American Revolution Timeline

King George III

Oct 25, 1760

King George III ascends to the throne. He keeps the throne until January of 1820.

The Stamp Act

Mar 22, 1765

Parliament passes the Stamp Act, much to the colonist's anger, to help pay for their British troops on the American front. Colonists protest.

Stamp Act Repealed

Mar 18, 1766

The Stamp Act is repealed but on the same day the Declaratory Act is passed, giving the British the right to have binding laws on it's colonies.

The Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

British troops stationed in the American colonies shoot 5 colonists, relationships between the British and colonists continue to worsen.

The Boston Tea Party

Dec 15, 1773

Colonists rebel against the newly passed Tea Act (which put high taxes on British tea and sugar) by dressing up as Mohawk Indians and dumping crates of British tea into the Harbor.

The Privy Council/Continental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

The Privy Council punishes Ben Franklin for writing letters that spoke badly of the governor of Massachusetts.
Also this year, the Continental Congress met for the first time in Philedelphia.

Common Sense

Jan 10, 1776

Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet "Common Sense", which is a best seller. It continues the motivation of colonists to rebel.

Declaration of Independence

Jun 4, 1776

Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence is ratified by Congress. Also in this year, the British begin forming troops to halt the rebellion, and Benjamin Franklin travels to France to urge them in becoming an American ally.