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French and Indian War
The French and British constantly at war with each other over control of land in the New World. During this war, The French made allies with the Native Americans, who fought with them. The war ended in 1763 in the Plains of Abraham. British defeated the French in a surprise attack in Quebec. -
Writ of Assistance
The royal governor of Massachusetts passed the writs of assistance in 1761, which was, a search warrant that gave right to any British customs officials to search any colonial ship or building they believed held smuggle goods. The British officials did not need evidence to enter and search colonial homes. The merchants of Boston were outraged. -
Treaty of Pairs
The Treaty of Pairs was created by the British after wining the French and Indian war. This treaty gave Britain control over Canada and all of North America eat of the Mississippi River. The treaty allowed Spain to keep their land in New Orleans and west of the Mississippi River. The French continued to control a few Island and small colonies near Newfoundland by the West Indies. -
Sugar Act & Colonist Response
Sugar Act did 3 things, halved the duty of foreign made molasses hopping that they would pay the low tax instead of getting arrested for smuggling, started to tax items that were not taxed before, and colonist accused of violating the act were tried in a vice-admiralty court where one judge decides their fate. Colonist complained that the act would reduce their profit. The Merchants felt that Parliament had no right to tax the colonist because they had not elect representatives to the body. -
Proclamation of 1763
To not create conflict with the Native Americans the British government created a Proclamation that made it illegal for colonist to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains. Sadly, the colonist were to excited to expand that they ignored the proclamation and settled west of the mountains. -
Stamp Act an colonists response
This act created a tax on documents and printed items like wills, newspapers, and playing cards. To prove the tax has been paid they would put a stamp on the item. It was the first tax that affect colonist directly. because it imposed a tax on goods and serves. In May 1765 colonist united to reject the law and not follow it. -
Sons of Liberty is formed & Samuel Adams
The colonist united to reject the Stamp Act creating the Sons of Liberty. The colonist that united believed that Parliament was not aloud to tax them because the colonist were not represented in Parliament. Samuel Adams was one of the founders of the Sons of Liberty. Adams and all who joined Sons of Liberty boycotted all British goods. -
Declaratory Act
Once Parliament repealed the Stamp Act they passed the Declaratory Act. This act allowed Parliament's full right "to bind the colonies people of America in all cases whatsoever." -
Townshed Acts & Colonist Response. Why they were repealed?
The act created a series of laws that put taxes on British goods including, paint, paper, and tea. This caused the Sons of Liberty to boycott all British goods. The tension grew big and caused bloody clashes and tax protest. As they were getting close to war, the taxes raised only 290 pounds for the British and sending troops to Boston to start a war would cost 170, 000 pounds. This caused Parliament to repel the tax on everything except tea. -
Boston Massacre
A mob gather in front of the Boston Customs House and started to bother the British Soldiers. There were shots fired and five colonists were killed and or badly wounded. -
John Locke's Social Contract
One of the Enlightenment thinkers was English professor John Locke. Locke believe that people have nature right of life, liberty, and property. He also believed that every society is based on a social contract. Society should consent and obey the government as long as they provide the natural rights. Locke also feels people have the right to resist the government and even overthrow it. -
Tea Act
Lord North created the Tea Act to save the British East India Company from bankruptcy. The act allowed the tea company to sell their tea to the colonist tax free. This created tension and protest from the colonist because the act allowed the tea companies to sell the tea cheaper to the people and ruin the tea trade for colonist. -
Boston Tea Party
A large group of Boston protesters and rebels dressed up as Native Americans and headed towards the three British tea ships anchored in the harbor. The rebels dumped 18,000 pounds of the East Indian Company's tea into the Boston harbor. -
First Continental Congress Metting
56 delegates met in Philadelphia and drew up a Declaration of Colonial rights. They created a documents that defended their people and if the British should fight against the colonist they will fight back. -
Intolerable Acts - All Three Parts
King George III had Parliament pass an act that did three things. First, it shut down Boston harbor, second the Quartering Act allowed British solders to live in vacant homes and building, and finally General Thomas Gage who was commander in chief of the British forces in North America was the new governor of Massachusetts. -
Minutemen
Minutemen were civilian soldiers who were ready to fight against the British on a minute notice. They all got prepared by stocking fire arms and gun powered. General Gage learned about the minutemen and ordered troops to marched from Boston to Massachusetts to seize illegal weapons. -
Midnight Rides: Revere, Dawes, Prescott
Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott kept a look out for any word on the British. On April 18, 1775 they road out to spread word that 700 British troops were headed for Concord. The yelled, "The British are coming," letting everyone know that the redcoats/British were on their way. -
Battle of Lexington
As the British enter Lexington they saw 70 minutemen drawn up in lines waiting for them. The British ordered the guns to be put down but someone shot and then the battle begain. The battle lasted only 15 minutes, with 8 minutemen killed and 10 wounded, but only 1 British soldier was injured. This battle was the first battle of the American Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Concord
