Road to revolution

sugar act

1764

indirect tax on molasses and sugar.

stamp act

1765

tax on all paper products

declaratory act

1766

parliament had the right to rule and tax colonies

townshed acts

1767

taxes on glass,lead,paints,paper, and tea. searched for smuggled goods.

colonist vs british troops

Mar 5, 1770

soldier strikes colonist
-crowd gathers and hassles soldier,throwing snowballs and shouting insults
-More troops arrive, colonist get more and more angry
-"fire if you dare"
this became known as the Boston Massacre

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

Crowd gathers and hassles soldier, throwing snowballs and shouting insults.
More troops arrive, colonists get more and more angry
“Fire if you dare!”

tea act

1773

Lower Prices than colonist merchant prices
Tax Tea cheaper than smuggled tea
Less smuggling = more tax money

Boston tea party

Dec 16, 1773

Boston tea party
Members of sons of liberty dump over 340 chests of tea into boston harbor
Bostons harbor is a teapot tonight
Caused problems for loyalist/tories
-loyalist/tory=a person in the colony who remains loyal to the king & great britain

Quartering Act

1774

Quartering Act required colonists to house soldiers
“If a soldier comes knocking at the door….
you’re sleeping on the floor”
General Thomas Gage became new governor of MA

Intolerable acts

1774

Boston Harbor Closed until tea paid for
Massachusetts Charter cancelled
Quartering Act required colonists to house soldiers
“If a soldier comes knocking at the door….
you’re sleeping on the floor”
General Thomas Gage became new governor of MA

continental congress meets

Sep 22, 1774

All colonies but Georgia have representatives
voted to send a statement of grievance
voted to boycott all British trade
Patrick Henry- Va rep. urged colonist to unite against Britain

1,000 of redcoats in Boston

Apr 1, 1775

General of Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way

Midnight ride of Paul Revere

Apr 18, 1775

Paul revere rides to warm the sons of liberty in Lexington and concord that the British are coming the British are coming

Battle of lexington and concord

Apr 19, 1775

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

May 10, 1775

Benedict arnold and ethan allen capture the fort
Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
American Victory

Second continental congress meet

May 10, 1775

Print $$$$
Set up post office
Created continental army led by george washington
Sent olive branch asking king to protect their rights
-king hires 30,000 hessians soldiers in response

Battle of Bunker hill

Jun 16, 1775

Fought on breeds hill
Dont fire until you see the whites of their eyes- william prescott
British victory americans ran out of ammunition britsh learn defeating americans would not be easy.

Washington arrives on outskirts of Boston with continental troops

Jul 17, 1775

Realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
Need weapons

Second continental congress votes for independence

1776

Common sense published by thomas paine

Jan 10, 1776

Pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood slain, the weeping voice of nature cries,’Tis time to part”-Thomas Paine, common sense.

British surrender boston

Mar 17, 1776

Washington believes his army is ready and weapons arrive
Washington puts cannons on dorchester heights overlooking boston
British retreat- American victory

The declaration of independence is signed!

Jul 4, 1776