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French and Indian War (1754-63)
The French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years War) was a territorial dispute between the French and Britain. France had expanded into the Ohio River, which had caused conflict with the British colonies. By the end of the war, Britain had claimed Canada from the French and Florida from Spain. -
Treaty of 1763
The Treaty of 1763 (Treaty of Paris) was the document that ended the French and Indian War. The countries that signed were Britain, Spain, France, and Portugal. France agreed to give up all its territories in the New World, which gave Britain's colonies freedom from being attacked. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was a document that was issued by King George III after the British colonists gained land from the French. This proclamation was meant to please the Native Americans, as it was a way of marking off land west of the Appalachian Mountains. This was another measure taken by the King to shield the natives from attacks from the colonists. -
Committees of Correspondence (1764)
The Committees of Correspondence was created in order to encourage the ideals of freedom from the British. It was also created to be a way that all the colonies could communicate with each other. They wanted to use this as a way to build solidarity with all the colonies. -
Stamp Act (1765)
The Stamp Act of 1765 was one of the first tax levied directly on the colonists. It taxed all paper documents, as it was a way for the British government to make money. This came at a time where Britain was deep in debt, as the French and Indian War costed them a lot of their revenue. -
Boston Massacre (1770)
The Boston Massacre was a deathly riot that had taken place on March 5th, 1770. It had started as conflict between American colonists and a British soldier, but quickly turned violent. The soldier had gotten tired of being insulted, so he struck a colonist with his bayonet. This started the riot, which would end with five colonists losing their lives. This is what really started to fuel the anti-British mindset. -
Boston Tea Party (1773)
The Boston Tea party was a political protest that took place on Dec. 16th, 1773. The colonists were mad about the "taxation without representation", as the British continued to create more taxes on items. The colonists dumped 342 chests of tea that were imported into the Boston Harbor in this protest. This was one of the key events that helped kick off the American Revolution. -
Intolerable Acts (1774)
The Intolerable Acts were a series of laws that were created after the Boston Tea Party. Parliament was over the colonists and their antics, so they cut off shipping to the Boston Harbor & put more control on the colonies. This angered the colonists, which lead to more uprisings and eventually the start of the American Revolution. -
Lexington & Concord (1775)
The battles of Lexington and Concord were the two battles that kicked off the American Revolution. The tension between the American colonists and the British had finally come to a breaking point, and the British were coming to Concord. Paul Revere, on that night, went to warn all the citizens of the invasion of the British that was about to come. The following morning, the first shot was fired, which was the start of the American Revolution. -
Bunker Hill (1775)
The battle of Bunker Hill was a battle where the American colonists were defeated by the British army. Despite this, the colonists were still able to cause massive damage against the other side. It gave them a bunch of confidence during the Siege of Boston. It helped them prepare better, and improve their strategies. -
Common Sense (1776)
Common Sense was a publication by Thomas Paine, and was created in opposition to the British Parliament. He was trying to advocate for the 13 colonies, as he wanted them to seek freedom from the British. This book became a hit in the colonies, as over 120k copies had been sold by April of the same year. It highlighted the ideals of the time period, and how they could be used in the aid of freeing the American colonists. -
Declaration of Independence (1776)
The Declaration of Independence was established on July 4th, 1776. It was a document telling Britain that they were seeking independence from them, as well as wanting to start up a new nation. They were tired of their rights & liberties being invalidated, so they wanted to find a way to make their own rules. Some important people who signed the document were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Ben Franklin, and many more. -
Valley Forge (1777-1778)
The battle at Valley Forge was a turning point in the American Revolution, as it tested General George Washington and his troops. The Continental Congress were thinking of replacing Washington if he didn't get their troops in line, so he got help from a fellow general named Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben. This sight became a training camp for the soldiers, as they needed to improve their fighting skills if they could even think about defeating the British. -
Saratoga (1777)
The battle of Saratoga was a major win for the American colonists, as they were able to defeat the British army during the second battle of Saratoga. This battle is what convinced the French that the American colonists were very strong, and that they could take on the British army. -
Cowpens (1781)
The battle of Cowpens was a huge battle for the American colonists, as they were able to defeat a lot of the British army. This battle really weakened the British, as they had lost many lives on their side of the field on that day. This battle is what lead to the eventual surrender at the battle of Yorktown. -
Yorktown (1781)
The battle of Yorktown was the final great battle of the American Revolution, This battle was the British army general Charles Lord Cornwallis surrendered to the American colonists and their French allies. The government had soon started to negotiate peace treaties afterwards. -
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris (1783) was the treaty that ended the American Revolution. The British government decided to recognize the 13 colonies as the United States of America, and gave them the land & their freedom. It took a bit of time due to negotiations having to be settled, but it was established on September 3rd, 1783.
