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Albany Plan of Union
Ben Franklin proposed the creation of an annual congress of delegates from each of the 13 colonies. That body would have the power to raise milittary and naval forces, make war and peace with the Native Americans, regulate trade with them, tax and collect custom duties. -
Boston Massacre
British troops in Boston fire on a jeering crowd, killing five. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of men disguised as Native Americans, boarded three tea ships in boston Harbor. They broke open the chests and dumped the ship's cargo into the sea to protest British control of the tea trade. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from every colony except Georgia and Philadelphia met and discussed the worsening situation and debated plans for action. They sent a Declaration of Rights, protesting Britain's Colonial policies, to King George III. The delegates urged the colonies to refuse all trade with England until the hated taxes and trade regulations were repealed. They also called for the creation of local committees to enforce that boycott -
Second Continental Cogress
The second Continental Congress became the nations first national government. They immediately put together a continental army and appointed George Washington as Commander-in-chief. -
Declaration of Indepence
Congress named a committee of five- Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson- to prepare a proclamation of indepence. It declared..... " we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with Certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation established "a firm League of friendship" The Articles created a structure that more closely resembled an alliance of independent states than a government "of the people". It went into effect March 1, 1781 -
Shay's Rebellion
The rebellion is named after Daniel Shays, a veteran of the American Revolution who led the rebels. Most of Shays's compatriots were poor farmers angered by what they felt to be crushing debt and taxes. Failure to repay such debts often resulted in imprisonment in debtor's prisons or the claiming of property by the County. -
Philadelphia Convention
Twelve of the 13 States all but Rhode Island sent delegates to Philadelphia. THe purpose of the meeting was to refine the Articles of Confederation. They ended up with a new government instead of "fixing" the old one
