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Period: to
Timespan of the Road
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Parliment Passes the Sugar and Currency Acts
On April 5, 1764, Parliament made a modified version of the Sugar and Molasses Act, requiring people to pay six pence for a gallon of molasses. Other things taxed were sugar, certain wines, coffee, pimiento, cambric and printed calico, and also regulated the export of lumber and iron. On September 1, 1764, the Currency Act forbade the colonies of using paper money. -
The Stamp Act is Enforced
The Stamp Act proclaimed that a stamp needed to be affixed to wills, loan documents, contracts, and other documents as a tax. The Stamp Act was the Parliament's first serious attempt to control the colonies. This made the colonists have vicious threats and attempts to revolt. -
Parliament Passes the Townshed Act & Suspends New York Legislature
The Townshed Act put more taxes on lead, oil, glass, paint, and tea, causing more revolt in America. -
British Troops Occupy Boston
British troops came into Boston to intensify the enforcement of the Townshed Act (See previous bullet point). -
Boston Massacre Occurs
When the British troops got into Boston, the colonists revolted against the troops and caused some street fights. One fight against a colonist mob and soldiers left 5 people dead, which is known as the Bostion Massacre or "the incident on King Street." -
Samuel Adams forms the Committee of Correspondence
Samuel Adams formed the Committees of Correspondence. They were established throughout the colonies to coordinate American response to British colonial policy. This represented an important move toward cooperation, mutual action, and the development of a national identity among Americans. -
Boston Tea Party
From 7 P.M to 10 P.M, in Boston Harbor, a group of 116 Massachusetts colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians board three British tea ships and dump 342 (45 tons) chests of tea into the ocean. The destroyed tea was worth an estimated £10,000, which is about a million dollars in today's money. The ships' names were Dartmouth, Eleanor and Beaver. -
Parliament Passes the Intolerable Acts
Intolerable Acts were different for each colony. Main points were to enfore control over the colonies & and soldiers lived in the homes of colonists.
Massachusetts Bay Regulating Act:law officers chosen for certain jobs/ all town meetings not approved by governor were banned.
Boston Port Act: people had to pay back money that was lost in the Tea Party; capital was moved to Salem, Marblehead was made the official port of entry to Massachusetts.
The Quebec Act: People had more religious freedom. -
First Continental Congress meets and drafts the Declaration of American Rights
First meeting was in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. All colonies except for Georgia sent delegates. Pennsylvania and New York sent delegates with instructions to seek peace with England. The other colonies were defensive of colonial rights, and the more radical members were prepared for separation. The meeting was not completely clear, but the main point got across: King and Parliament must understand the problems, and everyone has to know about the problems. -
Battles and rides: Lexington and Concord; Bunker Hill and the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
When the battle of Bunker Hill occured on June 17, 1775, people heard that more British were coming. Samuel Prescott organized for 1200 militiamen to go to Bunker Hill to fight.
On his ride, Paul Revere rode with Williams Dawes and Samuel Prescott April 18- 19, 1775.Contrary to popular belief, Revere didn't get the message to Concord- Samuel Prescott did.
April 19, 1775- A fight in the Lexington "park" started the fighting. British troops retreated, though there were more battles after. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was the conclusive battle from many other battles that had occured between the colonists and the British. In the first few conflicts, the British were taking the lead. Their general was John Burgoyne. Then, the colonists began to win the combats and were majorly winning. Finally, about 9 miles south from Saratoga, New York, the British general surrendered to General Gates. This prevented the British from dividing New England from the rest of the colonies. -
Continental Congress drafts the Articles of Federation
The Articles of Confederation was a declaration that states the colonies are now the United States and served as the first constitution. Even though it was created on the 15 of November, 1777, it was actually ratified on March 1, 1781. -
Franco-American Alliance
The Franco- American Alliance was when Louis XVI's France and the United States made their alliance. It was a military pact in which France provided arms and money, and engaged in full-scale war with Britain. Later, the Netherlands and Spain joined the Alliance while the British had no allies. -
Cornwallis Surrenders to Washington at Yorktown
The British General Charles Cornwallis formally surrendered 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a French and American force at Yorktown, Virginia. This was important because, well, it brought the American Revolution to its end. Coornwallis was supposed to have reinforcements sent to him, but they never reached the New World because of the French Navy. The French and the colonists were still allied when this happened. -
Day Before the Constitution was Signed
This day doesn't have much importance except that the next day, the Constitution was signed.
