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Treaty of Paris 1763
Treaty that ended the French and Indian War. French kicked out of North America, British now controlled Atlantic to Mississippi River. -
Proclamation of 1763
Forbade the American/British colonists from colonizing past the Appalachian Mountains -
Sugar Act
The act was a reinforcement of the 1733 Molasses Act which hadn't been enforced due to colonial resistance and the Seven Years' war. The act was reinforced because the British needed new ways to make money after losing so much in the war. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first tax imposed on the colonists by the British. The act put a tax on every piece of printed paper used from legal documents to playing cards. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was an act that forced colonists to house the British soldiers and feed them as well. The act angered the colonists because they felt that this violated their rights from the Bill of Rights of 1689. -
Stamp Act Congress
Stated the rights and grievances of the colonists and moved the colonies closer to full unity. The repeal of the stamp act was ignored in England. -
Navigation Laws
The Navigation Laws tried to tighten England's control of colonial trading. It stated all trades must be from English ships, both imports and exports, and that all fish, fish oil, and whale products must have been obtained by an English ship. -
Townshend Acts
Light tax on glass, white lead, paper, paint, and tea. The colonists refused to pay however because they had no representation in parliament. -
Boston Massacre
British Red Coats fired into a mob of colonists and killed 12. Crispus Attucks (a mulatto) was a leader of the mob and was among the first to die. Paul Revere then created a depiction of the incident showing Red Coats firing into an unarmed crowd of colonists. -
Seditious Committees
Committees across the colonies that would communicate to oppose the British. Virginia led the way and the 12 other colonies followed soon after. -
Boston Tea Party
Around 100 Bostonians boarded a British ship full of tea and dumped 342 chests of it into the Boston Harbor. -
Intolerable (Coercive) Acts
Boston Port was closed until all damages were paid for, restrictions were made on town meetings, officials who killed colonists could now go back to British courts, and the new Quartering Act allowed the British soldiers to lodge anywhere they wanted, including private homes. -
First Continental Congress
A convention in which the people involved didn't necessarily create law, but recommended ideas. Drew up the Declaration of Rights. Called for complete boycott of British goods. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
In Lexington, the "Minute Men", or colonial militia, refused to disperse, and the British killed 8 colonials and wounded several more. In Concord, the British lost many Red Coats to the colonists who now had war on their hands. -
Second Continental Congress
The congress selected George Washington to lead the improvised colonial army. His selection to lead was largely political due to the fact he was wealthy and could not be accused of doing it for wealth. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The colonial army took over Breed's hill and were mowing down the British, but had to retreat as they ran out of ammo. -
Declatory Act
Stated that the British's taxing power on the colonies was the same as it was in Britain -
Declaration of Independence
A document in which Thomas Jefferson declared that the colonies should be free and independent states and gave a list of multiple tyrannous deeds committed by King George. Led to many other countries having revolutions. -
Battle of Trenton
Washington crossed the Delaware to surprise and capture around 1000 Hessians then a week later had a victory at Princeton. This time was seen as Washington's "military best". -
Battle of Yorktown
General Cornwallis of the Royal Army retreated to Yorktown to await supplies by sea. However, unbeknownst to Cornwallis, the French had taken over the seas and had agreed to help the colonists. Washington made a 300 mile march to Chesapeake bay and kept General Cornwallis against the sea while the French arrived and surrounded him completely.
