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The war fought between France and Britain. Their American colonies battled each other, and because Britain was defending their colonies and would be bankrupt from war costs, they would feel ok taxing the colonies to make that money back.
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first attempt to unite the colonies, drafted by Ben Franklin. It strengthened the spirit of unified colonies, even if it never was carried out. -
Great Britain marked off an area to limit the colonists' expansion in order to alleviate tensions with the Native Americans. Colonists generally ignored this, though, ad were frustrated that Britain seemed to be protecting the Native Americans. Colonists in violation faced minimal punishment -
aimed to end the smuggling of sugar by french and dutch west indies, it only raised tensions between america and britain by controlling the price of sugar
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The first serious tax passed on the colonists, it required a stamp be bought on every piece of paper. The colonists reacted fiercely, enraged at the stamp act, and rioted, burned stamps, and sometimes outright refusing to get the stamp at all. The act was repealed in 1766.
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This act required colonists to house british soldiers in colony-provided quarters. Colonists preferred it when they had to give consent to soldiers, so they disobeyed the act.
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Colonists, enraged by British treatment of them, harassed a small group of soldiers. They eventually fired and killed 5 people. This event sent waves throughout the colonies. -
Britain wanted to save the tea enterprise, so they passed the tea act, which granted companies the right t ship tea directly to the colonies, and commission agents who have the sole right to sell that tea. The colonists did not like this one bit, so they dressed as Mohawk Native Americans and threw a ships full of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Parliament was enraged after the response to the tea act, so they passed the intolerable acts to punish americans. This just made the americans even angrier and raised tensions between the two territories higher than ever.
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This congress was called in order to discuss the Intolerable Acts. They sent a Petition of right to the king and encouraged colonists to boycott trade with britain, fueling the resentment for their old home. -
After Lexington and concord, the delegates were called on again to discuss the military threat of Britain. They agreed to make an army, but wanted to remain english, and sent a petition to the King. He denied the petition, and declared all delegates guilty of treason. It was this that would ultimately lead to the Declaration of Independence.
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The british wanted to seize an arms cache in Concord, and tensions had been building between the mainland and the colonies. Paul Revere rode to warn them, and militias gathered to stop the british. They met in Lexington, where the british were forced to retreat.
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Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen attacked the fort at night. This surprised the british, and they lost the fort. This was the first victory in the Revolutionary War, and secured a lot of artillery with the fort itself.
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actually happening on Breed's hill, militiamen learned that the british intended to occupy the hills surrounding Boston, and set up forts on Breed's hill. The americans didn't fire until the british were right in front of them, and took many down. Eventually running out of ammo, the americans were forced into close combat and then to retreat. -
This pamphlet argued for independence from britain. in only 48 pages it convinced a majority of the colonists that independence was the right course. -
British troops were forced to evacuate boston after Washington had fortified some hills on the outskirts of the city and placed cannons. A storm set in and prevented british ships from launching, their only hope to defend the city, and the americans solidified their forts.
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America officially declares independence from Britain after years of tension. -
The British won a victory at Brandywine. This allowed them to seize Philadelphia as a whole. -
General Cornwallis had been cornered after retreating to the town. The Americans were hitting him with artillery fire, and the French had formed a blockade around the town. After a month, Cornwallis surrendered, and this victory essentially secured the war for the Americans.