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Benjamin Franklin Publishes Poor Richards Almanac
Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richards Almanac under the pseudonym Richard Saunders -
Benjamin Franklin discovers Electricity
Benjamin Franklin flew a silk Kite with a key attached to it in a thunderstorm. When lightening struck it electricity traveled to the key and was collected in a Leyden jar. -
French and Indian war
Also known as the Seven Years War it lasted from 1754 to 1763 and resulted in the Treaty of Paris. England gained control of French Canada and Acadia. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 regulated the lands west of the Appalachian mountains, and forbade colonists settling there. This prohibition of recently won lands increased tensions between the Colonists and England. -
Stamp Act of 1765
Parliament imposed a direct tax on the Thirteen colonies that required many printed materials in the colonies to be produced on stamped paper produced in London -
Boston Massacre
The incident on King Street was a confrontation between British Soldiers and colonists. 5 colonists were shot and killed by the Soldiers. The soldiers were given a fair trial in the colonies and then sent back to England. They were defended by John Adams -
Tea Act of 1773
An attempt to save the British East India company, and to get the Colonies to accept Parliaments right of taxation. -
The Boston Tea Party
A protest against the Tea Act in which the Sons of Liberty in Boston dressed up as Indians and dumped a ship load of tea into the Boston Harbor. It was a large financial loss for the East India company. -
The First Continental Congress
A meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies at Carpenters' Hall in Philadelphia in response to the intolerable acts. It called for a boycott of British goods and provided for a second meeting of the Continental Congress -
The Revolutionary War Begins at Lexington and Concord
The first shot of the war was fired in Lexington. No one knows who fired it or which side fired first. After Lexington, the British marched on Concord. -
The Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met again in Philadelphia. The Continental Army is formed and George Washington is made their Commander -
Battle of Fort Ticonderoga
Ethan Allen And the Green Mountain Boys Capture the fort and take the cannons to Boston -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
British take the hill but suffer large casualties. It actually took place on Breeds Hill, and boosted American spirits because it showed we could actually inflict damage on the British and might be able to win. -
Common Sense is published
Written by Thomas Paine. the 50 page pamphlet explains the benefits of independence from Great Britain. -
The Deceleration of Independence
On July 4th 1776 the Second Continental Congress adopted the Deceleration of Independence to announce and explain our separation from Great Britain. It was authored by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 56 delegates. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. -
Washington's Crossing
Washington and the Continental Army cross the freezing Delaware River and ambushed 800 Hessian's. It was a much needed morale boost for the troops. -
Treaty of Paris
The United States and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris and officially end the war. -
General Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
General Cornwallis Surrenders 8000 British troops to the French and American forces. This is effectively the end of the war. -
Washington Becomes the First President
George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States -
Whiskey Rebellion
A Rebellion over the "Whiskey Tax" was put down by George Washington and 1300 militia men after 500 men attacked the home of tax inspector General John Neville. 20 men were arrested but later acquitted or pardoned. -
John Adams is Elected President
He was sworn in on March 4th 1797 by Chief Justice Oliver Ellsworth. He won the first contested presidential election with 71 electoral votes to Jefferson's 68 votes.
