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French and Indian War
After six peaceful years, the French-British conflict started up. Both countires wanted a strong empire and the only way they could get that was to fight. One major area fought between Great Britain and France was the Ohio River valley. The Fremcj -
Proclamation of 1763
The French and Indian war ended in 1763 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. The Proclamation established a line along the Appalachian Moutains which forced the colonists not to pass. The land was only for Native Americans. -
Sugar Act
Great Britain borrowed a lot of money during the war. In order to keep the nation from drowning in debt The Sugar Act was composed. It stated 3 different things. 1. Halved the duty on foreign-made molasses hoping that colonists would rather pay a lower tax rather than risk arresrt by smuggling. 2. Placed duties on certain imports that had not been taxed before. 3. Provided the colonists accused of violationg the act would be tried in a vice-admirality court rather than colonial court. -
Stamp Act
The stamp act forced a tax on documents and printed items. A stamp was placed on iteams to prove that the tax had been paid. -
Sons of Liberty Formed
Colonists banned together to defy the law. Boston shopkeepers, laborers, and and artisans organized a secret resistance group called the Sons of Liberty. Their main job was to protest the law. -
Townshed Act
The Townshed Acts taxed good that were imported into the colony from Britain such as lead, glass, paint, and paper. The Act also put a tax on tea. -
Boston Massacre
A mob gathered in front of the Boston Customs House and threatend the British soliders who were standing guard. Shots were then fired at the colonists and the start of the Boston Massacre erupted.The Massacre was between colonists who cane to America in orrder to escape Britain control. -
Tea Act
Lord North devised the Tea Act in order to save the British East India Company which was nearly bankrupt. The Act made the company sell the tea to the colonies tax free. Only the Colonial traders had to pay them. North hped that the Americans would pay for cheaper tea, but they protested. -
Boston Tea Party
A large group of Boston Rebels disguised as Native Americans, procceded to take action again three British tea ships. The disguised Americans dumped 18,000 pounds of the East India Company's tea into the Boston harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
Parliament passed a bunch of acts that the Colonists thought to be intolerable. One law shut down the Boston harbor, another inforced the quartering act, and the last was that Boston was placed under martial law (imposed by military forces.) -
First Continental Congress
Formed in response to Britain's actions. 56 delegates met in Philadelphia and wrote a declaration of colonial rights. The defended the colonies' right to run their own affairs and stated if the British used force, the colonies should fight back. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
700 British troops headed for Concord. 70 Colonists were waiting for them. Someone fired, and The Battle of Lexington, the first war of the Revolutionary war started, and only lasted 15 minutes. 8 minutemen were killed and 10 injured. Only 1 British solider was wonded. -
Publication Of Common Sense
In the pamphlet by Thomas Paine titled common sence, Paine attacked King George and the monarchy. Paine declared that independence would give America colonists a chance to create a better society. -
Second Continental Congress
Congress was called a second time to Philidelphia to debate their next move. The major agreement was to recognize the colonial malitia as the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander. -
Battle Of Bunker Hill
British general Thomas Gage decided to strike at militamen on Breed's Hill. Gage send 4,000 British soliders up the hill, Colonists were hiding they held their fire until the last minute.
This was one of the bloodiest battles ever. Colonists lost 450 men and the British lost over 1,000 men. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was created by the Second Continental Congress on July 5, 1775, in a final attempt to avoid a war between the Thirteen Colonies, and Great Britain. -
Declaration of Independence
Continental Congress finally decided to urge each colony to form its own goverment. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration. The Declaration states that "all men are created equal" and on July 4, the 13 colnies were granted freedom from Britain. -
Saratoga
The Americans surounded the British at Saratoga and then the British surrendered which ended up being very important. France then started to believe that that America was going to win so they created an alliance. -
Early British Victories
Seizing of New York- Summer of 1776. British forces sail in with over 32,000 troops planning to seize and take over New York. Colonists were succesful via sneak attacks when the British werent ready. British won this battle after capturing Philidelphia.
Saratoga- John Burgoyne planned to lead an army down a route of lakes from Canada to Albany. 2 reignments would join forces and try to take over New England (failed). Americans surounded Burgoyne at Saratoga where he surrendered. -
Valley Forge
Washington and the Continental Army were very low on food and supplies. They had to fight to stay alive at winter camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Over 2,000 soldiers died, survivers didnt desert. -
Early Continental Army victories
see info from Saratoga and Valley Forge. -
Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette
Friedrich von Steuben was a captain and talented drill master , he helped to train the Continental army. Marquis de Lafayette was a French military leader who helped lobby France for French reinforcements in 1779. -
British victories in the South
1778- British expedition easily took Savannah, Georgia.
May 1780- Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Conwallis captured Charles Town, South Carolina. -
British Surrender at Yorktown
By late September, about 17,000 French and American troops surrounded the British on the Yorktown peninsula and began bombarding them day and night. French navy defeated incoming British ships and blocked the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. Sept 19, Cornwallis finally surrendered. Americans shocked the world and defeated the British. -
Treaty of Paris
Delegates signed the Treaty of Paris which confirmed U.S. independence and ended the Revolutionary war. The treaty set the boundaries of the new nation. The U.S. stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi river and from Canada to the Florida border.
