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Treaty of Paris of 1763
The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended the French and Indian war with the British colonies as the winners. This marked the end of France as a power in North America. The continent was now divided between Great Britain and Spain, marking the Mississippi River as the boundary. -
Proclamation of 1763
To keep peace with the Indians and keep them on the coast for profit, Britain stopped them from expanding westward. King George issued the Proclamation of 1763 which stated that the Appalachian Mountains were the temporary western boundary for the colonies. -
Stamp Act
Parliament passed another law to raise money. The Stamp Act placed a tax on almost all printed material in the colonies – including newspapers, pamphlets, wills, and even playing cards. It was the first “direct tax” on American colonies. All printed material had to have a stamp applied by British officials. O many items were taxed that it affected almost everyone. -
Declaratory Act
This new act stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for ALL British colonies in all cases. -
Townshend Acts
Parliament passed a set of laws called the Townshend Acts. They were applied to imported goods and paid at the port. Things taxed included items the colonists had to import like glass, tea, paper, and lead. The colonists learned to do without anything they couldn’t make themselves. The King and Parliament were pushing the colonies toward economic independence. -
The Boston Massacre
A fight broke between the townspeople and soldiers. The colonist began to throw things at the British soldiers. After a soldier was knocked down, the redcoats started to open fire on the colonists. Five colonists were killed including Crispus Attucks. The colonists used the Boston Massacre as propaganda against Britain. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act of 1773 allowed the British East India Company to get a tax break on tea shipped to the colonies. The Tea Act also allowed the company to sell directly to shopkeepers at the lower price. This meant that the East India Company’s tea was cheaper than any other tea in the colonies and that it bypassed colonial merchants. The colonists felt it was another attempt to control them. Colonial merchants called for a new boycott of British goods. -
Boston Tea Party
Three tea ships arrived in Boston Harbor in 1773. In response to the Tea Act, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty dressed up like Indians, sneaked onto the ships in the middle of the night, and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. -
Intolerable Acts
King George III and Parliament decided to punish Boston for the “Tea Party” by passing these acts which violated the colonists’ rights as English citizens. These laws closed Boston Harbor and kept food and supplies from being delivered to Boston. The laws banned town meetings, allowed British officers to be tried in other colonies or in Britain when accused of crimes, and forced colonists to house, or quarter soldiers in their own homes. They planned to isolate Boston with the Intolerable Acts. -
1st Continental Congress
55 delegates met in Philadelphia to discuss problems with Britain. Massachusetts sent Samuel Adams and John Adams. New York sent John Jay. From Virginia came Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington. They drafted a statement of grievances asking Parliament to repeal 13 acts it had passed since 1763 that had violated the colonists’ rights. They also voted to boycott all British goods. One of the Congress’s most important decisions was to begin forming militias. -
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere, Wentworth Cheswell, and William were alerted that British soldiers were gathering. They rode to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the militiamen that the British were coming -
Lexington and Concord
When the redcoats reached Lexington, there were 70 militiamen waiting for them with their muskets in their hands. A shot was fired. When the fighting was over, 8 militiamen were dead. By the time British troops reached Concord, most of the gunpowder had already been moved. They destroyed the rest of the supplies and started back to Boston. When they got to Concord's Old North Bridge, more militiamen were waiting for them. By the time the redcoats reached Boston, 174 were wounded & 73 were dead. -
2nd Continental Congress
The 2nd Continental Congress had some new delegates such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, & they named John Hancock as president of the 2nd Continental Congress. Then they chose George Washington as the army’s commander. They chose Thomas Jefferson to write a Declaration of Independence. He had borrowed ideas from John Locke. The Congress made a few changes & approved & signed it on July 4th, 1776. This announced the birth of the United States.
