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The French and Indian War begins
The French and Indian War was a series of wars between the british and the french.
British Colonists wanted to take over French land in North America. The French wanted trade. British soldiers fought against the French and Native Americans. Native Americans joined the war against the British because they were afraid the British would take over their land. http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/related/frin.htm -
The Treaty of Paris
The treaty ended the French and Indian war. The English were given the Mississippi River and the land near the Appalachian Mountains. All the French land in America was taken and the colonists weren't allowed to settle there. http://www.history.com/topics/treaty-of-paris-1783 -
The Royal Proclamation
The Royal Proclamation was created by King George III to officially claim the British land in America. al settlers. It made it so private citizens and colonial governments werent allowed to buy land from or make any agreements with the natives. http://www.ushistory.org/us/9a.asp -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar act put an extra three cent tax on sugar and it also raised taxes on coffee and wine. Merchants were mad because the taxes were put on without any say in the colonists part. They wanted a say in how much they were taxed. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm -
Stamp Act
The stamp act was the first direct British tax on American colonists. The tax was put on every newspaper, pamphlet, and public and legal documents. The colonists didn't think they should have to pay for something they had been doing for free for years. They were upset that it was a situation of taxation without representation. -
The stamp act congress
The stamp act was a meeting held in new york attended by representatives from the british colonies in America. The goal was to come up with a protest against British taxation http://www.ushistory.org/us/10a.asp -
Townshend Acts
Series of laws named after Charles Townshend. The laws placed taxes on glass, lead, paper, paints, and tea. The colonists violently rebelled. http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/townshend-acts.html -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a result of the townshend acts. The colonists' way of rebelling was to throw snowballs at a group of British soldiers. The British soldiers fired shots at them, killing five colonists. http://www.bostonmassacre.net/ -
Boston tea party
A group of american patriots rebelled because of the tax on tea by dressing up as indians and sneaking on board ships stationed at the harbour and dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. http://www.history.com/topics/boston-tea-party -
First continental congress
Representatives of 12/13 colonies formed a congress to discuss how to convince England to give them their independence. http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/ccf.htm -
Patrick Henry "Give me liberty"
Patrick Henry was presenting a speech to the House of Burgesses persuading them to let Virginia's troops participate in the war ending his speech with "Give me libery or give me death".
http://www.history.org/almanack/life/politics/giveme.cfm -
Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
The midnight riders first priority was to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the british were coming. Paul Revere rode from lexington to concord to warn the Americans. He rode with Samuel Prescott and William Dawes.
http://www.paulreverehouse.org/bio/ -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Hundreds of British troops met the colonists at Lexington Green and an unknown shot was fired triggering the battle. The colonists retreated and the British moved forward to Concord but the colonists there were ready and impacted the British army when they tried to retreat.
http://www.history.com/topics/battles-of-lexington-and-concord -
Fort Ticonderoga
The British controlled the French built fort at the beginning of the revolutionary war. Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold and the Green Mountain Boys captured the fort for colonial purposes. It had water routes to Canada and New York. http://www.history.com/topics/capture-of-fort-ticonderoga -
Second Continental Congress meets
The congress met in Philadelphia where they appointed George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. The congress sent out the Olive Branch Petition to King George III but he didn't accept it.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/10e.asp http://www.ushistory.org/us/10e.asp -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The battle actually took place on Breed's Hill, not Bunker Hill.
The Americans fought off the first two attacks by the British, but were forced to retreat during the the third attack when they ran out of ammunition.
The battle cost the British more than 40% of their army. http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/The-True-Story-of-the-Battle-of-Bunker-Hill-204119581.html -
Common Sense Published
Thomas Paine published "Common Sense" which demanded independence from Britain. It also argued a case against the monarchy and privilege. It was the most widely distributed pamphlet in history at that time. http://www.ushistory.org/us/10f.asp -
British evacuate Boston
Henry Knox, Chief of Artillery, took Fort Ticonderoga to secure their position around Boston. 50 cannons were sled over 300 miles across the snowy mountains.
The cannons were positioned on top of Dorchester Heights aimed at the British ships in Boston Harbor. When British General Howe saw the cannons aimed at him, he loaded his men and supplies onto the ships and headed for Canada and set port in Halifax, Nova Scotia. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-british-evacuate-boston -
Declaration of Independence Announced
The Declaration of Independence was a formal statement announcing the independence of the United States of America from the British Empire. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and signed by the second continental congress. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/ -
The Crisis published
The Crisis was a series of essays by Thomas Paine. It described the American need for independence. It helped persuade the colonists that they needed to fight for their freedom. The Crisis was so popular that Thomas Paine’s name was just as well known as George Washington’s. http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/c-01.htm -
Washington Captures Trenton
The Hessians were not prepared for such an attack by George Washinton and his army. They soon surrendered. The Hessians suffering 22 deaths and 83 injuries and the Americans had 2 deaths and five injuries. The Americans captured about 1000 Hessians. http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-trenton.htm -
British defeated at Saratoga
General John Burgoyne and the british army attacked twice at Saratoga. Britain won the first battle but in the second battle they surrendered. The French saw the Americans win the battle and joined the war allied with America. http://www.ushistory.org/us/11g.asp http://www.ushistory.org/us/11g.asp -
Winter st Valley Forge
Washington's army was tired and worn out. At Valley Forge, there were shortages of food, clothing and medicine. Washington's men were sick. The Continental Army camped out in log cabins to watch the British army and endured cold weather while the british warmed themselves in colonial homes. The patriots were practically starved and the British soldiers ate well. http://www.ushistory.org/us/11f.asp -
John Paul Jones defeats the Serapis
John Paul Jones, on his own ship the Bonhomme richard, he fired on the HMS Serapis. Through the battle it seemed as though Jones would lose the battle since his ship was sinking. Yet he defeated the bigger and equipped British Serapis. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/john-paul-jones-wins-in-english-waters -
Benedict Arnold plans found out
Benedict arnold had a deal with the british saying that he would help out the soldiers in exchange for money. When British Major John Andre was captured the documents were discovered and the plans were exposed. http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/summer01/benedictarnold.cfm -
Cornwallis surrenders
Cornwallis was told by the commander of all British forces in America that he was sending a relief British ship to sail to Yorktown with supplies and soldiers.
The French fleet defeated the British at Chesapeake Bay so the relief that Cornwallis needed never reached him. Cornwallis was surrounded and the American and French troops closed in on him. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cornwallis-surrenders-at-yorktown
