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The Stamp Act
The British government issues The Stamp Act, which puts tax on printed news papers and documents in the 13 American Colonies to pay for war efforts from the 7 Years War. The Stamp Act caused several forms of protest from the Americans; they issued propaganda in pamphlets, merchants weren’t importing British goods, and some citizens in a group called The Sons of Liberty took a violent turn and pillaged houses of British stamp collectors. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable/Coercive Acts were several Acts enforced by the British Government after several boycotts in Massachusetts and the Boston Tea Party raided a ship full of British tea (protest over new taxes). The Intolerable Acts consisted of The Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and The Quebec Act. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Continental Congress writes The Declaration of Independence, a document declaring independence from the British government. Thomas Jefferson worked on the draft, followed by edits from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, then the entire congress. The Declaration of Independence was ratified on the 4th of July. -
Resolution Against British Control
The Continental Congress voted a resolution calling on all colonies to make new revolutionary governments to break free from British control. They also suggested to start writing new constitutions and in a few ways, this could’ve been considered the first Declaration of Independence. -
Siege of Yorktown
With the help of French forces, Washington and his men march from New York to Virginia in attempt to trap British forces under the command of General Cornwallis. Cornwallis dug his men in at Yorktown, waiting for supplies and reinforcements, but Washington got there first and laid siege to Yorktown. A mixture of this victory and the loss of support from the British public was a huge win for the colonies. -
France’s Economic Exhaust
After spending money to join the war effort for the Revolutionary War, France was on the verge of an economic crisis, while the British had a great economy because American business was back to normal. Historians say that the economic position the French were in was one of the leading causes of the French Revolution. -
The Constitution
The Constitution was signed by the Continental Congress on September 17, which was the first list of laws in The United States. -
The Bill of Rights
After Rhode Island and North Carolina rejected the Constitution for not having a Bill of Rights, James Madison wrote one and it was accepted by Congress in 1791.
