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First Great Awakening
Beginning in the 1730s and ending in the 1780s, the First Great Awakening was a period in which religion and spirituality were greatly revived in the American colonies. -
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Year's War, was a conflict between the French, allied with several Native American tribes, and the British colonies of North America. This war rose General George Washington to a hero-like status in the colonies. The war resulted in a British victory, and concluded in 1763 through the Treaty of Paris. -
Pontiac's War
Pontiac's War began with the coalition of Native Americans against British rule in the Great Lakes. This war succeeded the French and Indian War. Natives from various tribes joined forces to chase English soldiers and settlers from their lands. However, their goal remained unfulfilled, and colonists continued to live on the land. -
First Continental Congress
Displeased and outraged by Great Britain's unfair taxation and treatment of the North American colonies, representative from each colony (with the exception of Georgia) met in Philadelphia in 1774 and heralded a boycott of British goods. -
American Revolutionary War
The American War for independence began in 1775 with the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The tension brewing between the British and the American colonists finally reached it's head, and spewed into the Revolutionary War, which would last for nearly 8 years. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document written by a committee, notably Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, and signed by the members of the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It listed man's "unalienable rights", and demanded Great Britain extend its colonies fairer treatment. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation was a loose tying together of the American colonies under a singular government, and allowed them to function more like a nation rather than a collective. However, the Articles of Confederation were considered too weak for a postwar government, and were replaced after the end of the Revolutionary War. -
Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights includes the first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution, and was made to protect the individual rights of citizens of the young nation. -
Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
The Fugitive Slave Act enabled the capturing and return of runaway slaves. This act was fiercely opposed by the Northern states and abolitionists, who often aided in the rescue of enslaved people.