-
Period: to
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a founding father of America who played a large role in the creation of the politics we use today in America. He helped draft the declaration of independence. He sat on the Pennsylvania house of representatives, and eventually ran for president. -
Period: to
William Pitt
William Pitt played a large role in Britain's victory in the French and Indian war. He was the reason the British Parliament sent more troops to fight the French. He knew that the British needed more troops if they wanted to win against the British. He later became a Prime Minister of Britain. He decided that Britain would pay for all the war damage and drive up an enormous debt. -
Period: to
George Washington
During the French and Inian war, George Washington helped the British beat the French, but later in his life (the revolutionary war) he was the leader of the colonies, and eventually elected the first president on the United States in 1789. He was the only President to ever fight in battle while serving as the president. -
Period: to
Paul Revere
Paul Revere played a very important role in the colonies gaining momentum to beat the British. When the British were planning a surprise attack in 1775, Paul Revere knew about it and rode from town to town on his horse and warned every town he possibly could. This ended up saving many lives and drastically slowing the British approach. -
The French take an offensive on the British
The French attack Fort Duquesne in 1754 in an attempt to drive out the British and gain a positional advantage. They successfully drive George Washington out, but their advantage didn't last long because the British had a stronger Navy, more colonists, and a better economic situation to actually go to war. -
Period: to
The French and Indian War
The French and English started fighting on and off in the early 1600's but war officially started in 1754. England believed they owned all the land that the French believed they owned (southern Cananda and Northern Florida). This caused a lot of tension between both the French and the English. This was important because this started the beef between France and England (which then came back and haunted England). -
Period: to
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was one of the founding fathers of America. He both fought with George Washington, but he also served under him in a political system that he created. He was very close with George Washington and played a very prominent role in winning the war. Founded the bank of New York. -
Treaty of Paris was signed
After losing the war, France was forced to sign a treaty with Britain that gives the British all of the land east of the Mississippi including southern Canada. Spain gives Britain Florida, causing the British to become the most powerful nation in the world. This is important because now multiple countries have Britain in their crosshairs for war. -
British taxing the colonists (sugar act, quartering act, etc.)
After the French and Indian war, the British were BROKE. So, to cope with this, they started taxing the colonists on crazy things like there tea and sugar. Not only this, but they made these un-fair laws that allowed soldiers to commandeer any colonists house at any time without reason. As you could imagine, this would make the colonists very angry and prompt them to start war. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was the response the colonists chose to show the British that the taxes that are being imposed among them are too much and unreasonable. They took 1 million dollars (of today's money) worth of tea and threw it into the Boston harbor. This is what really initiated the war. This was the colonists showing Britain that they are done putting up with the unfair taxes. -
Post-Boston Tea Party
The colonists tried apologizing and negotiating with the British, but they were not taking it. They passed a lot of laws that punished the colonists, called the 5 intolerable acts. These included the Boston Port act, which closed down all trade through the Boston harbor. Also, the Massachusetts Government act, which just got rid of the government in Massachusetts and gave full rule to the British government. -
George Washington Crosses the Delaware River
George Washington - knowing the colonists were losing - made a very risky and dangerous move by crossing the Delaware in an attempt to sneak up on the British. The plan ended up working. The reason this is such an important event is because this is what gave the colonists momentum and courage to push through and win the impossible war. -
The shot heard around the world
After the Boston Tea Party incident, and all the taxation and punishments, there was a standoff between a small colonial Malita and a British squadron. After a while, there was a shot that we still do not know who pulled the trigger, but it started the revolutionary war. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The battle bunker hill was the start of the first stage of the revolutionary war. The British attacked Boston in an attempt to gain control of one of the main capitals of the Colonies. America held their own for a while, but Britain eventually out manned and outpowered the colonists. This gave Britain full control of Boston and the area surrounding it. -
America Declares Their Independance
The declaration of Impedance was signed by Thomas Jefferson, Bejamin Franklin, John Hancock, George Washington and more. This declared to Britain and other countries that America is a free union, and they govern themselves. However, the war was not over yet. King George III would not go down without a fight. -
Battle of Seratoga
This battle was an American defense involving the colonists defending an attack on Fort Schuyler. For 3 days straight the British put pressure on the fort, but the patriots kept up a strong defense and successfully forced the British to retreat. This was just another victory that gave the colonists more momentum to finish off this war. -
Period: to
The Winter of Change
This was the winter before the colonists finally beat the British. During the winter, instead of resting, the colonial army trained day in and day out. By the time the winter was over, and the war resumed, the colonists were ready to fight, and that is exactly what they did. -
France Joins the Colonies
Ever since the French and Indian war, the French and British have been in some bad blood. So, when there was opportunity for the French to join the Colonists to beat the British, they jumped at the opportunity. The French manpower and financial aid will prove very critical in the war being won by the colonists. -
Charleston Gets Taken by the British
The British enter South Carolina and take a very crucial territory of the colonists. The siege takes up to 6 weeks to be completed. This takes down the motivation of the colonists a ton. This was kind of a last resort for the British because over the past few years, almost all of their strategic advances had failed. -
Kings Mountain Victory for the Colonists
This was a very important victory for the colonists because this got their motivation and momentum back up to its full. This win showed them that the British were still very defeatable. This was the first major colonial victory since the siege of Charlston -
Ninety-Six
This was the longest siege of the war lasting 28 days. The British continued attempts to take the fort, but was overall unsuccessful. This was the last battle that finally topped off the colonist's momentum enough to make a final attack and end the war once and for all. -
Battle of Yorktown
The last battle of the American Revolution. The British had a huge lead in this battle, but eventually the French came in with a surprise attack and eventually defeated the British, causing them to surrender. This was the final battle between the colonists and the British, and the British defeat. -
Period: to
Post - War
After the Battle of Yorktown, the colonists wasted no time kicking the British out of their newly formed country. The loyalists started being kicked out of the country only 2 months after the British surrendered. The Treaty of Paris was also signed very quickly after the war ended. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris is what officially declared the independence of the colonists from Great Britain. This treaty only gives independence to the 13 colonies. Canada is still technically a British Province. This was a huge moment for the Americans because all of the fighting they have been putting up with, is now over, and they are victorious. -
US constitution replaces the Articles of Confederation
This was a few years after the war, and more directed towards the creating of the government. This gave the Americans the opportunity to make their own laws and rules and now have to abide by the British Laws any longer.
