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Jamestown
1607 Colonists establish Jamestown. -
1619
First democratically-elected legislative body in the British American colonies. First meeting held in Jamestown. -
1620
Mayflower lands in Plymouth bringing Puritans who sought religious freedom from Britain. -
French Indian War
The war was fought between the colonies of British America and New France. Also known as the 7 Year War. -
1763 Peace Treaty of Paris
This ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years' War. France ceded/gave up all of its territory in mainland North America. -
1764 Sugar Act
Britain placed a tax on the import of foreign sugar and molasses. -
1765 Stamp Tax
American colonists were required to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed. -
1765 Sons of Liberty
This was an organization of American colonists that was created in the Thirteen American Colonies. It was formed to protect the rights of the colonists and to fight taxation by the British government. They were Anit-British. -
1770 Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed by British soldiers. -
1773 Tea Act
Te British East India Co. was allowed to sell cheap tea to the colonists. -
1773 Boston Tea Party
The Tea Party was the culmination of a resistance movement throughout British America against the Tea Act. Demonstrators, some disguised as American Indians, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company. They boarded the ships and threw the chests of tea into Boston Harbor, ruining the tea. -
1774 Intolerable Acts
These were a set of 5 laws set by Britain aimed at restoring authority in the colonies and punishing the colonists for their acts during the Boston Tea Party. -
1774 First Continental Congress
This was a meeting of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies in Philadelphia. The Congress met briefly to consider options, including an economic boycott of British trade; rights and grievances; and petitioned King George III for redress of those grievances. -
1775 American Revolution begins
Massachusetts Governor Gage is secretly ordered by the British to enforce the Coercive Acts and suppress "open rebellion" among colonists by using all necessary force. -
Second Continental Congress
met in Philadelphia
Continental Army created
George Washington named Supreme Commander
King declared the colonies in a state of rebellion -
Declaration of Independence
committee to draft a declaration of independence claiming their independence from Britain
adopted on July 4th
