Colonies turn to States

Proclamation of 1763

Oct 7, 1763

This was a proclamation passed by King George III and the British parliament after the French & Indian War/ Seven Years War was over. It forbade the crossing of English colonists over a set line around the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act

Apr 5, 1764

Since Britain was in serious debt from the French & Indian War, they needed money; and the best way to get it was through taxes. The parliament decided to strongly enforce and intensify taxes on sugar, molasses, and a few other like goods.

Quartering Act

May 3, 1765

Passed by the Parliament in 1765, this act obligated people to house British soldiers in public houses and American barracks.

Stamp Act

Oct 5, 1765

British Parliament, after passing the Sugar Act in 1764, imposed a more harsh taxation method. They taxed all printed items from legal documents, to playing cards. Each printed item must have had a stamp legalizing its existance.

Stamp Act Congress

Oct 7, 1765

In New York City, meetings between October 7th and 25th were held by representatives from each American Colony. These people gathered into one place to organize protests against the Stamp Act. The majority of these protests were non-violent; however, some led to bloodshed.

Declaratory Act

Mar 18, 1766

British Parliament passed this act in order to repeal the Stamp Act due to boycotts hurting the economy even more. Also, they claimed that they have full control over the colonies, that the could pass any law without colonial representation.

Townshend Acts

Jun 15, 1767

Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend proposed the Townshend Acts, which was a series of laws for the colonies. The more "popular" ones were: the Revenue Act of 1767, the Vice Admiralty Court Act, the Commissioners of Customs Act, the Indemnity Act, and the New York Restraining Act.

Boston Massacre

Mar 5, 1770

British soldiers were stationed in Boston in order to help enforce Parliament laws on the colonies. March 5th a mob of protesters surrounded a group of soldiers yelling threats and throwing objects. Without orders the soldiers fired at the civilians, killing five people and injuring six.

Tea Act

May 10, 1773

This was an Act allowing all tea shipments to arrive at the colonies without much taxes enforced. This was Britain's attempt to sell off their overstock of tea whereever they can.

Boston Tea Party

Dec 16, 1773

This was a political protest lead by the Boston Sons of Liberty. The followers of this protest dumped the majority (if not all) the tea transported into the colonies in response to the Tea Act passed earlier in the year.

Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts)

Feb 1, 1774

British Parliament passed the Coercive Acts in 1774. This Act takes away all self-governing rights of Massachusetts, being a set of Acts that serve as a punishment to colonial protests, including the Boston Tea Party.

Quebec Act

Feb 1, 1774

This act was a part of the Intolerable Acts. It expanded the boundries of Quebec and made it religiously tolerant to strictly Catholics, more in favor of the French.

1st Continental Congress

Sep 5, 1774

Delegats/ representatives from twelve colonies (excluding Georgia) came together and met at Carpenters' Hall located in Philadephia, Pennsylvania. They discussed and planned petitions against British Trade in response to the Intolerable Acts passed by the Parliament. They had no affect to British enforcement of the Intolerble Acts, therefore, they failed.

Battles of Lexington & Concord

Apr 19, 1775

These were the first battles of the Revolutionary War. Fought in Middlesex County, joint militia fought multiple companies of British troops set to sabotage supplies in Concord. There was no clear winner of the battles; the British managed to burn the supplies, however they were nearly defeated on the march back to their base.

2nd Continental Congress

May 10, 1775

Delegates from all 13 colonies came together to try again protest Britain. They had elected their official president of the convention: John Hancock. They discussed the same things and pushed on with their goals, eventually leading to the Battles of Lexington & Concord.

Olive Branch Petition

Jul 15, 1775

This was a statement saying that the colonies were loyal to Great Britain. This was written by the Continental Congress in order to avoid an all-out war between the colonies and Britain. It was soon to be rejected due to the already rising tension between the two sides.

Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

A document, written by Thomas Jefferson, stating that the colonies are no longer colonies; they are now independent states at war with Great Britain. Ratified July 4th, 1776 by the Continental Congress, the United States of America continues their way to victory against the British.