-
Stamp Act
Tax on all paper products Official stamp/seal on all paper items (proof tax was paid) -
Declaratory Act
Parliament declares it has power to make laws for the colonies “in all cases whatsoever” Parliament passes a scroll thing to save face -
Townshend Act
taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea
Searched for smuggled goods
Sons of liberty start to do violent acts
British soldiers arrive to protect tax collectors -
Boston Massacre
Fights between troops and Bostonins were common
March 5, 1770; soldier strikes colonist
Crowd gathers and hassles soldiers, throwing snowballs and shouting insults.
More troops arrive, colonists get more and more angry.
‘Fire if you dare’
This became known as the Boston Massacre. -
Tea Act
Passed in 1773 and allowed British East India Company (BEIC) to sell tea directly to colonists
Lower Prices than colonist merchant prices
Tax Tea cheaper than smuggled tea
Less smuggling = more tax money
Colonial merchants feared BEIC would put them out of busines -
Boston Tea Party
Members of Sons of Liberty Dump over 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor
“Boston harbor is a teapot tonight!”
Caused problems for loyalists /Tories
Loyalist/Tory = a person in the Colony who remains “loyal” to the King & Great Britain -
Sugar Act
Indirect tax (out of sight, out of mind) Duties on molasses and sugar -
Intolerable Acts
Passed to punish Boston for Tea Party
Boston Harbor Closed until tea paid for
Massachusetts Charter canceled
Royal officials had trial in Britain
Quartering Act required colonists to house soldiers
“If a soldier comes knocking at the door….
you’re sleeping on the floor”
Large amount of land given to Quebec
General Thomas Gage became new governor of MA -
Quartering Act
required colonists to house soldiers
“If a soldier comes knocking at the door….
you’re sleeping on the floor” -
First Continental Congress
All colonies but Georgia have representatives. Voted to send a 'statement of grievances' Voted to Boycott all British trade Patrick Henry - VA rep. urged colonists to unite against Britain. -
1000 Redcoats in Boston
General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way -
Midnight Ride of Paul Reverse
Paul Revere rides to warn the Sons of Liberty in Lexington and Concord that the ‘British are coming… The British are coming…’ -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Battle of Lexington -
- 1st battle of American Revolutionary War
‘- Shot heard round the world’ - Ralph Waldo Emerson
- BRITISH Victory
Battle of Concord -
- Americans Stop British and force them to retreat back to Boston -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold And Ethan Allen Capture the fort. They Get all the supplies in the fort, including almost 100 cannons. This is an American Victory -
Second Continental Congress Meet
$$$$
Set up post office
Created Continental Army led by George Washington
Sent Olivia Branch asking King to protect their rights
King hires 30,00 Hessian Soldiers in response -
Battle Of Bunker Hill
Fought on breed's hill “Don't fire unless you want to see the whites of their eyes!” - William Prescott BRITISH victory (americans ran out of ammunition) British learn defeating americans would NOT be easy -
Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with Continental troops
Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
Need weapons -
“Common Sense” published by Thomas Paine
Pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
“Everything that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘TIS TIME TO PART” -Thomas Paine, Common Sense -
British surrender Boston
Washington believes his army is ready and weapons arrive
Washington puts cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
BRITISH retreat - AMERICAN victory -
Second Continental Congress Meet again
Debate on declaring independence
Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document -
Second Continental Congress votes for independence
-
Declaration Of Independence is signed
