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Zenger Trials
On August 4, 1735, John Peter Zenger is brought to trial. In a surprise move, his supporters hire a brilliant lawyer from Philadelphia to defend him. Andrew Hamilton argues in court that Zenger should not be found guilty of seditious libel because the Journal's criticisms of Cosby's government were true. -
Thomas Paine
His career turned to journalism while in Philadelphia, and suddenly, Thomas Paine became very important. In 1776, he published Common Sense, a strong defense of American Independence from England. He traveled with the Continental Army and wasn't a success as a soldier, but he produced The American Crisis (1776-83), which helped inspire the Army. -
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French and Indian War
Also known as the Seven Years’ War, this New World conflict marked another chapter in the long imperial struggle between Britain and France. When France’s expansion into the Ohio River valley brought repeated conflict with the claims of the British colonies, a series of battles led to the official British declaration of war in 1756. -
Marquis de Lafayette
The Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat who joined the American Revolutionary War at his own request, becoming one of America's most successful leaders in combat and General George Washington's most loyal companion.His first battle was the Battle at Brandywine, where he performed very well and showed great courage. He was an excellent person to have by your side while fighting. -
Proclamation of 1763
King George III following Great Britain's acquisition of French territory in North America after the end of the French and Indian War, which forbade all settlement past a line drawn along the Appalachian Mountains. This proclamation included the Ohio River Valley area. -
Quartering Act
British Parliament passed a law that said the American colonies had to provide the British soldiers with any needed accommodations or housing. It also required colonists to provide food for any British soldiers in the area. -
Coercive Acts
These acts were the American Patriots' term for a series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 after the Boston Tea Party. They were meant to punish the Massachusetts colonists for their defiance in throwing a large tea shipment into Boston Harbor. -
Lexington and Concord
On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize an arms cache. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militiamen began mobilizing to intercept the Redcoat column. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress, states the reasons the British colonies of North America sought independence in July of 1776. The declaration opens with a preamble describing the document's necessity in explaining why the colonies have overthrown their ruler and chosen to take their place as a separate nation in the world. -
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Battle of Saratoga
Fought eighteen days apart, 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. Though his troop strength had been weakened, they attacked again the Americans at Bemis Heights on October 7th, but this time was defeated and forced to retreat. He surrendered ten days later. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris of 1783, negotiated between the United States and Great Britain, ended the revolutionary war and recognized American independence. The Continental Congress named a five-member commission to negotiate a treaty–John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, and Henry Laurens. -
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Yorktown
General George Washington, commanding a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops, begins the siege known as the Battle of Yorktown against British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and a contingent of 9,000 British troops at Yorktown, Virginia, in the most important battle of the Revolutionary War.By September 28, Washington had completely encircled Cornwallis and Yorktown with the combined forces of Continental and French troops.
