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Treaty of Paris (the end of the French & Indian War)
The terms of the treaty gave Canada to Great Britian. Great Britian gained all French land east of the Mississippi River except the city of New Orleans and two small islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Treaty of Paris changed the balance of power in North America. -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act is passed to raise money for Britian. Samuel Adams founded the Committees of Correspondence so communication can be improved between the colonies. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act taxed newspapers, licenses, and colonial paper products. A series of solutions was published by the colonists stating the reasons that the Stamp Act violates there rights. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts placed acts placed duties on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea. To enforce these acts the British officals used writs of assistance. Writs of assistance allowed tax collectors to search for smuggled goods. Colonists hated these laws because they took power away from the colonial government. -
Boston Tea Party
The Tea Act was passed by King Geore III that banded the colonists from buying any kind of tea but British tea. The colonists protested by dumping British tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Boston Massacre
A British soldier standing guard got into an argument with a colonist and the soldier hit him. Soon a crowd gathered and a small number of troops arrived. Only three people died but there was only one side to the story and that was the colonists and they refered to it as a massacre. -
Tea Act
Parliment agreed and passed the Tea Act which aloud the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonists. This act mant the colonists could only buy British tea. -
The Intolerable Acts
The British closed the Boston Harbor and forced the colonists to house soldiers. The British hoped that these acts would bring back order in the colonies. -
First Continental Congress
The delegates compromised and encouraged the colonists to continue boycotting British goods but told colonial militias to prepare for war. Meanwhile, they drafted Declaration of Rights, a list of 10 resolution to be presented to King George III. Its goal was to state the colonists' concerns and ask the king to correct the problems. -
Declaration of Rights
The Declaration of Rights was a list of ten resolutions to be presented to the king of Great Britian. It included the colonists' right to "life, liberty, and property." -
Battles at Lexington and Concord
Patriot captian Parker yelled at his troops, "Don't fire unless fired upon." Then suddenly a shot rang out and the fighting began. -
Second Continental Congress
King George III refused to address the concerns the First Continental Congress wrote in the Declaration of Rights. The delegates authorized the Massachusetts militia to become the Continental Army. They also elected George Washington to command the army. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The British slodiers retreated twice then decided to try one more time but by then the colonists were all out of ammunition, and were forced to retreat. Even though the Patriots lost, they proved they could take on the Redcoats. -
Paine's Common Sense
Paine's Common Sense pamphlet was forty-seven pages long and was distributed in Philadelphia. The Common Sense pamphlet changed the way many colonists viewed the king. -
Battle of New York
General Howe pounded the Continental Army, forcing it to retreat across the Hudson River. While the British were forcing the Patriots out of New York, they took supplies and captured Patriots. Howe's revenge for his defeat at Boston was complete. -
Declaration of Independance
The Declaration of Independance formally announced the colonies' break form Great Britian. It expressed three main ideas. First Jefferson argued that all people possess unalienable rights. Next, Jefferson asserted that King George III had violated the colonists' rights by tacing them without their consent. Third, Jefferson stated that the colonies had to break from Britian. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington and his troops crossed the Delavare River during the night so the Hessians wouldn't see them. When Washington's troops attacked the Hessians, they attempted to form but they were so under artilllery fire. Rahl's troops retreated to an orchard in the South East of the town where they surrendered. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the Revolutionary War. It was the greatest victory yet for the American forces. -
Battle of Yorktown
In early October, Washington planned a major attack on the British troops. Facing defeat General Cornwallis surrendered. -
The Treaty of Paris (that ended the Revolutionary War)
Great Britian finally recognizes United States independence. The treaty also sets American borders. British leaders also accept American rights to settle and trade west of the original thirteen colonies.
