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French Indian War
France and Great Britain were fighting in North America for control of the Ohio River Valley. The war lasted 9 years and was incredibly expensive. Great Britain started to tax the colonists heavily to pay off the debt. This led to the first major disagreement between the colonist and the crown. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre started from a street fight on King Street in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a fight between the American colonists and a single British soldier. As they fought, it led to a bloody massacre. This caused the start of the American Revolution. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
On April 19 at 5 am, British troops entered Lexington. They encountered a militia of over 70 men led by Captain John Parker. A shot was fired, and in response, the British soldiers unleashed a volley, killing seven militia members as they retreated. The British continued their march towards the Concord. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the American Revolution, and it occurred in Charlestown during the Siege of Boston. Although the British emerged victorious, it was a costly win that provided a substantial morale boost to the revolutionary movement. -
Declaration of Independence
The Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, and announced the separation of 13 British colonies in North America from Great Britain. It outlined the reasons behind the Congress's decision on July 2, when representatives of 12 colonies unanimously voted for independence, with New York abstaining. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783. It ended the American Revolutionary War. American negotiators such as Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay reached an agreement with representatives of King George the Third of Great Britain. Through this treaty, the British Crown formally acknowledged American independence and ceded most of its territory east of the Mississippi River to the United States, which doubled the size of the new nation and led to westward expansion.