The British left Lexington and marched to Concord. The British found an empty arsenal and had a brief battle with minutemen. The Britsh then lined up to march to Boston but they were attacked by 3 to 4 thousand minutemen. The colonist hid behind stone walls and trees and left only a few British soldiers who made it back to Boston. Now the colonist had become enemies of Britain and And took control of Boston. -
Second Continental Congress
Colonist Leaders met in Philadelphia again to create their next move. Some delegates argued for independence and other wanted reconciliation with Great Britain. They came to conclusion that they recognize the colony militia as the Continental army and George Washington as commander. -
Continental Army
During the second Continental Congress meeting the delegates recognized the colonial militia as being the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
British general Thomas Gage decided to strike the colonist at Breed Hill. Gage send 2,400 soldiers up the hill where the colonist were. The colonist waited till the last second to shoot, but this battle ended up being the most deadliest battle of the America Revolution. The British suffered 1,000 casualties and the colonist suffered 450. -
Olive Branch Petition
Congress sent the King a a petition urging theme to return the former harmony between them. King George rejected the petition, and started a Proclamation that stated that the colonies were in rebellion. He also urge Parliament to create a naval blockade to isolate ships heading to American Coast. -
Declaration of Independence
Congress appointed Thomas Jefferson to prepare the final draft of the Declaration of Independence. Locke's idea of natural rights were used, and modified to everyone has the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights can never be taken away. People also have the right to alter or abolish the government. It also states that all men are created equal. America voted for Independence on July 2, 1776. On July 4, 1776 America adopted the Declaration of Independence. -
Redcoats push Washington's army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvannia
The British tried quietly to seize New York City to try to stop the American rebellion. The British came in summer of 1776 to New York with 32,000, soldiers. They included many German mercenaries who were hired German soldiers. The Continental army tried to defend New York but they were poorly equipped and the British pushed Washington's army across the Delaware River. -
Publication of Common Sense
A 50 page pamphlet called Common Sense created by Thomas Paine. Paine attacked King George and his government.. Paine believe that independence from Britain would allow america to trade more freely, and create a better society . The pamphlet sold 500,00 copies. -
Loyalist and Patriots
Loyalist were those who remained loyal the King George II, the British king and also they believed that the British was going to win, so they stay away from the rebels to avoid punishment.
Patriots were the ones who supported the independents. These are the people who believed that there is political and economic opportunity in an independent America. -
Washington's Christmas Night Surprise Attack
On December 25, 1776 Washington led 2,400 men in a small rowboat across the Delaware River. They marched to Trenton, NJ and defeated soldiers of Hessian in a surprise attack defeating them. -
Saratoga
Burgoyne planned to lead an army down from Canada to Albany where he would meet the British troops who were coming to New York City. Then they would come together and gain control of the rest of the colonies. As Burgoyne traveled and as minutemen were fighting him off he did not realize that his fellow troops were preoccupied in Philadelphia and was not there with him, Burgoyne surrendered in Saratoga. This even was the most important in the war. -
French-American Alliance
The French secretly helped the Patriots since 1776, but after Saratoga the French gain confidence in American and believed they could win the war. After that the French signed an alliance with America and joined them in the fight. -
British Victories in the South
Under General Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis the British started their operation to take over the south. In 1778, they took over Savannah, Georgia, Charles Town, South Carolina. After that, Clinton left for New York in May 1780 but Cornwall stayed to conquer land in the south. -
Valley Forge
Washington and his army were running low on food and supplies, plus they were fighting to stay alive in a winter camp in Valley Forget, Pennsylvania. Sadly, more than 2,000 soldiers died, but the soldiers stayed together and stayed strong through the suffering. -
Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayetta
Fredrich von Steuben helped the Continental army after Valley Forget in 1779. He was a Prussian captain and talented drill master which helped train and improve the army.
Marquis de Lafayetta was another foreign military leader. He arrived to offer helped. Lafayetta came to help from French reinforcement. He led and commanded in Virginia the last year of the war. -
British Surrender at Yorktown
Lafayette heard about Cornwallis' plan to take over more of the south. Lafayette and Washington moved towards Yorktown and blocked the entrance to Chesapeake Bay. 17,000 French and American troops surrounded the British in Yorktown and bombarded them all day and all night. After one month Cornwallis surrendered and America defeated the British. -
Treaty of Pairs
Once the American defeated the British Peace talk began in Pairs. The American negotiating team included John Adam, John Jay, and Benjamin Franklin. Delegates signed the Treaty of Pairs which confirmed US independence and created the boundaries of the new nation. After this treaty the United State started from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Canada to Florida border.
