Road to revolution

Sugar Act

1764

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

Stamp Act

1765

Tax on all paper products

Declaratory Act

1766

Parliament declares it has power to make laws for the colonies “in all cases whatsoever”
Parliament passes this to save face

Townshend Acts

1767

Taxes on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea
Searched for smuggled goods

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

Members of Sons of Liberty Dumped over 340 chests of tea into the Boston sea.

Quartering Act

1774

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

Intolerable Acts

1774

Passed to punish Boston for Tea Party
Boston Harbor Closed until tea paid for
Massachusetts Charter cancelled
Royal officials had trial in Britain

First continental congress

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 Redcoat 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 reveres 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 the American Revolutionary war
"shot heard around the world"- Ralph Waldo Emerson
-BRITISH Victory
BATTLE OF CONCORD
Americans stop the British and force them to retreat back to Boston
AMERICAN VICTORY

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 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
"Everything that is right or a 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

Mar 17, 1776

Washington believes his army is ready and weapons arrive
Washington put cannons on Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston
BRITISH retreat- AMERICAN Victory

Second Continental Congress meet 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

All 13 colonies vote YES on declaring independence

The declaration of independence is signed

Jul 4, 1776