Road To Revolution

Sugar Act

1764

indirect tax ( out of sight = out of mind)
Duties on molasses and sugar.

The Stamp Act

1765

Tax on all paper products
official stamps/seals on all paper items (proof tax was paid)
Legal Documents
Licenses
Newspapers
Pamphlets
Playing card
Purchased only with valuables silver coins
if you don't purchase = fined or jail
Protested stamp act, feeling rights were violated
Direct Tax In your face tax

Declaratory act

1766

Parliament declares it has power to make laws for colonies "in all cases whatsoever".
Parliament passes this to save faces.

The Townshend act

1767

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 collecters

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

Soldiers strike colonists.
Crowds gather and hassle soldiers, throwing snowballs and shouting insults.
More troops arrive, colonists get more and more angry.
"Fire if you dare"

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

Members of sons of liberty Dump over 340 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor
"The Boston Harbor Is A Teapot Tonight!"
Caused problems for loyalist/Tories
loyalist/troy = a person in the colony who remains "loyal" To the King and Great Britain.

Continental Congress Meets

Sep 5, 1774

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.

1,000's of Redcoats in Boston

Apr 1, 1775

General 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 warn the Sons Of Liberty in Lexington and Concord that the "British are coming... The British are coming...".

Battles Of Lexington And Concord

Apr 19, 1775

Battle of Lexington
1st battle of American Revolutionary War
"shot heard around 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 offices
created continental army led by George Washington
Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
king hires 30,000 hessian soldiers in response

Battle Of Bunker Hill

Jun 16, 1775

Fought on Breed's Hill
"Don't Fire until you 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 the outskirts of Boston with Continental troops

Jul 15, 1775

Realizes men are disorganized and need discipline
Need weapons

"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 of the slain, The weeping voices 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

Second Continental congress meets again

Jun 15, 1776

Debate on declaring independence.
Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document.

Second continental Congress votes for independence

Jul 2, 1776

Second Continental congress votes for independence

The declaration of independence

Jul 4, 1776

The declaration of independence is signed!!!!