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End of the French & Indian War
This was also called the Seven Years War. The war came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on February 10, 1763. France surrendered all mainland North American territories, except for New Orleans, to keep possession of the Caribbean sugar islands. Britain took all territory east of the Mississippi River while Spain maintained control of land west of Mississippi. They also traded East and West Florida for Cuba (A Timeline of the American Revolution from 1763-1787). -
Proclamation of 1763
King George III forbid settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains as he was attentive of the cost of defending the colonies. There was no assurance of security for the nearby Native American nations. The thirteen colonies' claims to the right to govern land to the west were displeased by this intervention in colonial affairs (A Timeline of the American Revolution from 1763-1787). -
Quartering Act of 1765
This act was passed by British Parliament to keep the king's power in American colonies. Americans were required to house British troops. It focused on administering punishment for rebellions and desertion. It also helped improve the army's pay and quarters (Quartering Act of 1765). -
Stamp Act of 1765
The Stamp Act put a tax on the American colonists by taxing all paper documents. The British did this to help them pay for their debts from the war. Colonists called this unconstitutional and began to riot. The Sons of Liberty marched the streets with a model Andrew Oliver, a tax collector, and hung it from the Liberty Tree before ransacking his house. Oliver resigned soon after. Similar incidents happened where they mobbed collectors and threatened them (American Revolution). -
Stamp Act Congress
Representatives from nine of the thirteen colonies met from October 7-25, 1765. They stated that the Stamp Act was unconstitutional because the tax was imposed without their consent (A Timeline of the American Revolution from 1763-1787). -
Boston Massacre
What began as a street quarrel soon became a deadly riot on King Street in Boston. Hugh White, a soldier, was guarding the king's money inside the custom house when angry colonists came and threatened violence. White fought back and colonists began to throw snowballs making him call reinforcement. Someone yelled "fire" and a soldier shot his gun. Once it was over, 5 colonists were killed & 6 were injured. Crispus Attucks, the first killed, was a stevedore of mixed race (American Revolution). -
Tea Act of 1773
The Tea Act's main purpose was to bail out the struggling East India Company, an important component in the British economy. The British government was still in debt and once again imposed a tax on the American colonists to help them pay for their dues. The colonists never accepted the constitutionality of the tariff on the tea and this soon led to the Boston Tea Party (American Revolution). -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that took place at Griffin's Wharf. Many colonists were furious with Britain for the taxes that had been forced upon them. That night a group of men, some possibly the Sons of Liberty, dressed as Native Americans and dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor. This took almost three hours to complete and the chests held more than 45 tons of tea which would cost one million dollars today. Due to their costumes only one man, Francis Akeley, was arrested. -
Coercive Acts
As a result of the Boston Tea Party, the Coercive Acts were passed by King George III. This act closed the harbor until all lost tea was paid for and ended free elections of town officials. It also moved judicial authority to Britain and their judges, originating martial law. Britain hoped this would quiet the uprisings in New England and keep the colonies from unifying, however the opposite happened (American Revolution). -
First Continental Congress
On September 5, 1774 delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies convened at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia to discuss how to prevent British tyranny. This Congress was constructed with the priority on fairness of the members and to promote free debate. Many colonists thought the Coercive Acts went too far. The Boston Tea Party united them in their eagerness to acquire independence. When they adjourned in October, they had written the Declaration of Independence (American Revolution). -
Battle of Lexington and Concord: the beginning of the revolution
700 British troops arrived in Lexington & came to face 77 militiamen. The militiamen were ordered to split up when a shot rang out. British volleys were let go before things could be calmed down. Once the smoke cleared, 8 militiamen were dead with 9 injured and 1 British solder was injured. The British headed on to Concord searching for arms & burned what they discovered. Militiamen rushed over & the British fired first but fell when shots returned. This was "the shot heard around the world." -
Second Continental Congress
The 2nd Continental Congress gathered in the State House in Philadelphia with Thomas Jefferson as president. They accepted the executive role of being self-governed, printing their own money & sending diplomatic tasks to foreign countries. Since the war was upon them, the Congress elected that they needed to develop a national army. Washington was appointed to lead the army. The following July, they issued the Declaration of Independence. (A Timeline of the American Revolution for 1763-1787). -
Battle of Long Island
The British army successfully defeated the Continental Army led by Washington. This battle was part of the British strategy to obtain control of New York and seclude New England from the colonies. George Washington's setback could have led to the surrender of his militia, but his originality allowed him to escape and proceed the warfare (American Revolution). -
Battle of Princeton
Washington eluded conflict with General Cornwallis and won several battles with the British rearguard as they left for Trenton. General Cornwallis sent 8,000 Redcoats there to rout Washington's 5,000. By having them guard the Delaware River, Cornwallis thought Washington would reverse paths. Instead Washington left his campfire glowing and edged to the British's camp conquering them. After the losses, Gen. William Howe & Admiral Richard Howe left New Jersey to Washington (American Revolution). -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga served as the turning point of the American Revolution. The battles were fought in the fall of 1777 just eighteen days apart. On September 19th, British General John Burgoyne earned a small and costly triumph over the Americans Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. General Burgoyne struck again with a debilitated army and was trounced on October 7th. He backed down in defeat ten days after (American Revolution). -
Southern Campaign
This was a strategy enacted by the British to win the feud by focusing their forces in the southern states of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The British suggested this plan in 1775, however it didn't come into full effect until France allied with America after the Battle of Saratoga victory in October 1777. By 1781, the Southern Campaign failed to stop British defeat in the war (Southern Strategy). -
Battle of Yorktown
The final battle of the revolution took place in the fall of 1781, American and French soldiers sieged the British military at Yorktown, Virginia. George Washington and French General Comte de Rochambeau led the combat and began their attack on October 14th. They were able to seize two British defenses and pressure General Cornwallis and 9,000 of his troops to surrender. After this American victory, the British began peace negotiations with the Americans (American Revolution). -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were constructed on November 15, 1777 and authorized on March 1, 1781. The Articles were established by the First Continental Congress and was a form of government for the new United States. They were fairly weak and were essentially unqualified to command the country (The First Continental Congress). -
Constitutional Convention
Fifty-five delegates assembled in Philadelphia to find a replacement to the weak Articles of Confederation. James Madison presented the Virginia Plan which was in favor of the larger states and was based on population. The smaller state disagreed with this leading William Patterson to come forward with the New Jersey Plan which sought equal state power. Neither side could agree with the other and this led to the Great Compromise that combined both methods (Constitutional Convention). -
Ratification of the Constitution
After the convention and the agreement of the Great Compromise, the Constitution was signed & became the new form of government. 38 out of 55 delegates voted to pass it while those who disapproved it worried the government would have too much power. The Constitution made accounted for a two part legislature along with executive and judicial branches to divide power. Ten years later the Bill of Rights were added to protected people's individual rights (Constitutional Convention).
