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Treaty of Paris
This ended the French and Indian War between France and England and caused a great amount of debt for them. In result of the treaty, France gave up all territories in the New World. -
Proclamation Act
A proclamation that King George III issued that forbade the colonists to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. He did this because he wanted to be on the Native Americans good side since they sided against England in the Seven Year War. -
Committee of Correspondence
This was how the colonies kept in contact with each other before the Revolutionary war. Boston formed the first Committee of Correspondence and in in 1773 each colony had a committee. -
The Sugar Act
An act that taxed colonists on foreign sugar. This occurred because the King wanted importers to buy sugar from them and not smuggle it in from somewhere else. -
The Stamp Act
Tax on all paper documents in the colonies issued by Parliament. One main reason for this was because England was in debt from the Seven Years War. This act made the colonists furious and was one of the leading reasons they wanted to split from England. -
The Quartering Act
An act passed by the British government that forced colonists to house British soldiers. The colonists also had to provide for any needs the soldiers had like food and clothes. -
Stamp Act Congress
A meeting that was held to devise a plan to separate from England and it was the first congress of the colonies. The Congress was held in New York and was went on from October 7th-25th. -
Declaration of Rights and Grievances
Was a document written by the colonists stating the unfairness of the taxes and laws. This was sent to the King in hopes that he would make some major changes. -
Stamp Act Repealed
The act was in place to raise funds for British soldiers. After much protest from the colonists, British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act. Even Benjamin Franklin went up before the British House of Commons to get the tax appealed. -
Townshend Act
A collection of acts passes to tax colonists on things such as glass, lead, paint, paper and tea. Eventually the acts were repealed, except for the tax on tea. It is named after Charles Townshend, who proposed the idea. -
Boston Massacre
When British soldiers opened fire on a group of colonist killing five men. Eight soldiers, one officer, and four civilians were arrested and charged with murder in result of the massacre. The soldiers were there because they wanted to get the colonist to stop protesting the townshend act. -
Tea Act
The reason this taxation was passed was not to raise the price of tea for the colonist, but it was to change the course of the East India Company, which brought tea to England. Instead, the course was changed to the colonies and it raised the price of tea. Colonists were furious and would shout “No taxation without representation” and begun to boycott tea. -
Boston Tea Party
A result of the Tea Act due to the boycott for tea from the colonists. Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty did not think it was right for them to have to pay taxes for British tea so they boarded three ships in the Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. -
Intolerable Acts
These were a set of harsh laws put in place to punish the colonists for the British Tea Party. England was fed up with all the protests going on throughout the colonies. -
First Continental Congress
Was one of the first meetings to discuss the colonists part in the Revolutionary War. Twelve of the thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia and Georgia was the only colony to not attend. -
The Battles of Lexington & Concord
These battles were the first of the Revolutionary War and started in Lexington, Massachusetts. The British were sent to destroy guns and ammunition that the colonists stored in the town of Concord. -
Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought during the siege of Boston. It was in the early stages of the Revolutionary war and was one of the first battles. -
Appeal to Reason Rejected (aka: Olive BRanch Petition)
A petition the colonist sent to the King which stated that they only wanted peace between England and them. They did this because they wanted to prevent any further war. It was written by John Dickinson. -
Declaratory Act
Passed by British parliament right as the Stamp act was repealed. Law stated that Parliament's authority was the same in America as in Britain and gave England the power pass laws and taxes. -
Common Sense
"Common Sense" was a pamphlet published by Thomas Paine who was a political activist. The pamphlet avocated for independence from England and gave much hope to the colonist. -
Declaration of Independence
A statement where the American Colonists declared their independence from England. Thomas Jefferson wrote the majority of the document.