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French and Indian War
A war between Britain and France over land in North America. It ends with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. France then loses all of its lands in North Amerca, Spain gains the Louisana Territory, and the Colonists get nothing. -
Proclamation of 1763
A proclamation issued by King George III after the 7 Years War. It forbade all settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains. The land west of the Appalachian Mountains was turned to Indian Reserve. Colonists who had already settled there were forced to move back east. -
Sugar Act
The first tax placed on the American colonists after the French and Indian Wars. Britain had large war debt and needed a way to pay it off. The tax gave customs agents more power to conduct seizures and more power to change laws. -
Stamp Act
Law that all American colonists had to pay tax on every piece of paper including legal documents, newspapers, and even playing cards. Colonists disliked this because it was taxation without representation. Colonists attacked the tax collectors and protested until Britain repealed the act. -
Boston Massacre
A mob of Patriots gathered to protest against new laws made by the British. The fight turned violent as British soldiers shot and killed 5 American colonists. Many Patriots would publicize this event to protest the British. This event united the colonists against the Britsh. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists were mad at Britain for taxation without representation, so they dressed like Native Americans and dumped 342 chests of British Tea into Boston Harbor. The British were infuriated with this act, so they responded with more taxes on the colonists and more strict enforcement. -
Boston Blockade
The Boston Blockade was set by the British as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. The Boston Blockade closed the Boston port and taxed the colonists heavily on exports and imports. The colonists knew they had to unite before everyone's rights were reduced to nothing. -
Intolerable Acts
Laws set by the Britsh to punish colonists after the Boston Tea Party. These laws include The Boston Port Bill, The Massachusetts Government Act, The Adminstraton of Justice Act, and The Quartering Act. These laws were a huge push for the colonists to fght for ther independence. -
First Continental Congress
Colonial delegates got together to form ways to resist British rule. They wrote a letter to King George III explaining their complaints and grievances, and they threatened to boycott British goods unless the intolerable acts were repealed. The First Continental Congress also unified the colonies against the British. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was the first formal document declaring the people's right to self govern. It was written primarily by Thomas Jefferson. The Dec. of Independence declared people's rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
