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Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was passed to prevent further conflict with the surrounding natives and to avoid uncontrolled settlement, both which could lead to more debt. The colonists resented this proclamations and failed to comply. -
Period: to
Pre American Revolution, During and After
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Sugar Act
The sugar act was passed in order to eliminate illegal sugar trade and caused the development of courts to try smugglers. The colonists reacted, specifically in Boston, by boycotting this act. -
Currency Act
The currency act was passed to prevent English merchants from being payed less than their worth by colonial currency. The colonists reacted with only a smoldering resentment. -
Stamp Act
This act was passed as an effort to reestablish mercantilism back into the colonies. The colonists reacted by boycotting this act, riots, and petitions. -
Quartering Act
This act was passed because the British believed that since the soldiers were there to protect the colonies, the colonists should pay back. The colonists reacted by protesting in assemblies. -
Repeal of Stamp Act and passage of Declaratory Act
This act was passed in order to appease both the colonists, in showing that they still had control, and english, by showing parliament was still in control, in order to stop the rebellions. The colonists rejoiced over the repeal and ignored the declaratory act. -
Townshend Act
They passed this act because they wanted more taxes and believed it wouldn’t upset the colonists since they believed it fell under the restriction of internal versus external taxes. The colonists reacted through protests, boycotts and newspaper attacks. -
Tea Act
The british passed this tax mainly as a way to help the failing East India Company sell their abundant amount of tea in warehouses but they also proposed it to the colonists as a way to lower the price. The colonists reacted through protests and boycotts, more specifically the famous Boston Tea Party. -
Coercive/Intolerable Acts
King George III punished the colonists for the Boston Tea party so they issued a series of taxes to pay for the damages. Colonists saw this as the ULTIMATE attack on taxation without representation. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
This took place in Lexington and Concord, Mass. British Redcoats were on their way to arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock, but colonists were ready for the attack by the midnight ride of Paul Revere. While the Americans had a significant loss of men, these skirmishes boosted the morale of the Americans. This battle signified the first violent and planned conflict between the British and Americans. The battle effect caused many Americans that were non-enthusiasts of the war to join the rebellion. -
Second Continental Congress
The Continental Congress met for the second time at the State house in Philadelphia because their demands were not met. This signified that it was officially time to cut ties with Britain. By July 4, 1776, America has declared Independence from Britain. This empowered the colonists in the remainder of the war to keep fighting for their independence. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Marking the first devastating battle of the War, American soldiers fight under General George Washington’s command. Fought during the Siege of Boston in Massachusetts, the result of the battle revealed that the British were in for a fight. Even though the colonists lost the battle, there were more casualties on the British side than the American, giving the colonists a huge morale boost to keep fighting. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was the official decision to break ties with Britain and fight for freedom. The Second Continental congress met in the state house in Pennsylvania to discuss their plan of action, since Britain continued to attack their freedom. July 4,1776 was the day the Declaration of Independence was signed and gave the colonists a reason to fight for what was right. As a result of the signing, Britain continued to fight the Americans continuing the Revolution until 1783. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga took place between the September 19th and the October 7th in 1777 and was fought in Saratoga county in new York and was a very important battle as it was the turning point in the revolution. General Burgoyne marched troops down from canada in order to try and take Albany. They were meet by the forces of General Gates who came from Fort Ticonderoga. The troops meet and 86% of Burgoyne’s men were captured leading to the first British surrender and boost in American morale. -
Battle of Yorktown
This battle was fought in Yorktown,Virginia and is thought of as the last major battle of the American revolution. Lafayette and Washington's americans and Rochambeau's french, fought the British in Yorktown and Washington’s forces surrounded General Cornwallis and the British leading to their surrender. There were a couple more skirmishes after this, but this was the last battle of the revolution leading to the American victory and the signing of the Treaty of Paris 2 years later. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed 2 years after the war. It stated that Great Britain recognized America as an independent country, secured rights of fishermen in waters off of Canada, Great Britain ceded all land between the Allegheny Mountains and the Mississippi River to America, colonists stop the persecution of the loyalists in America (giving them their land back that was confiscated during the war) and that both countries did not to block creditors from seeking to recover debts owed to them.
