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French-Indian War (1756-1763)
The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War was a series of battles between France and England in the New World (North America). The wars were fought over territory in the New World, with England being the victor. The war caused England to fall into debt, and taxed the thirteen colonies in order to pay the debts off. -
Navigation Acts (1763)
The Navigation acts of 1763 were acts passed by the British on the colonies. These acts restricted the trade within the colonies, preventing them from trading with other European countries other than England. -
Stamp Act (1765-1766)
The Stamp Act (1765) was a taxation on all paper goods in the colonies, be it documents, pamphlets, books, cards, etc. Printers, lawyers, and publishers were some of the most negatively impacted during this time. The colonists were outraged, coming up with the slogan "No taxation without representation". The Stamp Act was repealed in March 1766. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Acts (March 24th, 1765) were acts passed by the British parliament, allowing British soldiers to stay in the abodes of colonists without being invited. If houses were too small, British soldiers could be allowed to stay in Inns and other places as such. -
Townshend Acts (1767)
The Townshend Acts (1767) were a series of acts passed my the British parliament that taxed all imported goods (glass, tea, lead, etc.) to the American colonies. As with the Stamps Acts, the colonists didn't take the unfair taxation too well, causing more tension between the British and the Colonists. -
Boston Massacre (1770)
In March of 1770, the Boston Massacre took place. On March 5th of 1770, A groups of British soldiers were crowded by angry townspeople in Boston, the colonists throwing rocks and insults towards the "Redcoats" after the British had been ordered to remove occupants of the Boston Manufactory House for them to be settled there. Due to the colonists getting violent due to the soldier's orders, the British opened fire on the crowd, killing 5 and injuring several colonists. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts) were laws enforced by the British on the colonists after the events of the Boston Tea Party during May of 1773. The acts closed the harbor, limiting their trade, it also prevented them from having meetings, and if a man was on trial for crime, they would get sent back to England. -
Olive Branch Petition (1775)
The Olive Branch Petition was made by Congress on July 5th of 1773. It was written to try, and prevent a full blown war between the colonies and England. It is believed to have been ripped up by King George III without being read. -
Boston Tea Party (1773)
Enraged by the British taxation, approximately 50 colonist disguised themselves as native Americans and boarded British ships on December 16th, 1773. They dumped 342 crates of British tea into the harbor, protesting against the taxes placed on the said tea. -
Second Continental Congress (1775)
The Second Continental Congress took place in Philadelphia during the summer of 1775 after the war with England had began. Ir was a meeting between delegates of the thirteen colonies as they united for war against England. -
Battle of Lexington & Concord (1775)
The Battle of Lexington and Concord was the first war in the American Revolution in 1775. It correlates with the saying "The shot heard around the world". About 700 British soldiers marched to Concord, the Patriots having heard word of the advancement of the British, and also prepared. -
Common Sense (1776)
Published by Thomas Paine, "Common Sense" was a pamphlet written to challenge the authority of the British, speaking of independence from England. It was the first scripture openly asking for independence from the monarchy of England. -
Declaration of Independence (1776)
Written by Thomas Jefferson, and put into action on July 4th, 1776, the "Declaration of Independence" was a reading that finally declared freedom, and independence from England, breaking away from the monarchy rule. It went over the unalienable rights of American citizens, the three rights being Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. -
Articles of Confederation (1777)
The Articles of Confederation (1777) were created by Congress on November 13th, 1777, and served as the first constitution in the United States. From March 1st, 1781 until 1789 it was in play until the present day constitution came into fruition. -
Daniel Shays’ Rebellion (1786)
Shay's Rebellion (1786-1787) were several brutal attacks on courthouses and government properties in Massachusetts. It led to full-blown military confrontation on August 29th, 1786 and ended in February of 1787. Most of the assailants were ex-soldiers from the Revolutionary Wars who were suffering from poverty and such due to the state economic policies and so forth. -
Constitutional Convention (1787)
The Constitutional Convention (Philadelphia Convention) took place from May 25th to September 17th of 1787, where
delegates from 12 of the states came together to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had grown to be insufficient. It took place in Philadelphia to rework the government of the states.