Timeline: The American Revolution

Oct 7, 1763

Proclamation of 1763

King George III prohibited settlement west of the Applachain mountains. This intervention in colonial affairs offended the 13 colonies' claim to the exclusive right to govern lands to their west.

Mar 22, 1765

Stamp Act

Parliament required all legal documents, newspapers, and pamphlets to use watermarked, or 'stamped', paper on which a tax would be placed. Colonists were angered because they did not want to pay more taxes.

May 15, 1765

Quartering Act

Colonists were required to house British troops and provide them with food, clothing, etc. The colonists did not react well with this act and some refused to oblige.

Mar 5, 1770

Boston Massacre

The colonists were pretty upset with the prescence of troops and Britain's colonial policy, so a crowd began harassing a group of soldiers. A soldier was knocked down by a snowball and discharged his musket, sparking a volley into the crowd which kills five civilians.

Dec 16, 1773

Boston Tea Party

Livid about the tea, which had an indirectly placed tax on it, American Patriots disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and dumped tea from the merchant ships in the Bostson harbour.

Apr 19, 1775

Battle of Lexington and Concord

First engagements of the Revolutionary War between British troops nd the Minutemen, who had been warned of the attack by Paul Revere.

Jul 5, 1775

Battle of Bunker Hill

The first major battle of the Revolutionary War. Sir William Howe dislodged William Prescott's forces overlooking Boston at a cost of 1054 British casualities to the Americans' 367.

May 2, 1776

France provides covert aid to the Americans

Jul 4, 1776

Congress issues the Declaration of Independence

Oct 13, 1777

British Surrender at Saratoga

British surrender 5,700 troops at Saratoga. British, German, and Loyalist forcers under Major General John Burgoyne were lacking supplies so they had to surrender to Major General Horatio Gates. It was considered the turning point of the war.

Mar 1, 1781