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Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, officially ended the American Revolutionary War. It recognized U.S. independence from Britain, established territorial boundaries extending to the Mississippi River, and granted fishing rights off Newfoundland. The treaty aimed to address loyalist property claims and encouraged debt repayment to British creditors, although enforcement varied. This pivotal agreement marked the beginning of the United States as a sovereign nation on the global stage. -
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French & Indian War
he French and Indian War was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. -
Quartering Act
The Province of New York assembly passed an act to provide for the quartering of British regulars, which expired on January 1, 1764. The colonists disputed the legality of this Act because it seemed to violate the Bill of Rights of 1689. -
Stamp Act
the British Parliament passed the “Stamp Act” to help pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the Seven Years' War. The act required the colonists to pay a tax, represented by a stamp, on various forms of papers, documents, and playing cards -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts or Townshend Duties were a series of British acts of Parliament passed during 1767 and 1768 introducing a series of taxes and regulations to enable administration of the British colonies in America. They are named after the Chancellor of the Exchequer who proposed the programme -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a confrontation in Boston on March 5, 1770, in which nine British soldiers shot several of a crowd of three or four hundred who were harassing them verbally and throwing various projectiles -
Boston Tea Party and Intolerable
The Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773, was a protest against the Tea Act, where colonists dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This act opposed "taxation without representation."
In response, Britain enacted the Intolerable Acts in 1774, closing Boston Harbor and revoking Massachusetts' charter. These measures united the colonies in resistance, ultimately leading to the American Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The American patriots were defeated at the Battle of Bunker Hill, but they proved they could hold their own against the superior British Army. The fierce fight confirmed that any reconciliation between England and her American colonies was no longer possible. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, is a foundational document of the United States. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it formally announced the American colonies' separation from British rule. -
battles of trenton and princeton
The Battles of Trenton and Princeton were crucial victories for George Washington during the American Revolution.
Trenton (December 26, 1776): Washington surprised Hessian troops after crossing the Delaware River, securing a decisive win that boosted morale.
Princeton (January 3, 1777): Washington outmaneuvered British forces, winning again and further rallying support for the American cause.
These victories revitalized the Continental Army and marked a turning point in the war. -
Battle of Saratoga
Burgoyne and his troops, defeated, began a march to the town of Saratoga where they entrenched themselves once again in hopes of escaping. Within a fortnight, however, Gates's army had surrounded them and forced them to surrender. Following the American victory, morale among American troops was high -
Valley Forge
Despite the best efforts of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Hamilton and Captain Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, the two Continental Army officers decided to evacuate the supplies at Valley Forge, and British soldiers captured supplies, destroyed others, and burned down the forges and other buildings -
Battle of Yorktown
Supported by the French army and navy, Washington's forces defeated Lord Charles Cornwallis' veteran army dug in at Yorktown, Virginia. Victory at Yorktown led directly to the peace negotiations that ended the war in 1783 and gave America its independence