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Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin proposed this plan in response to French attacks on the frontier. The colonies rejected this plan because it gave to much power to an assembly made up of representatives from all thirteen colonies. -
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French and Indian War
Started as a struggle between the French adn the British over lands in western Pennsylvania and Ohio. Other countries got involved but Great Britain won the war and gained complete control of the eastern third of the continent. -
George III becomes king of Great Britain
He had different ideas about how the colonies should be governed. -
Stamp Act
This act imposed the first tax directly on the colonists. Required them to pay a tax on legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and even dice and playing cards. -
Stamp Act Congress
Nine colonies sent delegates to this meeting. It was the first meeting organized by the colonies to protest King George's actions. They sent a petition to the king saying that only colonial legislatures could impose direct taxes such as the Stamp Act. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians dumped three hundred and forty two chests of British Tea into the Boston Harbor in protest. In retaliation parliament passed the coercive acts. -
Coercive Acts
These acts were a retaliation for the Boston Tea Party. Colonists called them the intolerable acts. One closed the Boston Harbor, another withdrew the right of the Massachusetts colony to govern itself. -
Committees of Correspondence
Organizations that were urging resistance to the Brithish. THey consisted of colonists who wanted to keep in touch with one another as events unfolded. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from all colonies except Georgia met in Philadelphia for the first continental congress. They debated what to do about their relationship with Great Britain. Many key leaders and founding Fathers were there. -
Lexington and Concord
The first battle of the revolutionary war. Started the fight for our independence. -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates gathered from all thirteen colonies in Philadelphia. They elected John Hancock of Massachusetts as president. It served as acting government through the war even though it had no constitutional authority. -
Resolution of Independence
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declared independence. He introduced a resolution in the Continental Congress that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independant states. -
Decleration of Independence
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman were appointed to draft the Decleration of Independence. On july fourth it was agreed on and John Hancock was the first to sign.
