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French and Indian War
Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia granted French land to the colonists, and sent George Washington to tell the French to leave. He was attacked by several hundred French soldiers, and forced to retreat. The war lasted 7 years and was ended by the signing of the Paris Treaty. -
Proclamation of 1763
The British were millions of dollars in debt thanks to the French and Indian War, and did not need a war with the natives who had sided with the French. This proclamation declared that no-one was allowed to settle past the Appalachian Mountains. -
Sugar Act
Goods normally imported from France were no longer available, so Parliament imposed a tax on sugar. The colonists resented this as they had no representation in Parliament and no say in how they were taxed. -
Stamp Act
British Parliament required all official papers (newspapers, court documents, playing cards, etc...) to have a stamp on them that proved the taxes had been paid on them. The colonists were unhappy with this as they had no say in their taxation. -
Committees of Correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence were a nonviolent organization created to inform the colonists of the growing crisis in England and to squash rumors with accurate facts, so that the colonists would not be misled. -
Townshend Acts
Parliament imposed a tax on items such as tea, paint, paper, and glass. The colonists rebelled by boycotting taxed items and created the slogan "No taxation without representation" -
Boston Massacre
Several colonists confronted British soldiers, and began to throw snowballs, and progressed to throwing rocks. British troops came out and more colonists surrounded them.The British fired, and five colonists were killed. -
Tea Act/Boston Tea Party
British Parliament gave the East India Tea Company a monopoly on all tea sales in the colonies. 60-ish colonists who were opposed to this dressed as Native Americans and enter a building on one of Boston Harbor's wharves. The boarded three ships in the harbor, hurt no crew members, damaged none of the ships, and dumped 342 crates of tea into the harbor. They swept the ships when they were done. -
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First Continental Congress
Representatives from every colony except Georgia gathered in Carpenter's Hall in Pennsylvania to discuss the growing crisis in England. They sent a petition to the King stating that they were still loyal to His Majesty, but demanded that they be represented in Parliament or they would boycott British goods and refuse to trade with Britain. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
British troops were sent to assassinate Rebel Leaders John Adams and Hancock, when Paul Revere was notified of the plot. He rode ahead to Lexington to tell the militiamen to take up arms. 60 Minutemen fought the British there and at least three were killed. The British proceeded on to Concord, intending to raid the rebel armories, only to discover that the Rebels were two steps ahead of them, and had set up and ambush. Over 1000 militiamen chased the British 20 miles back to Boston.
