclamation of 1763
This prevented colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains in an attempt to reduce conflicts with Native Americans. However, most colonists simply ignored the proclamation altogether, causing Britain to pay for an army in the colonies to protect them from Native American attacks (Notes). -
Sugar Act
This was the first act passed by Parliament onto the colonies that was designed to raise money from colonists by increasing taxes on sugar and molasses (Notes). -
Stamp Act
This taxed many printed products such as almanacs, newspapers, and playing cards by forcing colonists to put a government stamp on them. All legal documents such as licenses, contracts, and insurance papers were also affected by this act (Notes). -
Quartering Act
This act forced colonists to house British soldiers that were stationed in America, as well as provide them with supplies (Notes). -
Townshend Acts
These acts created a tax on paper, glass, tea, lead, and paint that was imported from Britain, which angered the colonists. These acts also caused writs of assistance to return, which allowed British customs officers to search any home in the colonies for any reason (Notes). -
Boston Massacre
An angry mob had formed in Boston, and a British officer called soldiers to help. After this, the British soldiers fired multiple shots into the crowd, killing several people (Notes). -
Tea Act
This act monopolized tea for the British East India Company, which allowed them to sell colonists tea for low prices (although it was still taxed by Britain). The colonists' hatred of this act led to the Boston Tea Party in the December of 1773 (Notes). -
Boston Tea Party
In protest of taxes on tea, colonists dressed up as Indians and raided British ships. Colonists threw the tea into the Boston Harbor (Notes). -
Coercive Acts
These acts (called the Intolerable Acts by colonists) put Massachusetts under the control of a military governor, closed the Boston Harbour, and also increased the Canadian border (Notes). -
First Continental Congress
At this meeting, 12 out of the 13 colonies were present (Georgia wasn't represented) and they concluded that colonists should continue their boycott of British goods and prepare colonial militias for violence. They also sent a list of 10 resolutions to King George III, which he denied (Notes). -
Shot Heard Around the World
This shot, fired by the colonists at the Battle of Lexington and Concord, started the Revolutionary War. However, to this day no one is exactly sure who fired the shot that sparked the American Revolution (Notes). -
Second Continental Congress
At the Second Continental Congress, 12 of the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia. They decided not to declare independence from Great Britain although they did begin plans to fund a Continental Army and also made a final bid for peace in the Olive Branch Petition, which King George III rejected (Notes). -
Common Sense
This pamphlet, written by Thomas Paine, condemned the monarchy and made a logical argument for American independence. Paine's argument won many colonists to the cause for independence (Notes). -
Declaration of Independence
This document (written mainly by Thomas Jefferson) summarized the principles the American Revolution was based on. It included many of the beliefs of John Locke and other Enlightenment philosophers and included topics like 'natural rights' and the social contract theory (Notes).