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Declaration of Rights and Grievances is passed
The document was created and passed on October 19, 1765 by the Stamp Act Congress. It declared that taxes imposed on British colonists without their formal consent were unconstitutional. This was especially directed at the Stamp Act, which required that documents, newspapers, and playing cards to be printed on special stamped and taxed paper. The Declaration of Rights raised several points of colonial protest. An important right was only the colonial assemblies had a right to tax the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
After officials in Boston refused to return three shiploads of taxed tea to Britain, a group of colonists boarded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor. The event remains an iconic event in American history. The Tea Party was a resistance movement against the British government. It was part of the resistance movement rushing through British America against the Tea Act. The Tea Act violated their right to be taxed by their own representatives. -
First Continental Congress signed
It was a convention of delegates from twelve British North American colonies that met in Philadelphia, Pennylvania. It was called in response to the passage of the Coercive Acts by the British Parliament. The Intolerable Acts had punished Boston for the Boston Tea Party. -
Revolutionary War begins
In October, 1774, Massachusetts leaders, meeting as a Provincial Congress, voted to resist violation of colonial rights. This determination was secretly backed up by the formation of Committees of Safety in key communities of the colony. Their task was to collect munitions, persuade members of the militia to join the cause, and organize a force known as Minutemen to answer a call to arms at a minute's notice. The first battle of the war was the Battle of Lexington and Concord. -
2nd Continental Congress meets
It was a convention that took place in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, soon after warfare had begun in the American Revolution. The meeting succeeded the First Continental Congress, which had met between September 5, 1774 and October 26, 1774. The Second Continental Congress accomplished adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It raised armies, directed strategy, appointed diplomats, and made formal treaties. -
Declaration of Independence is signed
The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. Adams persuaded the committee to select Thomas Jefferson to compose the original draft of the document. The Declaration was ultimately a formal explanation of why Congress had voted on July 2 to declare independence from Great Britain. -
Articles of Confederation is signed
The Articles of the Confederation was an agreement between the 13 founding states that legally established the United States of America. It was our first constitution as soveriegn states. It was drafted by the Continental Congress in the mid 1776, and was sent to the states for ratification in 1777. The formal ratification by all 13 states was completed in 1781. It provided for a much stronger national government with a chief executive, courts, and taxing powers. -
Revolutionary War ends
The Siege of Yorktown was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis. it proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America, as the surrender of Cornwallis' army prompted the British government eventually to negotiate an end to the conflict. The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783 -
Constitutional Congress opens
The Constitutional Convention was in Philadelphia to address problems in governing the United States of America. Although the Convention was intended to revise the Articles of Confederation, it created a new government. Along with founding fathers such as James Madison and Alexander Hamilton. George Washington was elected to preside over the convention.The result of the Convention was the United States Constitution, making it among the most significant events in the history of the U.S. -
Final Draft of the Constitution is signed
On September 17, 1787, the Constitution was signed. As dictated by Article VII, the document would not become binding until it was ratified by nine of the 13 states. Beginning on December 7, five states--Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, and Connecticut--ratified it in quick succession. In February 1788, a compromise was reached under which Massachusetts and other states would agree to ratify the document with the assurance that amendments would be immediately proposed.
