-
French and Indian War
The French and Native Americans fought agaisnt the British and the American colonists because the British wanted to take more land. The Indians fought on the French side because they didn't want to lose land. Britian ended with a victory and a good chunk of the Frech North American land. Colonists were taxed heavily to pay for the war. I rate this event a 6 because the only thing to be upset about this was the tax but they gained more land so it wasn't that bad. -
Proclamation line of 1763
After the French and Indian war the proclamation line was issued. It stated no colonists were to settle west of the Appalachian mountains and were to return east if they were already settled. Britain did this to prevent conflict with natives and to have a stronger government in the colonies. I rate this event a 1 because the colonists were happy they had more land so it didn't do much but give more land. -
Enlightenment
There were many big names that came though the enlightenment with ideas or what they thought was right. For example John Locke believed every man had the rights to life, liberty, and property. Many philosphers like Montesquieu and Rousseau had ideas that contributed to the government in American that was formed. I rate this event as a 1 because it was mostly ideas nothing really violent. -
Stamp Act
In 1765 the British needed money to pay to defend the colonies they owned. To help pay for this they enforeced the stamp act which taxed printed documents like newspapers, legal documents, and even playing cards. Colonists boycotted british goods and the act was repealed. I rate this event a 2 because it didn't really matter in the end after it got repealed. -
boston massacre
By this point in the colonies there was already a great amount of tension between the colonies and the British after ll the things that already had occured. One day a fight broke out between Britishs soilders and colonists. Five people died and the soilders were tried for murder. Colonists used this event as propoganda to support what was wrong with Britain and why they should go for independence. I rate this event as a 8 because it became a huge deal and it showed violence on both sides. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1763 the British put a new tax on tea on the colonists. Colonists drank a lot of tea during this period so they were angry. They revolted and threw tons of tea off the boats carrying the tea into the Boston harbor which infuriated the British. I rate this event a 9 on the scale because it showed disobedience on the side of the colonists and that they didn't care what the British told them to do. -
Tea act
In 1773 Britain put a new tax on tea which raised it considerably. The colonists in that day were drinking lots of tea so they were obvioulsy going to come up with something to get back at the British. They were very mad so this tax led to the Boston tea party carried out by the Sons of Liberty. I rate this event a 7 because it made the colonists mad about something they buy so much having its price raised just because Britain wanted to. -
Intolerable acts
After the colonists dumped all of the tea into the harbor the British were very angry with them. To punish them they put in place three new acts. No trial by jury in the colonies. Colonists had to house and feed english soilders. No ships were allowed to leave or enter the Boston harbor. I rate this event a 10 because no person on the colonies would accept this punishment with no response. The punishment wasn't accepted which helped a lot to start the revolution. -
First Continental Congress
The representatives from each of the colonies gathered together in Philidelphia. They discussed their thoughts and feelings on the Intolerable Acts. The group ended with a letter to be sent to King George III to repeal, or remove the law. The king did not reverse it. I rate this event a 8 because the colonists were already mad about the acts and when they decided to try to remove them it failed making them even more mad about the situation. -
Lexington and Concord
Britain believed that Amercian colonists were gathering weapons and hiding them out in Concord, Mass. They headed out to see what was going on and on the way they were attacked by colonists but came out victors. It ended with the British not finding anything and just again being attacked in Concord. I rate this event a 7 because it wasn't too huge but it showed the colonists were willing to voulenteer to fight back. -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates from each colony gathered to discuss what happened in Mass. and the idea of independence from Britain. Six colonies supported it and six colonies didn't want to try. Then Thomas Paine wrote "Common Sense" which supported independence. Eventually it was decided to write a declaration which led to the Declaration of Independence. I rate this event a 9 because it would make Britain have to fight to keep control and colonies have to fight to get the independence. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776 mostly by Thomas Jefferson with ideas taken from the enlightenment philsophers. It states how America would run, declare their independence, and listed 27 examples of british tyranny. I rate this event a 10 because it showed America seperating and both sides would have to fight to keep it the way they want no matter what.
