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Pontiac's Rebellion
Pontiac's Rebellion was an 18-month conflict with the American Indians of the Ohio Valley. Led by Chief Pontiac, leader of the Ottawa people, natives attacked British colonial settlements from the Great Lakes to Virginia. This resulted in the Proclamation of 1763. -
Seven Years War
The French and Indian war was between Britain, France, and their colonial and native allies, fighting for control of North America east of the Mississippi. While the British won, they incurred massive debts in the process. The war ended with signing the treaties of Hubertusburg and Paris. France lost all claims to Canada, Spain gained Louisiana, and Britain received Florida, Upper Canada. -
Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian War, King George III issued a proclamation to conciliate the Native Americans and prohibit settlers from encroaching on their land (moving west and above the Appalachian Mts.) to reduce colonial-native tensions. -
Sugar Act
This act was a 1764 law that raised the previous taxes on molasses and sugar. This was a part of the British attempts to pay off debt from the French and Indian War. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required that all paper in the colonies have a stamp affixed signifying that the required tax had been paid. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was a 1765 act of Parliament that required colonial citizens to provide room and board for British soldiers stationed in America. It was very unpopular in the colonies. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a revenue plan passed by Parliament in 1767. It imposed harsher taxes on imported goods such as glass, paper, and tea. It was repealed in 1770 -
1st Continental Congress
In the 1st Continental Congress, 12/13 colonies sent delegates in reaction to British laws created because of colonial resistance to the Coercive Acts. Georgia was not present. -
2nd Continental Congress
The 2nd Continental Congress was an assembly of delegates from across the Thirteen colonies which passed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military battles of the Revolutionary War. The colonies proved that this was not a small uprising, but rather, a full-scale rebellion. -
Common Sense Published
This was a pamphlet published in 1776 by Thomas Paine that used Enlightenment philosophy to argue that it would be contrary to common sense to allow British injustices to continue. -
Declaration of Independence
The Dec of Independence announced the colonies’ official break from England, making the United States a country in its own right. It contained a preamble that heavily reflected Enlightenment philosophy regarding natural rights, as well as 27 grievances and charges of wrongdoing directed at the crown and Parliament. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the war for the Americans. British General John Burgoyne was defeated and forced to retreat. This battle encouraged France to join the colonists as allies, providing much-needed resources and training. -
Articles of Confederation
The AoC was an agreement between the 13 colonies which described the role of government that was later replaced by the U.S. constitution. -
Treaty of Paris
The offical peace treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War. It was signed by America and Britian and recognized America as an independent nation, requiring all British troops to leave the territory. Americans had to pay all debts and not punish loyalists. -
Annapolis Convention
At this convention, 12 delegates from 5 states met to discuss the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation. -
Shay's Rebellion
After the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation united the newly formed states. However, the federal government remained very weak, which was made evident by Shay’s Rebellion, an uprising in Massachusetts led by Daniel Shays, the goal was to prevent the trial and imprisonment of debt-ridden citizens. -
Federalist Papers Published
The Federalist Papers were a collection of 85 essays to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution written by John Jay (5), James Madison (29), and Alexander Hamilton (51). -
National Bank Chartered
There was lots of debt following the Revolutionary War and every state had different types of money. To combat this, the first bank was chartered. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
After being ratified by Virginia, the first 10 amendments of the US Constitution became the law of the land.
