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Treaty of Paris (French and Indian War)
The signing of the treaty ended the French and Indian War in the North America, which was the beginning of an era of British dominance outside Europe.The Treaty of Paris was signed by the kingdoms of Great Britain, France and Spain, with Portugal in agreement, after Britain's victory over France and Spain during the Seven Years' War. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III following Great Britain's acquisition of French territory in North America after the end of the French and Indian War. It forbid settlers from settling past a line drawn along the Appalachian Mountains. -
Sugar Act
In 1764, Parliment passed The Sugar Act putting taxes on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to the colonies. It also called for enforcement of the act and harsh punishment of smugglers. -
Stamp Act
This required all legal and commercial documents to carry a stamp. The stamp meant a tax had been paid. Even newspapers had to be printed on special paper. -
Boston Massacre
A group of youths and dockworkers began trading insults with the red-coats. A fight broke out, and the British soldiers began firing into the crowd. Paul Revere drew the picture to the left and in it exaggerated the events of that night. He made it seem alot worse than it really was. Others began refering it as the Boston Massacre, when in reality only 5 men were shot. Among them Crispus Attucks, a runaway slave from Framingham, Massachusetts. -
Tea Act
The tax on tea was orginally a part of the Townshend Acts. The colonists boycotted all British goods, so evantually Parliment repealed the Townshend Acts, but kept the tax on tea to show the colonies that Britain could still tax them. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest against the Tea Act. In Charleston, South Carolina, colonists unloaded tea and left it to rot on the docks. In Boston, a group of men disguised as Natve Americans boarded three tea ships docked in the Boston Harbor. That night, the men destroyed 342 chests of tea by throwing the boxes into the harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
In 1774, Parliment passed a series of laws to punish the Massachussetts' colony. There were also a warning to the other colonies. The British called these acts the Coercive Acts, but they were so harsh ht colonies called them the Intolerable Acts. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from all the colonies, except Georgia, met in Philidelphia. This meeting is known as the First Continental Congress. In this meeting they voted to ban all trade with Britain until the Intolerable Acts were repealed. They also called on each colony to start training troops. -
Battles of Lexigton and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the American Revolution. Roughly 700 British soldiers arrived at Lexington to find CAptain John and 70 militiamen. After 18 miltiamen lay dead, the British move on to Concord to destroy military supplies. A battle broke out on the bridge north of town, forcing the British to retreat. -
Quartering Act
Cost-saving measure that permitted the colonies to house British soldiers and give them supplies. -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates from each colony met again in hat came to be known as the Second Continental Congress. They then agreed to create a Continental Army. They also agreed that George Washington would lead it. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place mostly on and around Breed's Hill. The battle is named after Bunker Hill, which was peripherally involved in the battle and was the original objective of both colonial and British troops. -
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Common Sense was a success instantly. Published in January, it sold more than 100,000 copies. The need for independence became an uproar. Common Sense helped convince people that a break from England was necessary. -
Declaration of Independence
Congress appoined a commitee to draw up the Declaration of Independence. The commitee consisted of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Livingston, Rodger Sherman, and Thomas Jefferson. they chose Jefferson to write it. Congress adopted the document on July 4th, 1776. -
Battle of Long Island (Battle of Brooklyn)
This battle was a major victory for the British and defeat for the Americans. It was the start of a successful British campaign that gave the British control of New York City. In terms of soldiers, it was the largest battle of the Revolution. -
American Crisis
The pamphlets were contemporaneous with early parts of the American Revolution, during a time when colonists needed inspiration. Paine's writings bolstered the morale of the American colonists, appealed to the English's consideration of the war with America, clarified the things at stake in the war, and critizised the advocates of a negotiated peace. -
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in unfavorable weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the Continental Army against Hessian soldiers stationed at Trenton. After a brief battle, nearly the entire Hessian force was captured, with lesser losses to the Americans. The battle significantly boosted the Continental Army's morale, and inspired reenlistments. -
Battles of Saratoga
The turning point in the Revolutionary War. Benedict Arnold rebelled against his commanding officer, Horatio Gates, and after guzzling a pint of rum, gathered his men. Slurring, Benedict ordered his men to charge. Even though he was drunk, the tatic worked. But since that morning he was relieved of his duties, Horatio Gated took all the credit. This later helped persuede Benadict to desert the Continental Army and join the British Forces. That and he married a Loyalists. -
Winter at Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 during the American Revolution. -
Battle of Yorktown
The siege proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War, as the surrender by Lord Cornwallis, and the capture of both him and his army, prompted the British government to negotiate an end to the war. -
Treaty of Paris (Revolutionary War)
The Treaty of Paris ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on one side and the United States of America on the other. The other combatant nations, France and Spain had separate agreements and the negotiations which produced all four treaties.
