-
War ends
The French and Indian War ends. British Parliament turns its attention to regulating the
colonies in America. -
Stamp act starts
In an effort to help pay for the French and Indian War, Parliament passes the Stamp Act,
which requires colonists in North America to pay taxes on printed papers and other items.
It is the first tax that applies equally to all the colonies. To American colonists, the Stamp
Act is a flagrant denial of their rights as Britons. The law is widely and vigorously protested,
and, in several colonies, stamp distributors are threatened and forced to resign. -
Stamp Act gone, Declaratory Act made
Parliament repeals the Stamp Act but passes the Declaratory Act, which asserts Parliament’s right to tax the colonies. -
Townshend Duties are made
Parliament passes the Townshend Duties, which levy taxes on colonists for imports of tea, glass, paper, lead, and paint. -
Boston Massacre
British troops in Boston fire into a crowd of colonists, resulting in five deaths. The event is dubbed “the Boston Massacre” by angry colonists. Parliament repeals the Townshend Duties, except for the tax on tea. -
Tea Act made
Parliament passes the Tea Act, levying a tax that many colonists believe to be unfair, even though it lowers the price of tea. The lower price undercuts even smuggled tea—a trade in which many colonists participate as either sellers or buyers—and encourages colonists to
buy the taxed tea. -
Boston Tea Party
Angry colonists protest the Tea Act by dumping more than three hundred
chests of tea into Boston Harbor -
to June Intolerable Acts
The Coercive Acts (also known as the Intolerable Acts) include the Boston Port Bill, prohibiting ships from loading or unloading in Boston until the city pays for damages from the destruction of the tea in December 1773 -
Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia with representatives from twelve colonies. Soon afterward, the Continental Association, a nonimportation agreement that will halt trade with Britain, is drafted and signed. -
MPC wants to create militia
The Massachusetts Provincial Congress (an illegal body) requests that towns raise militia and gathers military supplies. -
Massachusetts considered to be in rebelion
Parliament declares Massachusetts to be in rebellion. British governor General Thomas Gage is authorized to use force to control the colony. -
First Battles
Parliament declares Massachusetts to be in rebellion. British governor General Thomas Gage is authorized to use force to control the colony. -
The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia.
The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia. -
George Washington takes command
George Washington takes command of American troops outside Boston.Americans inflict heavy casualties on British troops at Bunker and Breed’s Hills before retreating. -
Olive Branch Pention
The Continental Congress adopts the Olive Branch petition, which declares Americans’ loyalty but repeats grievances. -
America is in rebelion
King George III declares the American colonies in rebellion. This declaration authorizes the British government to use force. -
Use of slaves in battle(Britain).
The royal governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, forms a regiment of former slaves to fight for the British by promising them freedom after their service.News reaches the American colonies that King George has declared all the colonies in rebellion. -
Quebec invasion failed
An attempted American invasion of Quebec is defeated; Canada remains under British control. -
Norfolk burnt; Book ,Common Sense Published
Though American troops are mostly to blame, virtually all Americans believe that Virginia royal governor Lord Dunmore’s troops burn the city of Norfolk. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense is published. It strongly influences American colonists to favor independence from Great Britain. -
William Howe leaves to Nova Scotia
American troops outside Boston force the withdrawal of British troops
under General William Howe. Howe sails for Nova Scotia; hundreds of loyalist citizens leave with him. -
Governments in colonies are recommended
The Continental Congress recommends that the colonies form new
governments. France begins secretly sending money and military supplies to the rebellious colonies. -
Declaration of Independence adopted
The Second Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence. The document itself is not signed until August 2. -
Lord Howe, William Howe's brother goes to America; and brings an army
Admiral Richard, Lord Howe, the appointed commander in chief of British forces in North America, arrives off New York. He carries royal commissions for himself and his younger brother, General Howe, to reconcile rebellious colonists with Britain and reinstitute royal government. General Howe returns to the colonies with thousands of troops and hundreds of warships. He lands unopposed on Staten Island, New York. -
Long Island captured by British
