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French and Indian War
This war was fought between the British and the french. The France expanded into the Ohio river valley it brought repeated conflict to the British colonies. This caused the official British declaration of war. At the the peace meeting in 1763 the British received the Canadian territory from the french and Florida from Spain, opening expansion westward. -
The Sugar Act
This act put a tax on sugar imported from other countries. Merchants also had to pay a tax of sixpence per gallon of tea sold. This also hurt the west indies market. -
The Stamp Act
This was the first levied directly to the american colonists by the British government. This put a tax on all paper documents because the British were in great debt from the french and indian war. -
The Quartering Act
This act required the colonists to house and feed the British soldiers from their own expense. This was done as a last resort. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston massacre happened when american colonists started pestering the British troops by yelling at them and throwing debris, this caused the British troops to launch a volley of musket fire upon the colonists leaving five dead and many more injured. -
The Tea Act
This act allowed a monopoly on the east India trading company so they can import and sell their tea in american colonies. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston tea party was a protest to the taxation on tea. On the night of December 16, 1773 Samuel Adams and the sons of liberty boarded ships in the Boston harbor and dumped 342 chests of tea overboard. -
The Boston Port Act
This act made the citizens pay the expenses of 1 million dollars because of the Boston tea party. If the colonists did not pay the British they would keep the Boston harbor shut down. -
Patrick Henry's Liberty or Death Speech
During a meeting of the Second Virginia Convention at St. John’s Church, Patrick Henry gave a plea urging the old dominion to form militias to defend itself against the British. Henry’s address which closed with the line “Give me liberty or give me death!” turned the convention in his favor. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The battle of Lexington and Concord started the american revolutionary war. On the night of April 18, 1775, hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to concord in order to seize a gun cache. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and militiamen began mobilizing to intercept the redcoat column. A standoff on the Lexington town green started off the fighting, and soon the British were retreating under fire. -
Battle of Ticonderoga
Even though it was a small conflict, the Battle of Fort Ticonderoga was the first American victory of the Revolutionary War, and gave the Continental Army much needed artillery to be used in future battles. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Hill. even though they lost, the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted a large amount of casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided them with an important confidence boost. -
George Washington named Commander in Chief
The congress named George Washington the commander in chief of the continental army on June 19, 1775. -
Thomas Paine Writes Common Sense
Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet Common Sense, setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were important for the spread of ideas in that time. -
Declaration of Independence Written and Signed
In mid-June 1776, a five-man committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked with writing a statement of the colonies’ intentions. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence. -
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Battle of Saratoga
The two Battles of Saratoga were a turning point in the American Revolution. On September 19th, the British achieved victory over American forces. Though his troop strength had been weakened, the British attacked the Americans again on October 7th, but this time was defeated and forced to retreat. -
The French Alliance
The Americans made allies with the french therefore making it much harder for the British to defeat the Americans. This also caused the British to fight on two fronts, land and water. -
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Battle of Yorktown
In 1781 General George Washington, commanding a force of 17,000 French and troops, begins the siege known as the Battle of Yorktown against the British which had a contingent of 9,000 British troops at Yorktown, Virginia, in the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. -
General Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
In 1781,General Charles Cornwallis surrenders 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a French and American force at Yorktown, Virginia, bringing the American Revolution to a close. -
Peace Treaty Signed Stopping American Revolution
The Treaty of Paris of 1783, negotiated between the United States and Great Britain, ended the revolutionary war and recognized American independence.