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The Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was a proposed by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany congress in 1754 to form a strong union of the colonists under one single government in order to defend themselves in the French and Indian war. It called for a Grand council where the members are chosen by representatives coming from the colonial assemblies. The Albany congress approved the plan, but the colonial assemblies rejected it because they wanted to control their own tax and were not ready for political union. -
Proclamation of 1763
The British government issued the Proclamation of 1763 to prevent the colonists from going west and passed the Appalachian Mountains. The British controlled almost all of North America to the east of the Mississippi River. The colonists wanted to move westward, but Native Americans wanted to keep their lands. In order to prevent conflict with Native Americans, the proclamation was issued, but many colonists ignored it because they felt they had right to live wherever they wanted. -
The Sugar Act
The British government passed the Sugar act, which placed the tax on several products, including molasses. It also enforced strict laws for punishments of smugglers. The British wanted more money in order to recover some of debt from the French and Indian war and also to keep providing security for the colonies in North America. The colonists were upset and protested primarily because of its economic impact. -
The Quartering act
One year after the sugar act, the British government passed the Quartering Act, which is a law that required for the colonists to house the British soldiers, feed them, and provide them with other supplies. The purpose of this law was to save money, but the colonists acted very angrily. -
The Stamp Act
This law required all colonists to pay a tax on all of the printed materials such as newspapers, magazines, contracts, licenses, and even playing cards. They were taxed to pay their shares on a recent war. Colonist were outraged, responded by boycotting all British goods, and began to cry “No taxation without representation.” Representatives from nine colonies met in New York for The Stamp Act Congress, and sent a petition to the king and Parliament, requesting to end both the Sugar act ad Stamp -
The Boson Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between the small group of colonists and British soldiers. It started as angry crowd of colonists throwing snow bowls and other objects to the soldiers, but frightened soldiers fired and ended killing five and wounding six. It was the result of tensions that had been growing between the colonist and the English troops, especially in Boston. -
The Boston Tea Party
On the evening of December 16, 1773, a group of colonists calling themselves the "Sons of Liberty" went to the Boston Harbor. The men were dressed as Mohawk Indians and boarded three British ships and dumped 342 cases of British tea into the Boston Harbor. They were angry and frustrated about a new tax on tea and wanted to show Great Britain that they were unhappy. The British government was outraged and passed four strict laws, which were called Intolerable Acts. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
It marks the beginning of American Revolution as the first shot was fired. It is called the “shot heard round the world”, made famous by poet Ralph Waldo Emerson. On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize the arms and capture some colonial leaders. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militiamen began fighting with British troops. -
Common Sense – Thomas Paine
Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was first published in January 10, 1776. It challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy because he believed that Britain only used the colonies for economic gain and America has the right to govern itself. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work and great influence to openly ask for independence from Great Britain. -
Declaration of Independence
It is a document declaring the 13 American Colonies independent from Great Britain, using step-by-step logic to explain why the colonists wanted to be independent. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and declared in effect by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Great Britain's response was to continue the war. -
Battle of Long Island
In this battle, the British army drove Washington’s army out of Brooklyn. Washington left New York to flee and the British pursued Washington to move north to White Plains, then west across New Jersey. It was the first British victory and the first of many famous Washingtonian escapes. -
The Battle of Saratoga
It is a turning point of the Revolutionary War because it convinced France to enter the war on the side of the Americans. British General John Burgoyne came up with a plan to take all of New York away from the Americans, but it didn't work. Burgoyne surrendered almost his entire army. The American victory convinced France that America has a chance of winning and the French signed an alliance with the U.S. in 1778 and started to send money, weapons, and uniforms. -
The war at Sea
John Paul Jones, famous for his phrase, “I have not yet begun to fight”, began fighting British ships in 1775, and in 1777 John Paul Hones fought several side by side with a British warship Serapis. Even though his ship was nearly destroyed, he did not give up, and said his famous phrase, “I have not yet begun to fight”. Jones captured the two captains and claimed victory. -
The Battle of Yorktown
It was the last major war that ended the Revolutionary War in October, 1781 with American victory. British General Cornwallis’ force had been weakened and left the Carolinas and preceded to Yorktown, Virginia. American and French soldiers surrounded Cornwallis on land while French ships blocking escape by sea, and the British surrendered. The Americans won the battle and the war. -
The Treaty of Paris
It is a treaty that officially ended the Revolutionary War. The parliament voted for peace even though the king wanted to keep on fighting. The peace talk began in 1782, and the treaty was signed in Paris by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. Under the terms of the treaty, Britain recognized the independent nation of the United States of America.
