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French and Indian War - Colonies
Colonists and English officials discuss Iroquois issues. Ben Franklin proposes the Albany Plan of Union but is vetoed. An army was too expensive and powerful to have. Washington is sent with troops to protect but are forced to retreat. The English officials brought an organized and potential army gaining victory. -
French Indian Wars- Europe
In the Treaty of Paris : France loses Canada, empires in India, and claims West of Mississippi River but keep Haiti. Spain gains French lands west of Miss. River. England gained French lands in Canada, rights in Caribbean slave trade and control of India.
After war, English is in debt and seeks to gain profits through taxation in colonies. The colonists speak up and created representative assemblies and the Sons of Liberty. -
Proclamation of 1763
British government issue the proclamation to prohibit colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains to avoid conflicts with the Natives. The colonists disagree with this regulation and started to move west as a way to rebel. -
Sugar Act
Tax on foreign sugar and luxuries to gain profits for the motherland. There is a stronger reinforcement in the Navigation Acts to avoid smuggling of foreign goods. -
Stamp Act
A direct tax on colonist printed papers. Patrick Henry brings the idea of "no taxation without representation." Colonists protest against this tax by creating a Stamp Act Congress. They boycotted British goods and formed the Sons and Daughters of Liberty to intimidate tax collectors. They used harsh strategies such as tar and feathering them and destroying the revenue stamps. -
Quartering Act
This act forced all colonists to provide the British soldiers with food and shelter. The soldiers were sent to "protect" the colonists from any dispute with the natives or to search for smuggled goods or any inconsistency in the colonial systems. -
Townshend Act
Parliament enacted duties to be collected from colonial imports of tea,glass, and paper. It also allowed officials to search private homes for smuggled goods with a writ of assistance(a license) instead of having judicial warrants. To protest, the colonists started to boycott and smuggle goods again. -
Boston Massacre
The colonist harass British troops because of feelings of resentment they had towards the quartered soldiers in their colony. To defend themselves, the soldiers shoot their guns and kill five colonists including Crispus Attucks, and African American. The soldiers are taken to trial but are set free with the help of John Adams. Samuel Adams recalls this issue as a "massacre" to bring in anti-British feelings. -
Committees of Correspondence
A network created at the VA House of Burgesses to create colonial unity against parliament. It was created so that the colonies were able to work together, communicate, and take action against all the injustices they were receiving by their motherland.(unrepresented taxes, unfair laws,and restrictive trading) -
Tea Act
The act was created to reinforce the East India's Company profit. They enforced the taxation and monopoly towards imports and sales of tea in the colonies. Through this the Boston Tea Party was created. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty held a protest against the tax on tea that was imported by the East India Company ships.They took 342 chests of tea in three ships into the Boston Harbor to be dumped. -
Intolerable Acts
It was an act passed as a punishment to the colonists for their rebellious attitude and actions. The colonists were forced to pay for all the tea that was dumped into Boston Harbor. Through these acts the colonists became more united against the Parliament laws. -
First Continental Congress
As a result of the Intolerable Acts the colonies, except Georgia, sent delegates to Philadelphia. The reason for the convention was to discuss the threats Britain exposed to their liberties. Shockingly, most Americans were only simply shooting to fix their relationship with Britain. -
Lexington and Concord
British troops under Gage's command to seize colonial military supplies. Paul Revere and William Dawes warn the colonists. The colonists are defeated at Lexington. The British march off to Concord and destroy weapons. In their march back to Boston they face a surprise attack and lose 250 soldiers along with facing humiliation. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was created to discuss war efforts and their decisions towards independence. They had a gathering in Philadelphia where they realized that the colonies were divided. The New England colonies were in favor of declaring independence and the Middle Colonies were rooting for a negotiation with Britain. -
Common Sense
Thomas Paine created an article that argued that the colonists should fight for the common cause of having liberty. He claimed that separating from being ruled by a smaller island and a government that is unreasonable is Common Sense. He wrote this to persuade commoners. -
Declaration of Independence
A document written by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin listing out the grievances for the separation of the colonies with Great Britain. It also listed out the basic principles towards independence, making their rights and liberty a priority. The declaration was used to have an official break up with Britain.