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Proclamation of 1763
Proclamation imposed by the British to stop the French and Indian war and create a western border for the colonies. Most colonists ignored this proclamation. -
Sugar Act
This act was written to discourage smuggling of sugar and tax the importation of sugar and other goods. -
Stamp Act
This act placed a tax on almost all printed documents. This was the first direct tax on the colonists. It was widely protested by groups such as the Sons of Liberty. -
Townsend Act
These taxes were placed on 72 everyday items. The revenue generated was used to pay British authorities in the colonies. Colonists protested the act, leading to the Boston Massacre. -
Tea Act
This act gave the East Indian Tea company the exclusive right to sell tea directly to the colonists. Even though it lowered the price of tea, colonists till continued to buy smuggled tea. Protests of it led to the Boston Tea Party. -
Intolerable Acts
These acts were imposed in response to the Tea Party and included 5 smaller Acts. They closed Boston harbor, extended Quebec's border south, changed the MA legislature so that the king appointed Governor had more power, and allowed British officials to be tried in Britain for crimes. These acts led to the american revolution and caused the colonies o unite together. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
These battles are considered to the last rebellion of the revolution, and the start of a unified colonial army against the British. the British were searching for weapons in concord, and because they were warned that the British were coming, 2000 colonists gathered to fight the 700 British soldiers. The British retreated to Boston because of this. -
The Colonists declare their Independence
The congress voted that America was free and signed the Declaration of independence. This declared the the colonists were free to British rule and they were willing and ready to fight them. the declaration was mainly a list of grievances about why the colonists deserved to be free, but it also said "all men are created equal," a new idea at the time. -
The Battle of Saratoga
This battle was a major colonial victory. The British general Burgoyne surrendered his entire army because of the colonist force. This victory boosted colonial morale, and helped them to start winning more. By showing that they could defeat a large British army, the colonists gained support from foreign powers. -
The Battle of Yorktown
The french navy arrived and blocked the British escape by sea, while the colonists and french soldiers trapped them by land. This forced General Cornwallis to surrender his army of 8000 men. This battle won the war, and led to the treaty of pairs being singed.