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End Of French Indian War
War fought between Great Britain and its two enemies, the French and the Indians of North America. Most of the battles were in Canada, fighting of the Ohio River Valley. American colonists, including George Washington, fought with the British in this war, which lasted from 1754 to 1763. Lead to the Treaty Of Paris, The British won the war and won the right to keep Canada and several other possessions in the New World. This lead to the taxing of the English colonies. -
Proclamation Line Of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was a law diabling the colonists from moving westward into Native American territory. This law was a result of Pontiac's rebellion. -
Sugar Act
In 1764 Parliament passed the Sugar Act to stop smuggling between the colonies and the French West Indies. The act lowered the tax on molasses imported by the colonist. This was important because the British could then collect the taxes on molasses and increase their revenues. -
Quatering Act
The Quatering Act of 1765 required colonists to house and feed British troops. These included troops from the French and Indian war and additional troops as well. -
Stamp Act
First direct British tax on American colonists. Instituted in November, 1765. Every newspaper, pamphlet, and other public and legal document had to have a Stamp, or British seal, on it. The Stamp, of course, cost money. The colonists didn't think they should have to pay for something they had been doing for free for many years, and they responded in force, with demonstrations and even with a diplomatic body called the Stamp Act Congress, which delivered its answer to the Crown. -
Townshend Acts
The townshend acts were taxes on many products. These include lead, paper, tea, paint, and glass. Charles Townshend believed that the colonists didn't care as much about the taxes they were given. The colonists actually just didn't like Parliament controlling them. Then, Townshend created these laws. -
Boston Masacre
Shooting of five American colonists by British troops on March 5, 1770. One person, an African-American man named Crispus Attacks, was killed. Nearly every part of the story is disputed by both sides. Did the colonists have weapons? The British say rocks and other such weapons were hurled at them. But the British had guns, and they did open fire. The Boston Massacre deepened American distrust of the British military presence in the colonies. -
Tea Act
Parliament tax on tea, Colonists continue to boycott British tea and to drink smuggled Dutch tea. The tea boycott worsened financial problems for the already struggling British Eeast India Company. To help the company and encourage the colonists to pay the tax. Tear became cheaper than the smuggled tea, even with the tax. Instead of buying the cheaper tea, the colonists potested that they were being tricked, led to Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was a rebel against the tea act of 1773. Many colonist dressed up as Mohawk Indians and dumped millions of dollars worth of tea into the harbor. England saw this as a threat to there rule . This made them angry causing the Parliament to introduce the intolerable acts. -
Intolerable Act
To punish Boston and all of Massachusetts, in the spring of 1774 Parliament passed a series of laws known as the coercive acts. One of the laws limited town meetings to once a year and another suspended the Massachusetts general court. Because the measure seemed so harsh, the colonists labeled them as intolerable (coercive) acts. -
Patrick Henry Quote
"Give me Liberty, or Give me Death!" is a quotation attributed to Patrick Henry from a speech he made to the Virginia Convention. It was given on March 23, 1775, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia, and is credited with having swung the balance in convincing the Virginia House of Burgesses to pass a resolution delivering the Virginia troops to the Revolutionary War. -
Battle Of Lexington and Concord
First shots fired between American and British troops, on April 19, 1775. The British chose to march to Concord because it was an arms depot. This meant that the Americans had stockpiled weapons there. British troops had occupied Boston and were marching on Concord as they passed through Lexington. No one is still sure who fired first, but it was the "Shot Heard 'Round the World." Both sides opened fire, and the Americans were forced to withdraw