American revolution

Road to Revolution

  • Benjamin Franklin

    Benjamin Franklin
    served in Second Continental Congress and helped draft Declaration
    lead negotiator in the signing of the Treaty of Paris
    Started out loyalist, turned patriot
  • George Washington

    George Washington
    Leader of Continental Army
    led attack in Valley Forge(1776); major turning point in revolution
    Patriot
  • Paul Revere

    Paul Revere
    bearing news of an impending British invasion to the town of Lexington, Massachusetts
    primary engraver of propoganda drawing of the cartoon of the Boston Massacre
    Patriot
  • John Hancock

    John Hancock
    signer of Declaration of Independence and governor of Massachusetts
    President of Continental Congress and first signer of Declaration
    Loyalist
  • Thomas Jefferson

    Thomas Jefferson
    served in continental congress and governor of Virginia
    Author of Declaration of Independence
    Patriot
  • Sugar Act

    Tax on all sugar and molasses by King George 3 of Britain
    The Sugar Act represented a significant change in policy: whereas previous colonial taxes had been levied to support local British officials, the tax on sugar was enacted solely to refill Parliament’s empty Treasury.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act
    Tax on all paper/documents coming in and out of American; imposed by the british king and enforced in America
    Led to development of Coercive acts, Continental Congress, and eventually Declaration.
  • Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence
    The Declaration summarized the colonists’ motivations for seeking their independence. By declaring themselves an independent nation, the American colonists were able to conclude an official alliance with the government of France and obtain French assistance in the war against Great Britain.
    a lot of people signed it
  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party
    Colonists dumped 3 ships full of tea into the water, refusing to pay taxes after being taxes
    This was the first official source of rebellion for the colonists; time to prove they weren't all talk.
  • Battle of Lexington and Concord

    Battle of Lexington and Concord
    Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts
    Neither side won
    It showed that the colonists could stand up to one of the strongest armies in the world and succeed.
  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    Battle of Bunker Hill
    Bunker Hill, Massachusetts
    British won but the Continental Army inflicted significant casualties; it was a mood booster for the C.A
  • Battle of Trenton

    Battle of Trenton
    Trenton, New Jersey
    The battle was a resounding physical and moral victory for Washington and his American troops
  • Battle of Saratoga

    Battle of Saratoga
    south Saratoga, New York
    A stupendous American victory in October 1777, the success at Saratoga gave France the confidence in the American cause to enter the war as an American ALLY. Later American successes owed a great deal to French aid in the form of financial and military assistance.
  • Battle of Yorktown

    Battle of Yorktown
    Yorktown, Virginia
    Americans and French won
    Most important battle in the Revolutionary War; gained indepedence with it.
  • Boston Massacre

    Boston Massacre
    Bostom, Massachusetts
    sent 4,000 trioops from Britain to suppress the colonists; 5 colonists died