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The stamp act
Prime minister George Grenville passed this law in order to finance debts from the French and Indian war. It required for colonists to be taxed when purchasing any stamped paper. -
Patrick henry
Wanted American independence, he is best known for his speech ending with, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" He was an outspoken critic of the Stamp Act and introduced seven resolutions against it. Made other people fight for their rights. -
The stamp act protest
A group called sons of liberty protested to prevent the stamp act to be effective. They harrassed custom workers,royal governors and stamp agents and also they made resolutions happen. Where only the virginia assembly could tax virginians and as a result the stamp act was repealed. -
The townshed act
A new method of gaining revenue after repealing the stamp act. This were inderect taxes on glass,lead, paint, and paper. Colonies resisted, Samuel Adams called for another boycott. -
The boston massacre
Fight between colonists and poorly paid soldiers that broke out over jobs. Samuel Adams described it as a British attack on defenseless citizens. -
King George's trial
Colonists from Rhode island row out to the schooner and attack it , Then burn the ship. A reward is offered by King George for the capture of those colonists, who would then be sent to England for trial. -
The Tea act rebellion
After the British East India Company tried to save itself from bankruptcy and pass the Tea act. It filled bostonians with rage and made a plan to disguise themselves as native americans and dump tea into the waters of Boston Harbor. -
The intorable acts and the First continental congress
An angry English Parliament passes the first of a series of intorablle acts in response to the rebellion in Massachusetts. Effectively shutting down all commercial shipping in Boston harbor until Massachusetts pays the taxes owed on the tea dumped in the harbor. In september the 1st continental congress was made to defend the colonie's right. -
Lexington and concord
General Gage orders his troops to march to Concord and seize colonial weapons. The colonial minutemen were aware and rumors spread that the british were coming. Then minutemen intercepted the British and go in battle, first in lexington and then Concord. -
A Glorious Day For America
By morning british troops had reachef Lexington. The battle started the colonial troops were mostly injured and only 1 british troop was injured. Then the british left lexington and marched to Concord where the colony minutemen attacked from behind. -
Battle Of Bunker Hill
Thomas Gage decided to strike at militiamen who were in Breed's Hill. The britsh troops succeeded only because the colonists ran out of ammunition. This battle would be recognized as one of the deadliest battles. -
washington
Washington is appointed by Continental congress and assumes command. -
War moves to the Middle States
The British retreated from Boston in March and moved it to the Middle States and decided to seize New York City. -
Common sense
Colonist Thomas paine attacked King George in a pamphlet and declared that it was time for colonist to proclaim independence for a better society. -
Declaring independence
Talks about the decision of having independence. Congress appointed a committee to give an explanation to consider this action. Thomas Jefferson stepped up the concept of the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed natural rights to life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness. -
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
Considering thomas Jefferson's words of "all men are equal" and everyone deserves to have rights. The delegates voted that American colonies were free and adopted the Declaration of independence. -
Defeat in New York
General William Howe and Admiral Richard Howe joined forces with hessians and sailed into New York Harbor in the summer. Washington was outnumbered and poor equipped, it ended with heavy losses of Americans. They were moved to the Delaware River into Pennsylvania where majority of Washinton's troops were killed or captured he needed some type of win to keep his troops from going away from home. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington risked a christmas night and led 2,400 troops across the Delaware river and reached Trenton, New jersey, where the hessians were were and were drunk. Americans killed 30 of the enemies, took 918 captives and six hessian cannons. Eight days later they had another victory in princeton. -
Fight for Philadelphia
General howe went for the American capital at Philadelphia. They sailed from New York to the Cheasapeake Bay. However the continental congress had fled the city and Washington's troops had unsuccessfully tried to block the redcoats. General Howe and troops captured Philadelphia with the help of the loyalists. -
Victory at saratoga
General Burgoyne's plan was to take the routes from Canada to Albany where he would join forced with Howe. While the Continental Congress had appointed General Horatio Gates to command the northern Dept. of the Continental Congress. Burgoyne lost men everytime he clashed with the Americans. What he didnt realize was that Howe was occupied with Philadelphia and wasn't coming to meet him. He then surrendered to Gates. -
Valley Forge conditions
Washington and his troops suffered from the harsh weather conditions, Disease and illness. -
A turning point
French were still bitter from the French and Indian war. They decided to aid the Americans and agreed for independence and agreed to make no peace with the british unless they recognized American independence. -
Europe alliance
Two talented people named Von steuben and lafayette volunteered to help Washington and his troops to be better skilled and be effective in fighting force. -
Civilians At War
The war also affected civilians . They had to leave their daily lives behind to contribute for the ones in war. Some made clothing, cooked,washed and also fought with them. A woman named McCauly took her husband place at cannon when he was wounded in the battle of Monmouth -
British move south
British took Savannah, Georgia and Charles town, South Carolina. General Cornwalis and Clinton worked together to make it happen. They were also helped by loyalists and by Patriot owned slaves that were offered freedom by the british to help them. Cornwallis was successful in taking camden, SC and established forts across state. But when they advances to NC patriots attacked them and forced them to retreat to SC. -
British losses in 1781
Washing ordered nathanael Greene to march South and harrass cornwallis as he left. He then sent Daniel Morgan to SC with 600 troops, on the other Cornwallis sent lieutenant Colonel Banastre to pursue Morgan's soldiers. When they met in cowpens, americans were outnumbered but fought back and redcoats surrendered. Angered by the defeat cornwallis attacked greene two months later in NC , he won the battle but cost him 1/4 of his troops. -
Financing the war
When the congress ran out of currency, it burrowed money from investors. They also printed paper money causing inflation. They also created profiteering and raised funds. -
Victory at Yorktown
Lafayette suggested that the American and French armies should join forces with 2 french fleet and attack the british forces in Yorktown. The americans followed this plan and closed on cornwallis. Then blocked the entrance to the cheasapeak Bay to prevent the british from getting rescued. Then surrendered them in the Yorktown peninsula. They were outnumbered and were exhausted from getting harrassed. He decided to raise the white flag. -
Peace talks
4 nations( the Us, France, Great Britain and Spain) Americans wanted independence, GB didnt want them to have it, France supported it but didn't want to gain major power and Spain was afraid of losing the land in the west. John adams, Ben franklin and John lay negotiated with the European. They made promises that they failed to keep. The british didnt protect the land interest of the Natives and Americans agreed the British Creditors could collect debts owed by them. -
Impact on American Society
The American revolutionary would inspire ideas such as egalitarianism which is a belief in equality of all people, not including wealth or family's defined ones worth. But only applied to white male. It didnt apply to women or African Americans. Their communities had been destroyed by the war.
