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French and Indian War
It was 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 third of the continent. -
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin proposed this plan for uniting the colonies in response to French attacks on the frontier. The colonies rejected the plan because it gave too much power to an assembly made up of representatives from all thirteen colonies. -
George III becomes King of Great Britain
He was determined to deal firmly with the American colonies. To help pay for the war, the king and his ministers levied taxes on tea, sugar, glass, paper, and other products. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act imposed the first direct tax on colonists. It required them to pay a tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and even dice and playing cards. Parliament also passed laws regulating colonial trade in ways that benefited Great Britain but not the colonies. -
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress is a meeting in New York. Nine colonies sent delegates to this meeting to protest King George's actions. Delegates to the Congress sent a petition to the King, arguing that only colonial legislatures could impose direct taxes. -
Boston Tea Party
In retaliation of the Stamp Act, a group of colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians and dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. -
Committees of Correspondence
Committees of Correspondence were urging resistance to the British. The committees consisted of colonists who wanted to keep in touch with one another as events unfolded. Samuel Adams established the first committee in Boston. The idea spread quickly and Massachusetts soon had 80 committees. -
Coercive Acts
These Acts closed the Boston Harbor and withdrew the right of the Massachusetts colony to govern itself. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia. The delegates debated what to do about the relationship with Great Britain. They imposed on an embargo agreement on Britain and agreed not to use British goods. They also proposed a meeting the following year if Britain did not change its policies. -
Lexington and Concord
British redcoats clashed with colonial minutemen at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. This was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates from all thirteen colonies gathered in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress. It immediately assumed the powers of a central government. John Hancock of Massachusetts was president. George Washington was commander of the Continental Army. -
Resolution of Independence
Richard Henry Lee declared independence more than a year after the fighting began in the colonies. Lee introduced a resolution in the Continental Congress that these United Colonies are, and of right to be free and independent states. -
Declaration of Independence
After Lee's resolution the Congress quickly made a committee to prepare a written declaration of independence. On June 28th, the committee submitted the edited draft to Congress. On July 2nd, 1776, the Congress approved Lee's resolution. On July 4th, Congress approved the final draft. John Hancock was the first to sign the document, which eventually had fifty-six signatures.
