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The French and Indian War
In the 1750's, a feud began between French and British in North America over in the Ohio River Valley. Governor Dinwiddie demanded French to leave due to the need of cheap farm land. George Washington took the first shot. French won in earlier battles but British won what was called the 7 Years War. The British were in so much debt following the war, that they passed the Proclamation of 1763 and enforced taxes that angered colonists. -
Committees of Correspondence
Samuel Adams, leader of the patriot rebel group, The Sons of Liberty founded the first Committee of Correspondence. This communication helped to form bonds among the 13 colonies that would help later cooperate in the American Revolution. They sent out information/news about the British and what they were planning. -
The Proclamation of 1763
Following the French and Indian war the British established a border to separate the colonists from the unhappy Natives in the newly won western territory. The Appalachian Mountains were the physical borders and was illegal for colonists to cross the mountains. The British were trying to avoid another war because they couldn't afford it. The line upset the colonists and lead to further issues. -
The Sugar Act
Colonists were required to pay a 3-cent tax on sugar. This act increased the tax of coffee, indigo and kinds of wines/rum. Colonists were angry because they had no voice/say in government . "No taxation without Representation" was a new phrase within the act. -
The Stamp Act
Many people believed that the colonies should pay to help support the troops that the British sent. A stamp was required to be placed on all important papers like documents, court papers, almanacs, pamphlets, newspaper, and even playing cards, to show that the tax was paid. Colonists were angry and met in New York city in 1765 in a meeting called The Stamp Act Congress. Everyone declared that it was unfair for Parliament to tax the colonies. -
Townshemd Acts
British Parliament passed several laws called the Townshend Act. This tax was placed tax on tea, paper, paint and glass. People came around to complain (about taxes) and to boycott. This costed merchants in England a lot of money. Parliament decided to cancel this act due to pressure from colonies. -
Boston Massacre
Tensions between England and the American Colonies were very high. Around 9 at night colonists confronted 8 British soldiers on the streets of Boston. Some colonists called them "Lobster scoundrels" 5 colonists were dead and the Captain of the British also said to "Hold your fire". -
The Tea Act/The Boston Tea Party
This new tax was designed not only to raise taxes in the colonies.It helped the East India Company make up for economic losses. The Colonists refused to pay the taxes on the tea, required by British government. Not long after, around 60 colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded the tea ships and tossed 342 crates of tea into the harbor. As a result, the British government passed Intolerable Acts. -
Coercive (Intolerable) Acts
Due to destroyed tea, Boston Harbor closed. Sailors and dockworkers lost their jobs and stores closed for lack of goods to sell. A British soldier was arrested for murder and nobody was sent to trial so they felt more freer to abuse colonists. -
The First Continental Congress
George Washington, John Adams, John Jay, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams and many more met at Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They went to a meeting called the First Continental Congress. They believed it was unfair for Parliament to tax the colonists without a voice/say in Representation. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
250 British soldiers were killed or wounded while 90 militiamen were killed or wounded. Nobody knew who took the first shot and its now called "The Shot heard around the World". This was just the spark needed to begin the American Revolution...
