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Navigation Acts
1600s: Britain’s attempt to regulate colonial trade and manufacturing. -
French and Indian War Ends
The Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War with Britain winning and French giving up North American territories. Led to large amount of North American territory for Britain. -
Stamp Act
Act passed that taxed things like newspapers and pamphlets in the colonies. Helped result in American colonies rebelling. -
Boston Massacre
The murder of five colonists by British soldiers because the colonists threw stones and snowballs at them. Helped result in American colonists rebelling. -
Tea Act
Act that permitted tea to be sold directly to colonists (cut out colony businesses). Helped result in American colonies rebelling. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to protest tax on tea. -
First Continental Congress
Meeting between representatives of the colonies to discuss how to respond to the Intolerable Acts. -
The Coercive/Intolerable Acts
Resulted from the Boston Tea Party.
Acts:
1. Boston Port Bill: closed Boston Harbor until Britain was compensated for the tea.
2. Quartering Act: forced colonists to let British soldiers stay in their homes.
3. Administration of Justice Act: allowed British officials that committed crimes while quelling American protests a fair trial. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
First battles of the American Revolution where the “shot heard around the world” happened in Lexington, Massachusetts and Concord, Massachusetts. -
Second Continental Congress
Set up a Continental Congress with George Washington in command after Lexington and Concord battles. -
Declaration of Independence is Adopted
The Americans message to Britain saying that they wanted independence and have basic God-given natural rights and deserve to live and make decisions depending on them. -
Battle of Saratoga
First American triumph over the British that convinced the French to ally with the Americans. Led to Americans winning. -
Winter at Valley Forge
1777-1778: Brutal winter where troops suffered horrible winter conditions where George Washington kept his American troops together. -
Battle of Yorktown
Battle in Yorktown, Virginia where Americans won and the British war effort crumbled leading to the American colonies becoming independent. -
U.S. Constitution is Written
Rework of the Articles of Confederation (nation’s first constitution) to set up a strong but flexible government. Inspired by Age of Reason thinkers (Locke, Rousseau etc). -
U.S. Constitution is Adopted
The Constitution was written in the summer of 1787 and adopted later in the fall.