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1492
Columbus lands in the Caribbean
Columbus tried to go to Asia but ended up in the Caribbean Islands. He found new land so that people could colonize. -
Foundation of Jamestown
English settlers created a new colony in Virginia. It was the first permanent English settlement in America and was the foundation for many more colonies to come. -
Pilgrims landed in Plymouth
The pilgrims had come from England in search of America and landed at Plymouth Rock, far from their intended destination. They founded the Plymouth colony and wrote the Mayflower Compact which shaped democracy today. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was the French and natives against the British colonies and England that lasted for 7 years. It ended salutary neglect, gave the British colonies more land, put England in debt, and left little French influence on the natives. -
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin proposed that the colonies all unite for his Join or Die plan in order to fight the French. His plan was rejected and showed how much the colonies valued their independence. -
Treaty of Paris
The French surrendered the Mississippi River land to the British. This gave the British lots of new land and led to little French influence in North America. -
Proclamation of 1763
The British king declared that the colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. This stirred up tension between the colonists and the British. -
Stamp Act
The British passed the law that every single piece of paper the colonists buy had to be on stamp paper. This tax led to many protests in the colonies and a rising tension between the colonists and the British. -
Quartering Act
When the British repealed the Stamp Act they still needed money, so they passed the Quartering Act that demanded that colonists housed the soldiers and fed them. This led to many protests and New York's assembly getting suspended. -
Townshend Acts
The laws taxed the colonists on everyday items like candles and glasses and also increased the punishments for breaking the laws. This led to more troops coming to America. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a fight between the British soldiers and the colonists which ended in 5 people dying. This event led to further tensions as each side believed the other had started the fight even though both were at fault. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists snuck onto the British ships filled with tea dressed as Indians and dumped all of the tea overboard. This was a protest that showed the British that the colonists didn't want anything to do with the taxed British products. -
Tea Act
This was an agreement between the British Parliament and the East India Company that stated that no tea could be sold in the colonies if it wasn't from the East India Company. This provoked the colonists and led to the Boston Tea Party. -
Intolerable (Coercive) Acts
The Intolerable Acts were many laws passed by the British that made the colonists do things like pay taxes on everyday goods and house soldiers. The colonists hated these acts and it pushed them over the edge and eventually led to the revolution. -
1st Continental Congress
Representatives from the 13 colonies all gathered together to try to avoid war and value economic coercion. They decided to place sanctions on the nonimportation of British goods. -
Battle of Lexington
When the British came to Lexington to look for ammunition, the colonists surprised them with a revolt. This showed the British that the colonists were more prepared and angry than they thought. -
2nd Continental Congress
The representatives met a second time to change their plans to focus on defense. They created the Continental Army which fought back against the British. -
Battle of Concord
Colonists attacked the British soldiers stationed at the North Bridge and five people ended up dead. This showed the British soldiers that the colonists weren't afraid to attack. -
Period: to
American Revolution
The American Revolution was a series of battles between the colonists and the British that took place in America. It led to the colonies becoming independent. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was a petition from the colonists to the king begging to avoid a war and make peace. However, the king ignored this petition and the war begun. -
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Common Sense was a pamphlet that Thomas Paine wrote basically saying that it was only common sense to fight the British. This rallied the colonists to start the war. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written to the king to tell him why they wanted independence. The Declaration of Independence eventually led to the colonies breaking off from Britain. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was a formal document signed in Paris by the Patriots and the British. The treaty gave the colonists more land and granted their independence. -
Shay's Rebellion
Shay's Rebellion was the series of attacks on the government by the farmers for unfair taxes and debt deadlines. This showed the colonists that even with their own people governing, they would still have problems -
Congress ratifies the U.S. Constitution
The Congress accepted the U.S. Constitution and started following the laws it stated. This was the start of our government today and shows how people back then were so prepared in planning our government that it still stands today. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Whiskey was very popular within the farming community since it gave a use to spoiled corn. The government decided to put a tax on whiskey since it was so common to gain revenue. The farmers were very angry because of this tax and started to rebel and burn down houses of tax collectors. This shows how much the farmers valued their freedom of no taxes and would go to very far extent to not pay them. -
XYZ Affair
France sent three agents called XYZ to demand a bribe from the U.S. so that our diplomats could try to negotiate peace with the French. This showed how even though the U.S. was a younger, less stable country, it was full of patriotism and would do anything to keep it free and independent. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a war between the British and the Americans about trade policies and the impressment of U.S. sailors. This war helped the U.S. create a more peaceful relationship with the British and developed it into a more independent nation.