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Stamp Act
Who: The English Parliament passed the Stamp Act
What: The Stamp Act was made to tax materials such as newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, licenses, dice, playing cards, etc
When: 1765 and planned to go into effect in November 1st
Where: October 1765 in New York
Why: In order to raise enough funds to pay off the debt and defend American territories conquered in the Seven Years' War -
Coercive Acts
Who: The British Parliament passed the Coercive Acts
What: The Coercive Acts caused the Boston port to close, restricted democratic town meetings, British officials immune to criminal prosecution, required colonists to house British troops, etc
When: March 28th, 1774
Where: Massachusetts
Why: The British were trying to maintain order in Massachusetts and at the same time punish the Bostonians for the Tea Party they caused and other actions -
United States Declaration of Independence
Who: Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence
What: American Independence
When: July 4th, 1776
Where: Philadelphia
Why: To gain independence from Britain and form a new country and government -
Battle of Guilford Courthouse
Who: General Cornwallis suffers many losses at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse
What: More than 25% of Cornwallis’s men were killed, hurt, or captured during the battle
When: March 15th, 1781
Where: North Carolina
Why: In order to fully gain independence from British forces and power -
Treaty of Paris
Who: Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay signed the treaty
What: A treaty that allowed the recognition of the U.S. which also allowed independence and gave the U.S. western territory
When: September 3rd, 1783
Where: Hotel d'York in Paris
Why: It ended the American Revolution allowing the United States to finally become its own country -
Northwest Ordinance
Who: Drafted by Rufus King and Nathan Dane
What: Was an outline to the process for creating a new state for the Union, it made sure that the created states would be equal to the first and original thirteen states
When: July 13th, 1787
Where: Territories northwest of the Ohio River would become the future states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and a part of Minnesota
Why: Was made to revise Thomas Jefferson's version of the 1784 ordinance, also prohibited slavery -
Federalist Papers
Who: Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay wrote the Federalist Papers
What: Series of 85 essays
When: October 27, 1787
Where: New York
Why: Published these essays in hopes and favors of ratification to the Constitution -
Census Act
Who: Passed by the Congress
What: Required that every household be visited and documented so they could keep track of the population
When: March 1st, 1790
Where: The United States
Why: Was made so they could count the entire population of a country, and know the location where each person usually lives
