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Treaty of Paris
This is the treaty that officially ends the Seven Years War in 1763, with a British victory. Britain gains control of the land east of the Mississippi river, and south of Canada.
Tension between the 13 colonies and Britain begin, as Britain takes back the freedom it once gave the colonies. -
Period: to
The American revolution
War of Independence -
Proclamation of 1763
No settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains is allowed -
Sugar Act
Taxes on Molasses. -
Stamp Act
Tax on any printed material. Sparks the rise of the Sons of Liberty! -
Townshend Acts
Tax on all imported goods.
Impact/ Significance-
• Replaces the Stamp Act
• First indirect tax, unlike the Stamp, Townshend, and the Sugar act.
• Rise of “No taxation without representation” -
Boston Massacre
When a fist fight erupts between the colonists and the British soldiers. After the fight a mob gathers in front of the Customs House and mocks the guards. A shot was fired and soon five colonists lay dead, including Crispus Attucks. -
Boston Tea Party
When the Tea Act hurts the British East India Company they make an agreement to eliminate the tax on tea; however, the colonial merchants still had to sell tea with the tax. The colonists become upset because they wanted to buy the tea from their own merchants, but they refused to pay the tax. As a result of this act, the colonists dressed as Native Americans and boarded British ships. On board they destroyed the cargo and threw approximately 18,000 pounds of tea into the Harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
These acts were a form of punishment for the colonists:
• Shuts down Boston Harbor
• Quartering Act- housing of British soldiers in vacant houses or unused bedrooms.
• Martial law is imposed to keep the peace, by use of military force.
• General Thomas Gage becomes the new governor of Massachusetts. He is the Chief of British forces in North America -
First Continental Congress
Former committee of correspondence becomes the first continental congress in September 1774. 56 delegates were at the meeting and drew up a declaration of the rights of the colonists. At the meeting the delegates decided that if the British were to use force, they would fight back and declare war. -
Lexington and Concord
General Gage orders British troops to march to Concord, Massachusetts, and seize colonial weapons. The Minutemen intercept the British and engage in a battle in Lexington and then Concord. Paul Revere takes his famous Midnight Ride. The colonists clear out their arsenal and the British are forced to go back towards Boston. Before they could arrive though they enountered between 3,000-4,000 minutemen. It was a British loss and an American victory! -
Second Continental Congress
Congress agrees to call the colonial army the Continantal Army and appoints George Washington as the Commander of it. The Congress also authoirzed the printing of paper money to pay the troops, and organized a commitee to deal with foriegn relations.
During the meeting their was much discussion debating over whether the Congress should declare independence. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
British troops led by Thomas Gage decide to stike against the militia fort a top of Breed's Hill. The British struck hard and came in 3 waves of attacks. The Militiamen could not withstand the third attack becasue they ran out of ammunition. Even though the British won this battle they suffered far more casualties than the colonists. This was the deadliest battle of the war. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Second Continental Congress sends King George III this petition to urge a harmony between Britain and the Colonists. King George rejects the petition and ordered a naval blocade of the American Coast. -
Battle at Philadelphia
Washington is unsuccessful in his attempt to block the British at the Brandywine Creek. The British seizes Philadelphia, which is home to many loyalists **I am not sure of the actual date -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write this declaration. Inspired by John Locke he wrote about the people's natural rights to "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The declaration was also greatly inspired by Thomas Paine. In the original draft Jefferson included the injustice and cruelty of the slave trade, but in order to gain the support of Georgia and South Carolina, Jefferson had to drop that passage. The document was officially adopted on July 4, but voted upon on July 2. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington leads about 2,400 men across the Delaware River in small rowboats, in a single night, without being detected. After crossing the River the men marched for miles in the sleet and snow. They made a surpirse attack on a Hession war post, and succeed in taking 918 captives and 6 cannons. 8 days later the Americans win the battle at Princeton -
Battle of Saratoga
General Burgoyne and General Howe devise a plan in which they isolate New England from the rest of the colonies. The two generals split the troops and went serperate ways planning on meeting in New York.The two never ended up meeting.
American troops surrounded General Burgoyne's troops in Saratoga where the British surrender to Genreral Gates. This Battle causes the British to change their battle stategy and force them to remain closer to the coast where they can recieve reinforcements easier. -
Valley Forge
The camp at which the Continental Army stayed at during the winter of 1777. Though conditons were horrible and many people froze and starved to death, Washington stayed with the army. Marquis De Lafayette and Friedrich von Steuben offers their military assistance and help train the Continental Army during the winter. -
British Capture Charles Town, South Carolina
The greatest victory for the British. They capture 5, 500 American soldiers as prisoners of war, under the leadership of General Cornwallis. Cornwallis is aslo able to capture just about all of South Carolina. -
Battle of Yorktown
French troops arrive in 1781, just in time to help the American Army with their seige of Yorktown. Under the leadership of Marquis de Lafayette the American and French troops close in on General Cornwallis. The French defeat a Britsh flee t and are able to prevent any British rescue from sea. The French and american troops surround Yorktown and engage in heavy bombardment for days. After 3 weeks General Cornwallis finally surrenders. This is the beginning of peace talks. -
Treaty of Paris
Confirms the United States independant from Britain and extends the boundaries of the U.S. from the Mississippi river to the Atantic Ocean, and South of Canda to Florida. The Treaty did not protect the land rights of the Natives. It also did not specify when the British would evacuate their American Forts.
