-
French & Indian War
Why did the French and Indian War happen? American Indians battled to preserve control of their arrive and social future. The French claimed the Upper Ohio Stream Valley. They needed to exchange with the Indians and control the region. The British too laid claim to the Upper Ohio Stream valley. -
Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty mobilized support for the colonial resistance movement through petitions, rallies and propaganda, sometimes resorting to violence against British officials. They helped prevent enforcement of the Stamp Act and remained an active pre-revolutionary force against the king. -
Stamp Act of 1765
The settlers opposed the Stamp Act and the Settlement Act for similar reasons. Both took money from Americans without their consent and violated the principle of unrepresentative taxation. The settlers protested the Stamp Act and forced the resignation of almost everyone who had been sent to enforce the law. -
Townshend Act of 1767
To cover the operating costs of the American colonies, Congress passed the Townsend Act, which imposed taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. Not imported. In response to the new tax, the colonies again decided to ban the purchase of imported goods from England. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party (Boston Tea Party) was a political protest held on December 16, 1773 at Griffin's Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. Frustrated and angered that Britain was instituting a no-representation tax, American settlers dumped 342 cases of tea imported by the British East India Company into the port. -
First Continental Congress meets
The First Continental Convention was held from September 5 to October 26, 1774 at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Representatives from 12 of Britain's 13 American colonies met to discuss America's future in the face of increasing British aggression. -
Second Continental Congress meets
Second Continental Congress and Declaration of Independence. The Second Continental Congress was held in Independence Hall beginning in May 1775. Just a month after the shootings in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, Congress was preparing for war. -
Battles of Lexington & Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 was the famous "shot heard all over the world" and marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). This was a political disaster for Britain and convinced many Americans to take up arms and support the cause of independence. -
Olive Branch Petition sent to England
The Olive Branch Petition was passed by Parliament on July 5, 1775, and sent to the King in a last-ditch effort to prevent a formal declaration of war. The petition stressed her loyalty to the British royal family and emphasized her rights as a British citizen. Parliament adjourned. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War. This happened on June 17, 1775. After the Americans built a small fort on Breeze Hill, the British attacked. The British suffered heavy casualties but won a bitter battle. -
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense published
The document most believed to have inspired the American Revolutionary War is a 47-page pamphlet entitled Common Sense. The book was published on January 10, 1776 and was written by Thomas Paine, a writer who had just immigrated from England. This made ordinary Americans think seriously about American independence. -
Articles of Confederation created
During the American Revolutionary War, Congress developed the Articles of Confederation as a way to unite the colonies into a new nation under a single principle of government. There was a war between the 13 colonies of America and Great Britain. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the decisive battle of the American Revolution. The surrender of Britain marked the end of British rule in the colonies and the birth of a new nation, the United States of America. -
Great Compromise
The Great Compromise, along with several other provisions, resulted in the creation of two Houses of Representatives, one (House of Representatives) based on population and the other (Senate) with equal representation. What conflicts were resolved by the Great Compromise? The Great Compromise of 1787 resolved the dispute over national representation under the new constitution. -
Bill of Rights adopted
The Bill of Rights was added to further define the rights that governments should not encroach on. The founders wanted local government to make most of the decisions in their lives because it would be easier for them to deal with people.