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Great Awakening
The Great Awakening was when the colonists' faith was awaken due to a widespread series of revivals. Preachers believed that the people’s faith was no longer as strong as it was. They started to preach and hold church meetings to renew people's faith. The colonist split into two groups’ of people. Old lights who did not believe and new lights who did. It led the colonist to question British authority. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War caused Britain to get deeply into debt. Both the French and British wanted to trade with colonies so, they fought a war over who could trade with the colonies. Several Indian tribes sided with the French and some with the British. The British ended up winning the war and most Colonist and British were happy. The war caused the Proclamation of 1763 and all the acts that taxed the Colonist. -
Proclamation of 1763
The colonist wanted to settle west after the French and Indian War. In doing so, they invaded the Indians land. The Indians rebelled and attacked the Colonist. The British wanted to prevent further fighting so; they issued the Proclamation of 1763. The proclamation said that Colonist could not settle farther west than the Appalachians Mountains. The Colonist hated this and some refused to obey it. It showed how different the Colonist and British views were. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act taxed the colonist on sugar and molasses. The British needed to pay for the French and Indian War and they felt that the colonist were not doing their fair share in paying for the war. The tax on sugar was raised and colonists hated it. They felt it was unfair that they had no say in raising the tax and it led to rebellion and boycott. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act made colonists have a stamp on nearly every item made of paper. If you bought something that was made of paper it was stamped and you had to pay a tax on it. The colonists boycotted it and the British repealed the act. This act was caused by the French and Indian War and it caused other acts to follow. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act taxed the colonists on paper, glass, tea, lead, and paint. Many of the items that were imported were taxed and the people who collected the tax were given a write of assistance. This allowed them to search for smuggled goods. Again, it was caused by the French and Indian War and it led to the Boston Massacre. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a fight between the colonist and British soldiers. Britain had sent soldiers to try and calm down the tension caused by the Townshend Act. Five colonists were killed so the British repealed the act. However, it then led to the Tea Act so Britain could still have some control over the colonies. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act was created so the British would still have control over the colonies. It gave the East Indian Company a monopoly over the colonies so they could trade directly with them. The company got its tea and Britain got its tax. Everyone was happy but, the colonies. The colonist feared that the cheap tea would put store owners out of business. This act was caused by the Boston Massacre and it led the colonist to unite and caused the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was the colonist acting out against the British and the Tea Act. Three ships filled with tea arrived in Boston Harbor the colonist demanded that they leave while the governor demanded that they unload the tea. Afraid to anger either side the ships lay in the harbor for weeks. Colonist then dressed then up as Indians, boarded, and threw the tea over board. The British closed the harbor until the colonist paid for the tea and created the Intolerable Acts. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were caused by the Boston Tea Party. The Intolerable Acts were made up of four rules to keep the colonists in line. The first rule was Boston Harbor was to be shut down until the tea was paid for by the colonists. The second rule was the colonists' legislators could not meet until the governor said when and where. Trials concerning the colonists and British soldiers stationed in the colonies were to be held in England was the third rule. -
Intolerable Acts 2
The Quartering Act was the fourth rule and it stated that the colonists must house and feed British soldiers. For the colonists, this was the final act that caused the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Lexington/Concord
The Battle of Lexington/Concord was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The King had sent British soldiers to go to Concord where the colonists were keeping their weapons and take them. The colonists had people stationed on the river and road leading to Concord so they could tell which way the British were coming. Paul Revere was at one of the stations when the British passed him. He rode to warn the people and gathered the minutemen by shouting "The British are coming!" -
Battle of Lexington/Concord2
The minutemen, colonists who could get ready for battle in a minute, and the British troops met at Lexington. Someone fired the first shot of the war which is now called "The shot heard around the world." The British had no losses and the colonists lost a few men. This battle led to the Battle of Bunker Hill. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was when the British had retreated to Boston and colonist lay siege to the city. The British decided to take Charlestown that was across from Boston. The colonist however had been warned a head of time of their plan. The night before the British attacked the colonist prepared to defend it. There were two hills near by Breed's Hill and Bunker Hill. -
Battle of Bunker Hill2
The British even after seeing the colonists defending it decided to attack anyway. Most of the fighting took place on Breed's Hill and although the colonist lost the British lost many men. So for the colonist it was a victory for them. This battle led to the pamphlet Common Sense by Thomas Paine. -
Common Sense
Common Sense was a pamphlet made by Tomas Paine. It was after the battle of Bunker Hill when he wrote it. It spoke out against the British and said the Colonies should break off from Britain. It said why the Colonies deserved their independence and many people bought it. 120,000 copies were sold in the Colonies and 500 copies were sold in Europe. It spoke the message plainly and many people could understand it. It led to other colonies creating the Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence of was written by Thomas Jefferson after a Congressional Committee asked him to. It states the reasons why they were breaking off from Britain. It had the self evident truths life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. The reason of government, reasons of altering and abolishing government, and the list of grievances against the king. Also that the states had full power as states, that they are free and independent from England, and each state is independent. -
Declaration of Independence2
It did not cause the war or end it but it stated the reasons for it. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a great victory for the colonist. After the battle allies joined with the colonists. The British, after they started fighting thought that backup troops were on their way. But what they didn't know was that the troops were bogged down and behind schedule. As a result, the British were out numbered. The Colonists won the battle and this was one of the battles that led to the end of the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the final major battle of the war. The British after winning several earlier battles wanted more control. They took Yorktown and the Colonists laid siege to Yorktown. The French allies had a fleet that prevented the British Navy from helping the British troops. The generals of the colonial troops sent reinforcement troops laying siege to Yorktown. As a result the British troops surrendered. The defeat led to the treaty of Paris and the end of the Revolutionary War. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris officially ended war. It took two years to put into effect but the colonies got the freedom they wanted. It started a new country. With the treaty the colonies became states with their independence. Also thanks to the treaty many people started moving west. The battle that led to the treaty was the Battle of Yorktown. That was the Treaty of Paris that ended the war.
