American Revolution

Stamp Act

Nov 1, 1765

The Stamp Act of 1765 was a British Law, passed by the Parliament of Great Britain during the reign of King George III during the ministry of George Grenville. It was designed to raise revenue from the American Colonies by a duty (tax) in the form of a stamp required on all newspapers and legal or commercial documents.This event is asymmetrical because its not two sides fighting for something.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

[The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770. A squad of British soldiers killed three people immediately and two later died from their wounds. The British officer in charge Captain Thomas Preston was arrested for manslaughter. The Boston Massacre is remembered as a key event in helping to galvanize the colonial public to the Patriot cause.(http://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/boston-massacre)

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

This famed act of American colonial defiance served as a protest against taxation. On December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty boarded three ships in the Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. This resulted in the passage of the punitive Coercive Acts in 1774 and pushed the two sides closer to war. This is symmetrical because its two sides going to war.

Lexington/Concord

Apr 19, 1775

Battle between American Colonists and the British. British troops marched from Boston to Concord, Paul Revere saw them and told colonists "The British are coming." Colonist army hearing the news quickly got in position to fight. Soon after the British retreat after heavy fire from the Colonists. This event would be symmetrical because two sides get in position to fight.

Bunker (Breed's) Hill

Jun 17, 1775

On June 17, 1775, early in the Revolutionary War (1775-83) the British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts. Even though they lost the war the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy. Although commonly referred to as the Battle of Bunker Hill, most of the fighting occurred on nearby Breed’s Hill.

Common Sense

Jan 9, 1776

Writer Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. This is asymmetrical because it is a pamphlet on independence, not two sides fighting.

Declaration of Indepenence

Jul 4, 1776

On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress selects Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston to draft a declaration of independence. By declaring themselves an independent nation, the American colonists were able to confirm an official alliance with the Government of France and obtain French assistance in the war against Great Britain.

Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

The Continental Congress selects Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston to draft a declaration of independence declaring themselves an independent nation, the American colonists were able to confirm an official alliance with the Government of France and obtain French assistance in the war against Great Britain.This is asymmetrical because its a document not a battle.

Battle of Trenton/Princeton

Dec 26, 1776

General George Washington’s army crossed the icy Delaware to win both crucial battles.In the Battle of Trenton where he defeated a formidable garrison of Hessian mercenaries before withdrawing. A week later he returned to Trenton to lure British forces south, then executed a daring night march to capture Princeton on January 3. This is symmetrical because two sides lined up and fought.

Battle of Saratoga

Sep 19, 1777

Fought 18 days apart in the fall of 1777, the two Battles of Saratoga were a turning point in the American Revolution. On September 19th, British General John Burgoyne achieved a small but costly victory over American forces led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. Burgoyne again attacked the Americans at Bemis Heights on October 7th but this time was defeated and forced to retreat and ten days later surrendered.

Continental Army wintering at Valley Forge

Dec 19, 1777

In 1777 with the bitter cold the Continental Army under General George Washington enters its winter camp at Valley Forge. Then the Patriot forces under General Washington suffered major defeats against the British at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. When Washington’s army marched out of Valley Forge on June 19 1778 the men were stronger. Later they won the Battle of Monmouth in NJ.

War in the South/Charleston

Mar 29, 1780

[A major battle of the American Revolution, towards the end. The British won this battle, but with a loss of many troops. Their strategy was to aim towards the southern colonies. Americans had a defeat, loosing many troops and some becoming prisoners. This battle is symmetrical because the two sides lined up and fought.http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/americans-suffer-worst-defeat-of-revolution-at-charleston

Battle of Yorktown

Sep 28, 1781

On this day 1781 General George Washington led 17,000 French and Continental troops to the Battle of Yorktown against British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and his 9,000 British troops to the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. After three weeks of fighting both day and night Cornwallis surrendered effectively ending the War for Independence. On September 3, 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed.