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Albany Plan of Union
The Albany Plan of Union was rejected by the colonists because it gave too much power to an assembly made up of representatives from all thirteen colonies. -
George III becomes king of Great Britain
George III became king in 1760, He had different thoughts about how the colonies should be governed. He was determined to deal firmly with the American colonies. To pay for the war, the king and his ministers levied taxes on tea, sugar, glass, paper, and other products. -
French and Indian War
This war started as a struggle between the French and British over lands in western Pennsylvania and Ohio. By 1756, several other European countries became involved. Great Britain won the war in 1763 and gained complete control of the eastern 1/3 of the continent. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act of 1765 imposed the first direct tax on the colonists. It required them to pay a tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and even dice and playing cards. There were many protests by the colonists that eventually led to the repeal of the stamp act -
Stamp Act Congress
This meeting was organized by the colonies to pretest King George's actions. Delegates to the Congress sent a petition to the king, arguing that only colonial legislatures could impose direct taxes such as the Stamp Tax. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped 342 chests of British tea into the Boston Harbor. This protest came to be known as the Boston Tea Party. -
Coercive Acts
In retaliation, Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, which the colonists called the Intolerable Acts. One of these acts closed the Boston Harbor. Another of the Coercive Acts withdrew the right of the Massachusetts colony to govern itself. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from all the colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia for the first meeting of the First Continental Congress. Key colonial leaders such as Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, Richard Henry Lee, and George Washington attended. The delegates debated what to do about the relationship with great Britain. -
Second Continental Congress
Within 3 weeks, delegates from all 13 colonies gathered in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress. It assumed the powers of a central government. John Hancock was president. The next steps after electing a president was to organize an army and navy, issue money, and appoint George Washington as commander of the Continental Army. -
Lexington and Concord
The British Redcoats clashed with colonial minutemen at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. This skirmish was the first battle of the revolutionary war. -
Resolution of Independence
Samuel Adam was bewildered and frustrated by the fact that the war had been going on for over a year, and no declaration of independence had been created yet. Richard Henry Lee thought that the United Colonies should be free, independent states. -
Declaration of Independence
Congress named a committee of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman to prepare a written declaration of independence. A draft was submitted to congress, and on July 2, 1776, Congress had approved it. By July 4th, the Colonies had officially broke ties with Great Britain.
