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1492
Columbus Lands in the Americas
Columbus leaves Spain and sails west to find India and China, but he lands in the Americas. This opens up exploration and settlement in America -
Jamestown is Founded
The first settlers arrived in Jamestown, Virginia from England. They faced challenges and got many resources in the end. -
Pilgrims Land in Plymouth
The Puritans traveled from England to the Americas on the Mayflower and landed in Plymouth. This is a new beginning for religious people who now have religious freedom. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indians fought against the British Colonists over land in America. The British ended up winning and gaining land up to the Mississippi River. -
Albany Plan of Union
Ben Franklin attempted to gather all the colonies together and unite together. They declined, and the war was more difficult to win because they weren't together. -
Treaty of Paris
After the war, this allowed the colonists to settle up until the Mississippi River. This allowed the colonies to get more resources and wealth. -
Proclamation of 1763
The British king banned the colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. The colonies didn't like this because they wouldn't be able to gather as much resources. -
The Stamp Act
The British made the colonies use stamps for every piece of paper used. The colonists protested, and eventually got the act cancelled -
The Quartering Act
The British sent soldiers into the colonies and made the colonists pay for the housing. The New York assembly refused and got punished. -
The Townshend Act
The British government put duties on imports from Britain because they were in debt. This caused the colonists to start working together and making their own things. -
The Boston Massacre
Accidental violence caused a lot of commotion in Boston when a soldier accidentally shot someone. This sparked even more tension between the two and further impacted their relationship. -
Tea Act
This act caused all tea imported from Britain to have a certain tax on it. This sparked the Boston Tea Party, and the Bostonians rebelling against the British government -
The Boston Tea Party
Tons of Bostonian Patriots dressed as Natives snuck onto ships, and then destroyed tea, and dumped it into the water. This sparked the American Revolution and showed the British people they wanted representation. -
Intolerable (Coercive) Acts
The Coercive Acts were 3 laws passed by parliament that punished the colonists for trying to rebel. The colonists protested these acts, and then war began. -
First Continental Congress
The congress gathered together and wanted peace, and to coerce economics. After the meeting, they sanctioned all of the British goods. -
Battle of Lexington
After troops had marched into Lexington, a battle was fought between the colonists and the British soldiers. After some deaths in this battle, the American Revolution had begun. -
Battle of Concord
British troops had marched into Concord in search of finding the colonist's hidden weapons. After no such luck, they began their retreat back to Boston with the rest of the troops. -
Period: to
The American Revolution
The British and the colonists began to fight in a huge war consisting of many battles, which were very important to the revolution. The colonists ended up winning and they gained their independence. -
Second Continental Congress
Representatives came from each of the colonies discussing their plan for defense, and how they no longer wanted peace and George Washington was named commander. The colonists have changed, and are now ready for war. -
Olive Branch Petition
A document written by the colonists, in an attempt to avoid war, and bring peace between the colonists and the British. The British ignored this offer, and this would begin the war. -
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine was convinced that independence was the next step for the colonies. He wrote a document talking about how he wanted war and independence. -
Declaration of Independence
After the American Revolution had been fought, Thomas Jefferson wrote this document about their freedom. They stated why they rebelled, and all of the bad things the British had done. -
Shays's Rebellion
The Americans had no money to pay for military expenses, and started taxing everyone, Daniel Shays and other farmers protested the taxing. They were rebelling, because it had worked for the colonists to lower British taxes. -
Congress Ratifies the Constitution
The U.S. Congress ratified the constitution after a long debate that the federalists won. This constitution became our government and what everyone looks up to. -
Whiskey Rebellion
Farmers were mad that they were being taxed while selling whiskey, and they went on a big rebellion and marched to Pittsburgh. George Washington didn't want the nation to split up, and he solved the problem with the forces of the military. -
XYZ Affair
The French had allied with the U.S. during their revolution and the U.S. did not help them in return. The United States then broke their treaty by becoming friends with Britain which made the French very angry. -
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a battle between the British and the Americans. Although there was no real winner, it was an important battle because it showed that America was strong and could compete with large nations