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French and Indian War
This war was part of a long struggle between France and Britain for territory and power. Britain sent 1,400 soldiers to Virginia to finish the job that Washington had begun. They were led by a general named Edward Braddock. Two thirds of the soldiers were killed. The turning point came in 1759, when british troops captured canada. Afterwards, Britain and France signed a treaty ending the war. -
Proclamation of 1763
After the long seven years of the French and Indian war, the colonists and the Native Americans still wanted to kill each other. So King George III said for all settlers to stay east of the Appalachian Mountains, and Indians west of it. Even then there were still problems going on with people crossing the line. So to solve this King George III expanded his army to 7,500 men in America. -
Stamp Act of 1765
The british government had other problems besides keeping colonists and Native Americans killing each other. They needed to figure out how to pay all the debts after the war. The solution was very clear to Prime Minister George Grenville, the leader of the british government. He thought that it was time for the colonists to pay their fair share, for them protecting them. In 1765, Grenville proposed a new act, called the Stamp Act. The law states that ALL paper needed a stamp on it. -
Boston Massacre
A small riot broke out in Boston. When the dust cleared, five Bostinians were dead and ten were injured. The bostinian people were trhrowing rocks and ice at British soldiers. One man even knocked a gaurd onto the ground. The other gaurds panicked and opened fire -
Intolerable Acts
Lord North and King George III agreed to pass a new set of laws in 1774. These laws were so harsh, that many colonist called them the Intolerable Acts. Boston Harbor was closed, the government of Matt was placed firmly under British control and British soldiers accused of murder were tried in England. -
Boston Tea Party
A law called the tea act was created. This created an uproar of protest. It was an attempt to trick the Americans into buying taxed tea but the Americans soon boycotted the goods. When the tea ships sailed in, the tea was thrown overboard by patriots dressed as the Mohawk Indians. -
First Continental Congress
About 50 leaders from 12 colonies meet in Philadelphia. The meeting brought together delegates from most of the British colonies. The delegates were used to thinking to themselves as citizens of their own colonies. Patrick Henry urged them to come together as one people. -
Second Continental Congress
The second Continental Congress happened after the Revolutionary war. The first Continental Congress meeting didn’t go as well as the second. Many more people across the 13 colonies came, like Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and Ben Franklin. The second Continental Congress was all about having their freedom away from Great Britain. -
Revolutionary War
The Revolutionary War was a war between Great Britain and the 13 colonies. John Adams had an idea. He proposed that Congress create a Continental Army made up of troops from all the colonies. People fighting against us, the British, were called Loyalist. France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic all provided supplies, weapons, and ammunition. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document that seperates us from King George III and Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the Congress sent a letter to King George III called the Olive Branch Petition asking to end the quarrels. People were still horrified, until Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet known as common sense. John Locke thought the laws should be based on the "Nature of Laws". Amoung these laws were the rights to Liberty and Equality. -
Articles of Confederation
The artyicles of Confederation was the first constitution of the United States. Under the Articles of Confederation, the states held most of the power. The national government could not collect taxes or settle disputes between states. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was a peace treaty stating that United states was recognized by Great Britain as an independent nation. Britain agreed to give up all land from the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi River, and from Canada south to Flordia. United states agreed to give all rights and property back to the loyalists. Many Loyalist didn't trust the Treaty so more than 80,000 blacks and white Loyalists left and settled in British Canada. -
Shays' Rebellion
Under the Articles of Confederation, the nation had seroius money problems. The money shortage was particularly hard on farmers who could not earn enough to pay their debts and taxes. Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer rebelled. Shays and his follweres closed down courthouses and marched on the national arsenal. Massachusettes ended Shays' Rebellion by sending militia troops to Springfield. -
Costitutional Convention
Because of Shays' Rebellion, Congress was shocked into calling a convention to consider the situation of the United States. Congress wanted to revise the Articles of Confederation. The Connecticut Compromise (known as the GREAT COMPROMISE) was an agreement between the small and large states. The THREE-FIFTHS COMPROMISE, was an agreement stating that each slave would count as three-fifths of a person. Congress also came up with a way to elect the government's leaders called the ELECTORAL COLLEGE. -
Northwest Ordinance
The Nortwest Ordinance was adopted by the Second Continental Congress. It was used to show the new territory that they won, and how it can become a new state. Also it showed where the new territory that we won. -
Consitution
The constitution was a document that united all the people under many basic rules and laws. The FEDERALISTS PAPERS were a document that expalines the the powers between the three branches. ANTI-FEDERALISTS were people who didn't belive in the constitution. The PREAMBLE was the firat section of the constitution that stated the goals of the goverenment. JAMES MADISON and ALEXANDER HAMILTON led the federalists campaing for ratification. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights are the first 10 Amendments in the Constitution. The MAGNA CARTA was signed in 1215 by King John, stating that even the monarch (leader) wasn't above the law. September 1789, the first 12 Amendments were sented to Congress from Virginia to get RATIFIED.
