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Signing of the Treaty of Paris & End of French and Indian War
Signing the Treaty of Paris (1763) ended the 7 year war between the allies, the Indian and the French and they fought the British. The war was won by the British and it meant that they would gain control of the land in North America. If the British had not won, then the France would be in charge of the land in North America and things would be very different. -
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End of F&I War and Declaration of Independence Signed
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The Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was issued by King George III. When issued, the lands north and west of the Appalacian Mountains were closed for settlement. The goal of this proclamation was to reduce the conflict between the Native Americans and the colonists from the French and Indian War. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was a law that was passed that tried to reduce the amount of sugar or molasses that was smuggled in the colonies. To do that the tax rate was reduced. The Sugar Act also helped reduce the amount of money that went into trade with other countries because the French and Indian War had taken such a huge toll on the economy. Because the Sugar Act was so strict, smuggling was reduced and that affected the economy. The act raised many issues, people even boycotted British luxury goods. -
Stamp Act
This was an act issued by the British Parliament. It was basically a tax placed on the Americans, they had to pay taxes on all of the printed paper that they used. The tax was issued on any legal document or pamphlet that had a stamp or seal on it. This act was issued to help pay for debt from the 7 year French and Indian War. The debt amounted to a cost of £ 130,000,000. The money was also used to help pay for the costs of defending the American colonies. -
Sons of Liberty Take Action
The Sons of Liberty was formed to defend the liberties of the colonists during the time of the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act was thought to be unfair for the colonists because in the past, when taxes were raised it was to regulate the colonies and not to raise money for debt. The group was formed in Boston, Massachusetts by a group of shopkeepers and artisans. The Sons of Liberty were one of the main groups to help in the revolt against the British. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight between the patriots and British soldiers. Things like snowballs, stones, and sticks were thrown. The fact that British troops were present in the city of Boston was unwelcoming. 5 people died during this quarrel. Soon after the a town meeting was issued and it was demanded that the British troops me removed. This event led to the Royal Governor's evacuation from Boston. It also resulted in the use of arms for protection within the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
Because of the debt from the French and Indian War was so large for the British, King George III decided to tax the American colonies to pay the debt. He also wanted to re-gain control of the colonies that were becoming more independent. This event also resulted in more stricter laws. -
The Intolerable Acts is passed
The Intolerable Acts was basically punishment for dumping tea in the harbor, set by King George III. The Intolerable Acts consisted of 5 Acts: The Impartial Administration of Justice Act, Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act, Boston Port Act, Quartering Act, and the Quebec Act. These acts were said to be the harshest. The colonists, enraged by the strict and harsh act, revolted and in turn it soon resulted in the American Revolution. -
Patrick Henry's "Give Me Death or Give Me Liberty"
Patrick Henry, a native to Virginia created the famous "Give Me Death or Give Me Liberty" speech. He gave the speech because of the many British Troops. The Virginians were angered and Patrick Henry along with other's decided to fight back. The speech was held at a meeting by the Virginians who wanted to do something and in the speech Henry proposed a solution that Virginia should prepare herself. In less than 4 weeks the Revolutionary War began. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
This battle basically kicked off the American Revolutionary War between the British and the Americans. On April 18, the night before the battle, the British troops marched from Boston to seize their supply of arms. Around this time, the famous Paul Revere sounded the alarm and the American troops readied for counter-attack. At Lexington was where the actual fighitng and quarrel began the war. But it wasn't until 1783 until the colonists finally gained independence. -
Second Continentinal Congress
The delegates of the 13 colonies at the time gathered in Philadelphia for a meeting about the Battle of Lexington and Concord. They assigned a military force outside of Boston to drive out the British troops. This military force was called the Continental Army which was to represent the 13 colonies as one. During this meeting George Washington was declared commander in chief. -
Declaratory Act
The Declaratory Act was the response of the British to the phrase "no taxation without representation,". This phrase was virtual representation, or in simpler terms, when a group of people are represented by a governmental body which decides based on what they deemed was appropriate, not the people. The declaratory act stated that the actions of the Parliament were in fact virtual representation. The resulted in discrepancy among the people and helped give rise to the American Revolution. -
Declaration of Independence is Signed
The Declaration of Independence was a document that was signed that issued the freedom of the colonists from British rule. It was written by Thomas Jefferson. In the document, Jefferson expressed the opinions of the people. His most famous statement is "all men are created equal". The founding fathers were affected by Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations (1776). Mercantilism being the theory, which was the idea that the colonies existed for the benefit for the Mother Country.
