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The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War began in 1754 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The war provided Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America, but disputes over subsequent frontier policy and paying the war's expenses led to colonial discontent, and ultimately to the American Revolution. The French and Indian War was also called The Seven Year War. -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed between Britain, France, and Spain, this treaty formally marked the end of the Seven Years War. The definitive Treaty of Peace and Friendship between his Britannick Majesty, the Most Christian King, and the King of Spain. -
The Sugar Act
Enacted on April 5, 1764, to take effect on September 29, the new Sugar Act cut the duty on foreign molasses from 6 to 3 pence per gallon, retained a high duty on foreign refined sugar, and prohibited the importation of all foreign rum. -
The Currency Act
On September 1, 1764, Parliament passed the Currency Act, effectively assuming control of the colonial currency system. The act prohibited the issue of any new bills and the reissue of existing currency. -
The Quartering Act
The British parliamentary provision requiring colonial authorities to provide food, drink, quarters, fuel, and transportation to British forces stationed in their towns or villages. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required the colonists to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on various forms of papers, documents, and playing cards. It was a direct tax imposed by the British government without the approval of the colonial legislatures and was payable in hard-to-obtain British sterling, rather than colonial currency. -
The Boston Massacre
British sentries guarding the Boston Customs House shot into a crowd of civilians, killing three men and injuring eight, two of them mortally. -
The Gaspee Incident
Headed by a leading merchant, John Brown, eight boatloads of armed reputable citizens overpowered the crew of the Gaspee, which had run aground in pursuit of a smuggling vessel, disabled its commander, and set fire to the ship. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was a law in 1773 giving all control of the trade and delivery of tea to the East India Tea Company. During that time, British Parliament needed money, so the act also added a tax on tea, or money charged on each sale and given to the government. -
The Boston Tea Party
The demonstrators boarded the ships and threw the chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. The British government considered the protest an act of treason and responded harshly. -
The Coercive Act
The Coercive Acts of 1774, known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies, were a series of four laws passed by the British Parliament to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party. -
The Battle of Trenton
Despite the large number of Hessians that escaped Trenton, Washington still won a crucial strategic and material victory. In only one hour of fighting, the Continental Army captured nearly nine hundred Hessian officers and soldiers as well as a large supply of muskets, bayonets, swords, and cannons. -
The American Crisis
Thomas Paine's The American Crisis is a series of pamphlets published between 1776 to 1783 during the American Revolutionary War. Paine uses eloquent, emotional language to persuade the American people to support their states' new union and contribute to the revolutionary cause. -
The Declaration of Independence
It was an official act taken by all 13 American colonies in declaring independence from British rule. People in the colonies were unhappy that they did not have a say in their government and still had to pay taxes. -
The Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The American defeat of the superior British army lifted patriot morale, furthered the hope for independence, and helped to secure the foreign support needed to win the war. -
The Battle of Mountain
In nearby Logan County, police and miners clashed as fighting erupted at Blair Mountain. Miners, unified by their appalling treatment inside these mines, fought bravely for a week. The situation became so dangerous for nearby civilians that President Harding sent federals troops and warplanes to quell the uprising. -
The Constitution
The constitution was created on September 17,1787. It’s the supreme law of the land; no law may be passed that contradicts its principles. At the same time, it is flexible and allows for changes in the Government. The Constitution is known as a “living” document because it can be amended, although in over 200 years there have only been 27 amendments. -
The Fight for Ratification
A clash erupted over ratification, with the Anti-Federalists opposing the creation of a strong national government and rejecting ratification and the Federalists advocating a strong union and adoption of the Constitution.