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French and Indian War
The French empire collided with the growing British empire. France and Great Britain had fought three inconclusive wars. Each war had begun in Europe but spread to their overseas colonies. After six relatively peaceful years, the French-British conflict reignited. -
Stamp Act
An act that imposed a tax on documents and printed items. -
Townshend Act
Named after Charles Townshend,this act was passed as the leading government minister. It taxed goods that were imported into the colony from Britain. -
Boston Massacre
A mob gathered in front of the Boston Customs House and taunted the British soldiers standing guard there. Shots were fired and five colonists were killed or wounded -
Tea Act
Lord North devised this act in order to save the nearly bankrupt British East India Company. The act granted the company the right to sell tea to the colonies free of the taxes that colonial tea sellers had to pay. -
Boston Tea Party
A large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans and proceeded to take action against three British tea ships anchored in the harbor. The "Indians" dumped 18,000 pounds od tea into the waters of boston -
Intolerable Acts
Parliament passed a series of measures that colonists called the Intolerable Acts. One law shut down Boston harbor. Another authorized British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings -
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1st and 2nd Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress, assembled by the committees of correspondence in response to Britain's actions in 1774, they defended the colonies' right to run their own affairs and stated that, if the British used force against the colonies, the colonies should fight back. The Second Continental Congress was called by colonial leaders. The loyalists that divided colonists sparked endless debates at meeting -
Publishing of Common Sense
In this widely spread 50 page pamphlet, Thomas Paine attacked King George and the monarchy -
Fighting at Lexington and Concord
Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to spread word that 700 British troops were headed for Concord. The Battle of Lexington was the first battle of the Revolutionary War and it only lasted 15 minutes
