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Period: to
1600-1700
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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was caused by France's expansion in the Ohio Valley which interfered with British territory. In 1756, Britain declared war against France, but the lack of interest at home and Native American support of the French harmed Britain in the war. When William Pitt became the new British leader, the war took a turn in favor of Britain. The British had their first victory in 1758 at Louisburg followed by other victories which led to the Treaty of Paris which ended the war. -
Invention of Steam Engine
Before the 18th century, water was removed by using a pulley system with animals. In 1698, James Savory got a patent for his pump that used vaporized water to pull water from mines, however, his design caused explosions, so Thomas Newcomen designed the machine in a more effective, but also inefficient way. James Watt started experimenting with the design which led to a breakthrough in 1765, the use of a separate condenser in a machine. -
Boston Massacre
Private Hugh White was the only Soldier guarding the King's money. Colonists eventually came and started harassing White. White, in turn, tried to fight back but had to call in reinforcements, which led Captain Thomas Preston to arrive with several soldiers. The colonists then struck the soldiers with clubs and sticks. What happened next is speculated, but apparently "fire" was said which led to soldiers firing into the crowd killing 5 colonists and wounding 6. -
Boston Tea Party
On December 16th, 1773, a large group of men, believed to be Sons of Liberty, dressed as Native Americans, boarded docked ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into the sea. Due to their disguise only one member of the tea dumping, Francis Akeley, was arrested and imprisoned. Britain responded with the Coercive acts which included the closing of the Boston Harbor, the ending of the Massachusetts Constitution, which required colonists to quarter to British soldiers. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
700 British troops arrived in Lexington which outnumbered the American militiamen. A shot then rang out and British volleys were released. Eight Americans were killed and nine were wounded while only one British soldier was injured. The British continued to Concord where they burned the little military supplies available. American militiamen went to Concord North Bridge where they encountered more British soldiers who fired first but eventually retreated when colonists returned the volley. -
Declaration of Independence
On July 4th, 1776, The Declaration of Independence was adopted which was divided into five sections the introduction, a preamble, a two-section body, and a conclusion. The intro stated that the colonies wanted independence while the rest basically listed grievances against Britain. Thomas Jefferson is accredited with being the author of the Declaration of Independence. -
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was an American defeat over the British. Colonel John Stark led a troop of 2,000 mostly untrained soldiers to defeat a well-equipped and well-trained army. American military stores were saved and a large number of British soldiers were wounded, captured, or killed, -
Battle of Yorktown
American and French troops arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia in 1781. Both troops fought against the British for several days. Eventually, the British were surrounded by enemy fire and were unable to receive aid, so they surrendered. -
Treaty of Paris
After the Battle of Yorktown, the Continental Congress sent a group of men to Britain to negotiate a peace treaty. The Treaty was favorable to the U.S. due to the new prime minister wanting to build a lucrative trade alliance. Some of the terms of the treaty were the recognition of America as a country, defining the U.S. border, securing fishing rights, opening up the Mississippi River, resolving American debt to British creditors, and providing fair treatment to loyalists. -
Storming of Bastille
On July 14th, a huge crowd with weapons gathered around the Bastille. At first, they were able to be held back, as the crowd grew they could no longer defend the Bastille. The defenders of the Bastille were taken into custody where weapons were taken, and prisoners were freed.