American Revolution Timeline

Proclamation of 1763

Oct 7, 1763

This proclimation forbid settlers from settling to the west of the Appalachin Mountains. The goal was to keep settlers off the native american's territory; and to avoid more conflict with them. This was resented among the colonists, and was widely ignored by land speculators.

Sugar Act of 1764

Apr 5, 1764

This act imposed an import tax on sugar, mollases, and several other items. Ironicly this act lowered the tax on mollases, but doubled the efforts to enforce it.

Stamp act of 1765

Mar 22, 1765

A tax on all printed goods in the colonies. There was extreme opposistion to this act since the colonists had no way of representing themselves at parliament. This act was strictly enforced.

Quartering Act of 1765

Mar 24, 1765

This act stated that the colonists would be required to house a standing army of british soldiers in any strucutre deemed suitable for human life (livery stables, inns, warehouses, stores, etc.). This imposed itself on the colonists and made their bitterness grow.

Stamp Act Congress

Oct 7, 1765

First gthering of colonial representitives of multiple colonies. The Congress' objective was to put a stop to the extremeness of Parliaments Act. They claimed that Parliament didn't have the right to tax the colonists if the act was formed with no Colonial representatives present.

Declaratory Act of 1766

Mar 18, 1766

This act declared Parliaments control in America was the same as it was in Britain. This meant that they had free reign to tax the American colonies.

Townshend Acts 1767

Jan 1, 1767

The purpose was to ensure compliance of all acts, and to establish Parliaments rule over the colonies.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

Rioters in Boston Sorounded a small group of British Soldiers. They pushed in and cornered the soldiers. A gun "acidentaly" discharged and the soldiers opened fire on the colonists killing 5.

Tea Act 1773

May 10, 1773

Import tax placed on common goods, such as tea, and clothing. The colonists showed their anger towards this act with the Boston Tea Party movement.

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

The Boston Tea Party was a political demostration by the Sons of Liberty. They were demonstrated against the Tea Acts passed earlier that year. They dumped Tons of taxed tea into the boston harbor destroying it, and keeping the British government from the tax money.

Coercive (intolerable) Acts of 1774

Mar 5, 1774

This act was in direct relation to the Boston Tea Party. It was designed to make an example of Massachusetts, and to keep the other colonies from such extremes. Overall this caused even more tension than it solved.

Quebec Act of 1774

Jun 22, 1774

This act set up the procedures to govern the teritory of Quebec. Using a mixture of French law and British law.

1st Continental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

A convention of delegates from the 12 of the 13 colonies (excluding Georgia). The congress met to discuse options to deal with the Coercive acts, and was the begining of full unification.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

Apr 19, 1775

These were the first military engagments of the Revoultionary War. They were fought in massachusettes, and officaily brought on the start of the war.

2nd Continental Congress

May 10, 1775

This meeting was of all 13 colonies, and meet to discuse the colonial war effort and the movement towards independence.

Olive Branch Petition

Jul 1, 1775

This was a petition adopted with congress that claimed the colonies were still under full control of Gret Britain. this was congress's atempt to avoid full blown war with Great Britain

Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

A statement adopted by the congress on July 4th, 1776. This officaly declared the 13 colonies seperation from Great Britain and that they now saw themselves as an independent entity.