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French and Indian War
In the beginning, the colonies were proud to be British. But when the French and Indian War took place (1754 – 1763), King George III lost a great deal of money due to buying expensive supplies for his army and the colonies. In order to pay off his debt, he imposed taxes on the colonies without their consent. This outraged the colonists. Month and Date not exact -
The Boston Massacre
The Quartering Act incensed the colonies most. The king and parliament revived an old law requiring colonists to house British soldiers in their homes. Because of the Boston Massacre, the colonists were afraid of the soldiers in their homes. They would lay awake at night with fear for their children embedded in their hearts like a knife. Month and Date not exact -
The Declaration of Rights and Grievances
The congress was in session for two solid months in September and October of 1774. After much dissension, they decided to send a "Declaration of Rights and Grievances" to King George, hoping their demands would be met. At this point, the colonists still could not foresee separating from Britain. Month and Date not exact -
Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea Party, 1774 The colonists decided they would see none of the tea leave the ship. A group of colonists dressed as American Indians boarded the ship at night and threw the tea overboard into the harbor, ruining all of it. When they saw one of their comrades trying to stuff some in his pockets, they stripped the tea from his grasp and sent him home without his pants. They then stripped the ship owner of his clothes and tarred and feathered him. Month and Date not exact -
Paul Revere's Ride
Paul Revere's ride on April 19, 1775 was to announce the approach of British soldiers to stamp out colonist resistance in the towns of Lexington and Concord. Lexington was first. The British met only 77 minutemen, and at first were pleased to allow them to leave. However, from some unknown place a shot was fired, and the British opened up on the Americans. Eight were killed, ten wounded, and the British suffered but one minor casualty. It was made up for at Concord. -
The Second Continental Congress
It was time to do something. The Continental Congress gathered again in May of 1775, where they would become and remain the government of the colonies until the end of the Revolutionary War. -
Declaration of Independence
