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John Locke
The Social Contract/ Natural Rights was a theory composed by Locke which stated that every man had natural rights, which were life, liberty, and property. It also claimed that if the government failed to protect these rights, then the people had the right to overthrow the government. -
Spain
Opened up new ideas for knowledge and understanding, which had two perspectives on it; one with finding the ideas new and refreshing, while the other perspective was that it was a dangerous democratic trend. The Spaniards thrived to achieve impossible goals, which was its eventual downfall. -
French and English Enlightenment
The period of rigorous scientific, political and philosophical ideas that characterized European society during the 18th Century. This impacted the American Revolution since they based their independence on the ideas from the Enlightenment. -
Lexington and Concord
The battles of Lexington and Concord started off after a British commander being stationed in Boston, found out about Patriots storing gun powder and ammo. This in turn led to the beginning of the Revolutionary War. -
Second Continental Congress
Second Continental Congress was the governing body of the American colonies, and was founded after the British failed to address the grievances of the first congress, and to organize a continental army to fight. -
George Washington
George Washington was appointed commander in chief of the Contintental Army by the 2nd Continental Congress. He would later go on to win major battles in the American revolution, including the Battle of Yorktown, which was the final battle of the war. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
American forces learned that British troops were planning to take over the hills around Boston in order to gain an advantage. Due to this information, the Americans secretly sneaked troops onto Bunker and Breed's Hill. The outcome was that the Americans lost, but ended up getting a confidence boost after wounding several enemy forces. -
Olive Branch Petition
Final attempt by the colonists to avoid going to war with Britain during the American Revolution. They pledged loyalty to the crown, but King George III rejects the petition and declares the colonies to be in open rebellion, which influences the start of rebellion towards the Revolutionary War. -
Declaration of Independence
A legal document adopted by the 13 colonies, in which the founding fathers wrote reasons on which they are severing themselves from British rule, to show a new theory of government, and a formal declaration of War. -
Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson was one of the founding fathers of the U.S. He went on to sign the Declaration of Independence which separated the colonies from Great Britain. -
Battle of Trenton
After many defeats around New York City, many of George Washington's men's enlistments were due to expire in a year. As a last hope to save his army, Washington devised a plan to stun the British, capture supplies, and reinvigorate American Morale. The plan was to ferry his army across the Delaware River on Christmas night, and strike the Hessian garrison at Trenton. Due to the storm, the attack was delayed until the 26th, and once they arrived, Washington surprised the enemy and captured most. -
Battle of Princeton
An effort handed out by George Washington in order to clear out New Jersey of British troops. The result was a victory for the Continental Army since they drove the British back to New York, and caused many of the American soldiers to gain confidence in the belief that they would be able to win the war. -
Battle of Saratoga
The British planned to seize Upstate New York and isolate New England in an effort to put an end to the Revolution. This ended up being a fail for the British since General Gates took over the army of 9,000 British soldiers. The result was a turning point since this battle caused the French to join sides with the colonies. -
Valley Forge
A 6 month encampment on General George Washington's Continental Army, in which Washington and a former Prussian military officer Friedrich Steuben helped transform the former battered Continental Army into a unified, world-class fighting force. -
France
The Treaty of Alliance was a defensive alliance between France and the U.S. which was formed in the midst of the American Revolution, and promised mutual military support. The Treaty of Amity and Commerce recognized the U.S. as an independent nation and promoted Trade between the French and the Americans -
Battle of Cowpens
Part of the campaign in the Carolinas, in which the American forces tried to conquer South Carolina from the British. The American forces were successful in recapturing South Carolina and serve as a morale boost for them to keep on fighting in order to win the Revolution. -
Battle of Yorktown
A combined force of American and French soldiers laid siege to a British Army at Yorktown. Lead by General George Washington and General Comte de Rochambeau, they captured two British defenses and lead them to surrender days later. This proved to be the final battle of the American Revolution, with the British starting peace negotiations shortly after. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
A treaty signed by representatives of King George III of Great Britain and representatives of the United States of America that ended the American Revolutionary War. The treaty set the boundaries between the British Empire in North America and the United States.