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The Royal Proclamation
King George III declared that land in North America was Britain's after the French and Indian War. This upset the colonists because it wasn't fair to them. Prohibiting the Americans from moving west of the Appalachian mountains began to strain their relationship with the British. -
The Stamp Act
Placed by the British Parliament, the Stamp Act made a direct tax on all printed material in the colonies. Lawyers, printers, and publishers who were the most active socially in the colonies were affected most greatly. This act intensified the hostility of the Americans towards the British Parliament. -
The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of measures placed by British Parliament to tax goods imported to the colonies. There was lots of protest against the taxation, specifically among Boston merchants. The colonists were angry that the British had this power over them, which led to rallying and finding ways to oppose the British rule. -
Boston Massacre
A Patriot mob attacked a British loyalist by throwing snowballs. British Soldiers then opened fire on a crowd in Boston, led to the death of 5 townspeople. Although the event was an accident, this made the locals very angry, and proved to be a pivotal event entering the American Revolution. -
The Boston Tea Party
A political protest by frustrated American colonists that led to the destruction of 342 British imported crates of tea. The Americans were mad and retaliating against the taxation policies forced by the British Parliament. However, the British responded with harsher policies, and this pushed more towards the Revolution. -
Lexington and Concord
This battle was the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The British planned to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock in Lexington, as well as destroy the weapons of the Americans in Concord. Although it was a "loss" for Americans, showed the British that unjust treatment and behavior would not be tolerated by the colonists. This battle was one of many, but very important because it persuaded Americans to stand up for their independence. -
The Declaration of Independence
This document was a summary for the colonists seeking independence from the British. It symbolizes American democracy, and was a formal declaration of war. It helped the colonies to form an alliance with France, and gain their assistance with the war against the British. This was the beginning to giving the American colonies their freedom from England's rule.
