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Treaty of Paris (French and Indian War)
The Treaty of Paris was Britain’s claim of land after winning the Seven Years’ War. Britain all land in North America east of the Mississippi River. Spain was given New Orleans and Louisiana. They were also given back Cuba and the Philippines, which were once seized by Britain, in exchange for Florida. As well the treaty ended all power of the French in North America. -
Proclamation of 1763
On the 7th of Oct, 1763, the Proclamation of 1763 was issued in the colonies. The laws said that the colonists could not settle land and the area west of the Appalachian Mountains. Because of the laws passed, the colonists were angry and thought they deserved the right to settle the land of the west. The British government were angry as well because the colonists did not want to pay for defenses and safety. This anger helped start the revolution for freedom. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act, passed by the British parliament on April 5th 1764, was revenue-raising act to pay for expenses of protecting the colonies. The Act was an indirect tax on the people of the colonies. The Act taxed foreign refined sugar and increased taxes on coffee, indigo, and certain kinds of wine. The Act was repealed in 1766 due to decreased trade and protests. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act, passed by the British Parliament on March 22nd 1765, was tax on the transfer and selling of certain documents. For the document to be legal, the owner must pay with valid British currency for an official stamp from the British. The Act was direct tax on playing cards, magazines, contracts, newspapers, and many other documents. The Act was repealed on March 18, 1766. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre, an event taking place on March 5, 1770, was fight between a British sentry and a mob surrounding them. Before this occurrence there were tense relationships between the colonists and the soldiers. The soldiers were exposed to verbal abuse, taunts and harassment by the colonists. After having objects thrown at them the soldiers shot into the crowd and killed 3 people and wounded others. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act, issued by the British Parliament on May 10th 1773, was a tax on tea. It was designed to prop up the East India Company which was floundering financially and burdened with eighteen million pounds of unsold tea. When the ships brought tea to the colonies, the colonists sent them back or left the tea to rot on shore. It was repealed in 1778. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest on December 16th 1773 against the tea act. That evening many male colonists dressed as Indians, dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The Boston Tea Party eventually proved to be one of the many reactions that led to the American Revolutionary War. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were the name given by the colonists for many laws issued by the British Parliament in 1774. The laws were made due to the Boston Tea Party. The people of the colonies thought that these were infringements and on September of 1774 they organized the First Continental Congress to organize a protest against the laws. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act, issued on June 2nd 1774, made it mandatory that colonists must house British troops. If colonists could not house soldiers in their own home, then they could be housed in other buildings such as: barns, inns, among other unoccupied structures. This Act expired on March 27, 1776. -
The First Meeting of the First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress, meeting on September 5, 1774, was a gathering of 12 colonies. They were to discuss a plan to end the Coercive Acts (The Intolerable Acts). At the meeting the discussed whether to boycott or petition King George III. They also planned a meeting for the Second Continental Congress. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles at Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the revolutionary war. At Lexington the militia were outnumbered and had to retreat; the British went on to Concord. The British were supposed to destroy militia supplies in concord, but the militia had already moved it to other locations. The British were out-numbered and had to retreat. -
The First Meeting of the Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress, meeting on May 10th 1775, was a gathering of 13 colonies. They met to create the continental army, supply it, and appoint a leader. They appointed George Washington. They also wrote the Olive Branch petition to send to Britain, but King did not accept it. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
On Jun 17, 1775, the British General William Howe lands his troops on the Charlestown peninsula. He leads them to Breeds Hill to fight against the American army. The American leader is General William Prescott. The British retreat, but they try again. On the third time up the hill, the Americans are outnumbered and retreat. Even though the British won Breeds Hill/Bunker Hill, the Americans had a moral victory. -
Publishment of Common Sense by Thomas Paine
On Jan 9, 1776, Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense. It advocated freedom and independence from Britain and the Monarchy. It helped the transformation to freedom and the Revolutionary War. -
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
In the summer of 1776, a commitee of five men, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, was tasked with writing the Declaration of Independence. The Congress adopted the Decaration on July 4, 1776. -
Battle of Long Island (Battle of Brooklyn)
On August 27, 1776, the British and Continental Army fought at Long Island. The British were trying to seize New York and isolate New England from the other colonies. Washington was defeated, but evacuated the entire army to Manhattan without a single life lost. -
Reading of American Crisis by Thomas Paine
On December 23, 1776, Thomas Paine delivered his words from American Crisis to Washington’s troops. Four days before on December 19, 1776, Thomas Paine published American Crisis. The speech was rousing and gave hope to the soldiers to fight on. -
Battle of Trenton
On December 26, 1776, Washington's army surprises Hessian mercenaries and nearly captures their entire army. The battle significantly boosted the Continental Army's morale, and inspired colonists to join the army. -
Battles of Saratoga
From September 19 to Oct 7, 1777, two battles were the turning point of the revolutionary war. On September 19th British General John Burgoyne won a battle against Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. On October 7 Burgoyne attacked again but was defeated. Burgoyne surrendered ten days later. -
Winter at Valley Forge
On December 19, 1777, George Washington has his troops moved into winter quarters at Valley Forge. Many died because of the cold, hunger, and lack of supplies. Many of the soldiers wanted to escape and return home, but stayed because of loyalty. -
Battle of Yorktown
From September 28th to October 19th 1781, General George Washington led an army of 17,000 French and American troops to Yorktown, to fight British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and a 9,000 British troops. They fought for weeks and Washington's army won. The formal British surrender ceremony was held on October 19, 1781. -
Treaty of Paris (Revolutionary War)
On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was passed. It recognized American Independence. It granted the U.S. significant western territories. It ended the Revolutionary War.
