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French and Indian War
France and Great Britan had fought three inconclusive wars. Each war had begun in Europe that spread to their oversea colonies. One major area of conflict was the Ohio River Valley. After six years of peace the French and British conflict reignited -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation made a border along the Appalacian Mountains prohibiting the colonists to cross. -
Sugar Act
The sugar act halved the duty on foreign-made molasses in hopes that colonists would pay a lower tax rather than risking arrest but smuggling. It placed duties on imports that hadnt been taxed before. It also provided that colonists accused of violating the act would be tried in a colonial court instead of in a vice-admiralty court. -
Stamp Act
Imposed a tax on documents and printed items such as wills, newspapers, and playing cards. The atamp proved that the item had been paid for but it affected colonists directly because it was levied on goods and services. -
Sons of Liberty is formed
Boston shopkeepers, artisans and laborers organized a secret resistance group to protest a law. -
Townshend Acts
Taxed goods that were imported into the colony from Britain such as glass, paint and paper. Also imposed a tax on tea, the most popular drink in the colonies. Act named after Charles Townshed, the leading government minister. -
Boston Massacre
An event where a mob gathered in front of the Bostom Customs House and taugnted the British soldiers standing guard. Shots were fired and 5 colonists were killed or moraly wounded. -
Tea Act
Made in order to save the nearly bankrupt British East India Company. The act granted the company the right to sell tea to the colonies free of the axes that colonial tea sellers had to pay. -
Boston Tea Party
A large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans and proceeded to take action against three British tea ships anchored in the harbor. They dumped 18,000 pounds of the East India Company's tea into the waters of Boston harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was created because of the Boston Tea Party. One law shut down the Boston harbor. Another authorized British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings. -
First Continental Congress meets
In response to Britain's actions, the committe of correspondence assembled the First Continental Congress. 56 delegates met in Philadelphia and drew up a declaration of colonial rights. Defended the colonists right to run their own affairs. -
Olive Branch Petition
A petition sent from congress to the king urging a return to former harmony between Britain and the colonies. -
Second Continental Congress
Called to debate the loyalties that divided colonists. Congress agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
April 1775 General Gage seized Patriot arms stored in Concord. Patriot leaders heard of the plan and sent messengers including Paul Revere to spread alarm. No one knows who fired the first shot at Lexington but in Concord, militia troops had surrounded Boston trapping British troops inside. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
General Gage decided to strike at militia men on Breed's Hill. Sent 2,400 british soldiers and held fire until last minute mowing down advancing redcoats. Britain suffered over 1,000 casualties. -
Declaration of Independence
Continental Congress urged each colony to form its own government. The rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are to be unalienable rights that cant be taken away. -
Early British Victories
British sailed into New York Harbor as part of a plan to stop the rebellion by isolating New England. British pushed Washingtons army across the Deleware River into Pennsylvania -
Publication of Common Sense
In a widely read 50-page pamphlet, Thomas Paine argued that responsibility for British tyranny lay with the royal brute of Britain. This attacked King George and the monarchy. -
Early Continental Army Victories
Washington led troops to Trenton, New Jersey and defeated a garrison of Hessians in a surprise attack. -
Saratoga
British general John Burgoyne was surrounded by American troops. The surrender turned out to be the most important events of the war. -
Valley Forge
Despite the hopeful turn of events, Washington and his army were low on supplies fighting to stay alive at winter camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. -
Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette
Friedrich helped train the Continental Army while other foreign military leaders such as Marquis arrived to offer their helped. Marquis lobbied France for French reinforcements . -
British victories in the South
1.British expedition took over Savannah, Georgia.(1778)
2, Under Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis, britain captured Charles Town, South Carolina. (1780) -
British surrender at Yorktown
On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis finally surrended. The Americans shocked the world and defeated the British. -
Treaty of Paris
In September of 1782, the delegates signed the Treaty of Paris which confirmed U.S. independence and set the boundaries of the new nation.
