-
Period: to
American Revolution Timeline
-
Navigation Acts
Developed and promoted ships, trade, and commerce between other countries
1651: primarily towards the Dutch; said that all trade between England and other nations should be carried in vessels
Caused the Angelo-Dutch war
1660: continued policies set years prior
Sugar, tobacco, cotton, wool, and other products had to be shipped to England or an English Province -
Ending of the French and Indian War
February 10, 1763
First year of the war, British suffered multiple defeats
Seven Years War ended, Treaty of Paris and Treaty of Hubertusburg- 1763
Treaty of Paris ensured the strength of the 13 colonies from the removal of their European rivals (signed by France, GB and Spain) -
Stamp Act
1765
Was passed because after the Seven Years War, Britain needed to find a way to pay their debts back
Taxed all commercial and legal documents
Was eventually repealed -
Boston Massacre
March 5, 1770
Private Hugh White was guarding the King’s money stored in the Custom House
Angry colonists threatened violence; White fought back and struck a colonist with a bayonet
Colonists began throwing snowballs, ice, and stones; White called for reinforcements
Somebody supposedly yelled “fire” and a soldier fired his gun, causing open fire towards the colonists (5 dead colonists)
Feuled “Anti-British” views; showed them as instigators -
Tea Act
1773
British East India Company
Monopoly on British tea imports
Many members of Parliament held shares
Permitted the company to sell tea directly to the colonies without middlemen
Lord North expected the colonies to eagerly choose the cheaper tea, they were enraged instead -
Boston Tea Party
December 16, 1773
Colonists were furious for being taxed without having any representation in Parliament; British government disagreed and thought it was fair
Large group of men disguised themselves as Native Americans and threw 342 chests of tea into the harbor -
Coercive/ Intolerable Acts
March 28, 1774
In response to the Boston Tea Party
Series of four acts created by British government
Made to restore order in massachusetts, and punish the Bostonians for the Tea Party -
First Continental Congress
After the Stamp Act of 1765
September 5, 1774
Met after the Coercive Acts
Wanted to promote free debate
Passed: Articles of Association, issued Declaration of Rights, then disbanded on October 26, 1774 -
Lexington and Concord
April 19, 1775
Began the American Revolutionary War
British troops arrived in Lexington, militiamen were ordered to begin fire
British then moved to Concord to search for arms, burned what they found, fire got out of control
Minutemen had a chance to cut off the redcoats, but their commander ordered them to not attack
“Shot heard ‘round the world”
3,500 minutemen fired for 18 miles, killed 250 redcoats
Proved the colonists could stand up to an army like Britains -
Second Continental Congress
May 10, 1775
Disbanded March 1, 1781
Met in Philadelphia
Began the process of creating the Declaration of Independence -
Adoption of the Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776
Stated the reasons why the American colonists seeked for independence; declared themselves an independent nation
Members of the continental congress saw that independence from Britain was the only option that they had
Committee had the final draft on June 28, 1776; adopted the final text on July 4.
Helped to start the alliance with France -
Winter at Valley Forge
George Washington’s army “encampment”
Winter of 1777-1778
Conditions were awful- cold and harsh winters, hungry and very tired
Area was close enough to keep sight of the British, far enough to prevent any attack from occurring
“Suffering as usual” -
Battle of Saratoga
September and October 1777
During the second year of the American Revolution
First battle: Battle of Freeman’s Farm
Second battle: Battle of Bemis Heights
American troops grew and forced the British to withdraw
Was a turning point in the American Revolution; gave the Patriots a major morale boost and persuaded the French, Dutch, and Spanish to join them -
Battle of Yorktown
Time of surrender: October 19, 1781
Last major battle; Yorktown, VA
Beginning of the nation’s independence
Washington and Rochambeau arrived in Yorktown in September 1781
Americans and French trapped Cornwallis, and forced him to surrender -
U.S. Constitution Written
From May to September, 1787
Written in the Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House, or the Independence Hall
One of the most important political documents created
Created to create a free and stable nation that protected the rights of the people