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French and Indian War Ends
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Stamp Act
The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act to help pay for the French and Indian War. The people had to pay taxes on printed paper and other paper items. The Colonists didn't appreciate this Act because they didn't have any say in the creation of the tax. -
the Stamp Act is repealed and the Declaratory
The Declaratory act allowed Parliament to tax the Colonists -
Parliament passes Townshend Duties
The Townshend Duties placed taxes on colonists for imports of tea, glass, paper, lead, and paint -
Boston "Massacre"
British troops in Boston fire into a crowd of colonists, resulting in five deaths. The event is dubbed “the Boston Massacre” by angry colonists. To the British, the event was known as "the incident on King Street". -
Parliament Repeals Townshend Duties
They left the tax on tea and got rid of the taxes on glass, paper, lead, and paint -
Tea Act
Enabled the price of taxed tea to be lower than that of smuggled tea. -
Boston Tea Party
No, the colonists of Boston didn't all sit around a huge table and drink lots of tea. Some angry Sons of Liberty got together, dressed up like native Indians, got on a ship carrying lots of tea from Brittan, and threw all of the tea overboard. -
Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence. (It was not signed until August 2) -
Great Brittan Steps In
Admiral Richard, Lord Howe, the appointed commander in chief of British forces in North America, arrives off New York. He carries royal commissions for himself and his younger brother, General Howe, to reconcile rebellious colonists with Britain and reinstitute royal government. -
General Howe Returns
He returns to the colonies with thousands of troops and hundreds of warships on Staten Island, New York -
A failed attempt for Peace
The Congress sends John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Edward Rutledge to attend a peace conference at the British headquarters on Staten Island, but the conference breaks up without result. -
George Washington and his men cross the Delaware River
The Continental army crosses the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to escape British troops. General Washington warns the Congress that he cannot protect Philadelphia if the British choose to attack. The Congress disbands to reconvene in Baltimore. -
The French troops arrive
America signed a treaty and were going to fight off the British together. -
Trator
American general Benedict Arnold deserts the American cause and joins the British. -
The Brittish Surrender
British general Lord Charles Cornwallis surrenders his army to General Washington as a result of the siege of Yorktown, Virginia. -
Peace at last
The Treaty of Paris, negotiated by American delegates John Adams, John Jay, and Benjamin Franklin, is signed. Britain recognizes the United States as an independent nation. European powers agree that the new nation will possess the land between the borders of Spanish-owned Florida and British-owned Canada, west to the Mississippi River. -
The US Constitution is ratified and becomes a law by all states