Road to Revolution

Sugar Act

1764

Indirect Tax
Duties on Molasses and Sugar

Stamp Act

1765

Purchased only with valuable silver coins
If didn't purchased = fine or jailed
Directed Tax

Townshed Act

1767

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

Boston Massacre

Mar 15, 1770

Solider strikes colonist
Crowd gathers ad hassles solider, throwing snowballs & shouting insults
More troops arrive, colonists get more and more angry
“Fire if you dare!

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1770

Member of Sons of Liberty dump over 340 chests of tea into Boston Harbor
Caused problems for Loyalists/Tories
Loyalists = a person in the colonies “loyal” to the King & Great Britian

Tea Act

1773

Passed in 1773 and allowed the British East India Company (BEIC) to sell directly to colonists.

Intolerable Acts

1774

Passed to Boston Tea Party
- Boston Harbor closed until tea was paid for
- Massachusetts Charter cancelled
- Quartering Acts required colonists to house British soldiers

The First Continental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 British Colonies, that met to deal with the Intolerable Acts. Georgia was the only colony that did not send a representative to the Congress. They agreed to boycott British goods at first, if Parliament would not repeal the Intolerable Acts. Patrick Henry - VA rep. urged colonists to unite against Britian.

1,000's of Redcoats in Bostom

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 warns the Sons of Liberty Lexington and Concord that the "British are coming... The British are coming."

Battles of Lexington

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 forced them to retreat back to Boston
• American Victory

Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

May 10, 1775

Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort, they get all the supplies including the canons.
- American Victory

Second Continental Congress Meet

May 10, 1775

Print Money
Post Office
Creating an army led by George Washington
Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
- King hires 30,000 Hessian's Soldiers in response

Battle of Bunker Hill

Jun 16, 1775

Fought on Breed's Hill
"Don't fire until you see the white of their eyes" - William Prescott
British Victory (Americans ran out of ammo but Americans still celebrate) British learn that defeat will not be easy

Washington Arrives On Outskirts of Boston with Continental Troops

Jul 15, 1775

Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
Need weapons

"Common Sense" published by Thomas Paine

Jan 10, 1776

Pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
"Everything is right or reasonable or reasonable pleads for separation. The blood of the slain, the weeping cries of nature, 'TIS TIME TO PART'. - Thomas Paine, Common Sense

British Surrender to Boston

Mar 17, 1776

Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
Washington puts 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 primary author of the document