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The French and Indian War 1754-1763
The French and Indian War, otherwise known as the 7 years war, was a violent battle between two European imperial powers, Britain and France. As a result of ongoing issues on the frontier control. French soldiers and Native peoples such as the Mohawk battle against Great Britain. Britain wanted more control over the colonies and regions of North America. Resulting in the victory for Great Britain brought with it much debt, and war reparations. -
The tightening hold of Great Britian
King George III changed up the ways in which power was being utilized in the colonies. Britain was in need of the loyalty of the colonists, and up until now their arrangement was enough for Great Britain. In the arrangement, colonies provided loyalty in exchange for huge amount of religious freedom, and self rule. Great Britain decided to tighten their hold on the colonies, and tried to enforce more firm ways of governing the American colonies. -
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Factors Leading to the Declaration of Independence.
Several Factors contributed to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. Changes in the British law negatively affected that within the colonies. A tighter control and hold over the colonies led Britain down a slippery slope, one that would eventually lead to a Revolution. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was an act created after the 7 years war in order to try and repay the debt of Great Britain. The Stamp Act was enacted and increased the taxation of stamps utilized for important official documents. This did not sit well with colonists, and therefore a group known as the Sons of Liberty formed to protest and riot such taxation. -
Quartering Act
The same year, Parliament introduced another rule within the colonies. The quartering act allowed the act of seizing and quartering British soldiers in colonial homes. This was in direct violation of the liberties and natural rights of colonists, therefore igniting further trouble with Great Britain. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act seemed to be the ignition of further discontent within the colonies and Great Britain. In order to fix the in-debt and drowning East India Trading Company, Great Britain released an Act approved by Parliament that granted the EITC access to monoplize the importation and sale of Tea. Tea was a staple product in the lives of both Britain and colonists. This is where we see the term "No taxation without representation". -
The Boston Tea Party
The months following the initiation of several British acts, such as that of the Tea Act, tension and violences rose between the colonists and the imperial Great Britain. Eight months later, a band of the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk natives in order to sneak into the night and dump gallons of the East India Trading Companies' tea into the Boston harbor, as an act of defiance. -
Intolerable Acts
Due to intolerable behavior from colonists in the eyes of the British, a series of acts passed by Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party. Some of these acts included the closing down and halting of trade out of the Boston Harbor. Acts were passed in other colonies like Massachusetts to tighten control over provinces. Great Britain was fed up with colonist behavior, and colonist refused to quit the fight. -
The American Revolution
War between the British and colonist had been initiated. Britain was fighting to regain control over the colonies, and the colonials were fighting for their rights and representation. Colonists realized their desire for freedom, and thus a year later the call for a declaration of indolence was introduced at a continental congress meeting. -
The First Continental Congress
Representatives Fromm 12 of the 13 colonies chose to have a meeting in the city of Philadelphia. In order to get anywhere in the fight again the imperial Great Britain, colonists needed to organize and strategize. In order to oppose Britains intolerable acts, and their rule over all, representatives met to oppose British trade acts. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
In response to the first continental congress, colonist organized in bands known as minutemen. This was a civilian militia organized to fight British soldiers wherever they might come and when they might come. British soldiers were marching on their way to stop colonial rebels when colonist were alerted by Paul Revere "the British are coming". Upon arrival, War broke out for the first real time between the two sides. Thus, the "shot heard around the world". -
The Declaration of Independence
Americans had grown tired of the mistreatment, underrepresentation, and intolerable Acts of the British. Therefore, a document proposed at the Continental Congress meeting in 1776 was brought to life. Written by Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence announced the colonials official renouncement of British rule and governance.