General Howe returns to the colonies with thousands of troops and hundreds of warships. He lands unopposed on Staten Island, New York. -
General John Sullivan carries message to Continental Congress
Captured American general John Sullivan agrees to carry a message
suggesting peaceful reconciliation with Britain from Admiral Howe to the Continental Congress -
Conference held
Captured American general John Sullivan agrees to carry a message
suggesting peaceful reconciliation with Britain from Admiral Howe to the Continental Congress -
Britain occupies New York
General Howe attacks American troops on Manhattan. British troops occupy New York City. The Continental army retreats to a tenuous foothold in New York at Fort Washington. Coincidentally, around the same time American forces retreat, fire devastates New York City. -
Continental Army moves to New Jersey
General Howe captures Fort Washington. The Continental army escapes to New Jersey, where British forces harry its retreat.Admiral Howe issues a proclamation in New Jersey offering protection to anyone who takes an oath of loyalty to the British Crown. More than five thousand civilians present themselves to British officers to obtain “protection papers.” -
Continental Army move to Pennsylvania
The Continental army crosses the Delaware River from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to escape British troops. General Washington warns the Congress that he cannot protect Philadelphia if the British choose to attack. The Congress disbands to reconvene in Baltimore -
British take Rhode Island
British troops commanded by General Henry Clinton capture Newport, Rhode Island, without a fight. -
Charles Lee captured by British
American general Charles Lee, the second-highest-ranking general in the American army, is captured by the British in New Jersey -
American Crisis published
Thomas Paine publishes the first in a series of essays collectively known as The American Crisis. The pamphlet helps rally American support for the beleaguered Continental army. As a result of enemy plundering, militia units form to harry British troops in New Jersey. -
George Washington crosses Delaware River
General Washington leads several hundred American troops across the Delaware River and successfully attacks a Hessian garrison at Trenton. -
George Washington uses Delaware Rive again; local militia attack enemy outposts
General Washington leads troops across the Delaware River a second time, successfully attacking a British force at Princeton.
Local militia troops aggressively attack enemy outposts and patrols throughout the winter. They keep British troops on a constant and
exhausting state of alert. -
British win Battle of Germantown; British general surrenders after Saratoga
The battle of Germantown is a British victory. General Washington is
forced to retreat. British general John Burgoyne surrenders his army to American forces in New York after the Saratoga campaign. -
Articles of Congress
The Articles of Confederation are approved by the Congress and sent to the states for ratification. -
France Allies itself with America
General Washington’s army settles in winter quarters at Valley Forge,
Pennsylvania. France recognizes the independence of the United States. By the terms of France’s alliance with the United States, each country agrees not to make a separate peace with Britain until American independence is secured. -
French troops go to America
Several thousand French troops begin arriving in the United States as a result of the treaty of alliance between the two nations. -
British forces capture Charleston, South Carolina
British forces capture Charleston, South Carolina -
Benedict Arnold goes to British
American general Benedict Arnold deserts the American cause and joins the British. A plot whereby he would have surrendered West Point, New York, to the British is foiled by the nearly accidental capture of his British contact, Major John André. -
The Articles of Confederation become law.
The Articles of Confederation become law. -
Lord Cornwallis surrenders
British general Lord Charles Cornwallis surrenders his army to General Washington as a result of the siege of Yorktown, Virginia. -
Popular support for war in Britain gone down
British popular support for the war, waning even before Yorktown, results in the defeat of the pro-war government of the prime minister, Lord North. -
Treaty of Paris made
The Treaty of Paris, negotiated by American delegates John Adams, John Jay, and Benjamin Franklin, is signed. Britain recognizes the United
States as an independent nation. European powers agree that the new nation will possess the land between the borders of Spanish-owned Florida and British-owned Canada, west to the Mississippi River. -
Congress requests that the states ratify a new constitution.
Congress requests that the states ratify a new constitution. -
The U. S. Constitution is ratified and becomes law.
The U. S. Constitution is ratified and becomes law.