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The Proclamation of 1763
Read The Proclamation Of 1763At the end of the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years War), Britain gained control of all the land in North America that fell east of the Mississippi river and this new territory made the colonists very eager to expand westward into the Ohio River Valley; however, the Proclamation of 1763 expressly forbade settling west of the Appalachian Mountains which generated extreme feelings of res -
The Sugar Act
Read The Sugar ActThe Sugar Act levied a tax on many items – such as cloth, wine, coffee, molasses, and sugar – that were imported to the colonies from countries other than Great Britain, or exported from the colonies to countries other than Great Britain. This was an attempt on the part of the British government to increase British revenue and make the colonists more reliant on trade with the motherland. -
The Stamp Act
Read More About The Stamp ActThe Stamp Act was Britain’s first serious attempt to assert its governmental authority over the colonies. It was put into effect by Parliament in an effort to alleviate some of the debt generated by the French and Indian War and it placed a tax on all printed paper in the colonies, including licenses, legal documents, and playing cards. -
The Townshend Acts
Read The Townshend ActsRead More About The Townshend Acts And Their RepealA series of taxes on items imported to the colonies from Great Britain, such as lead, glass, paint, and tea. The Townshend Acts were a serious aggressor in rekindling colonial resentment, left over from the Stamp Act, toward Great Britain. It was in protest to these acts that the famous slogan, “No taxation without representation” became widely used and the Townshend Acts led to a general colonial policy of non-importation. It was repealed on April 12, 1770. -
The Boston Massacre
Learn More About The Boston MassacreThe Boston Massacre occurred when British troops guarding a customs house opened fire on a group of civilians who had been taunting and throwing snowballs at them. Five men were killed, including the escaped slave Crispus Attucks. This tragic event served to further unite the colonies against Great Britain. -
The Burning Of The Gaspee
Read More About The Burning Of The GaspeeAn event that preceded the Boston Tea Party, the Burning of the Gaspee occurred when the H.M.S. Gaspee (a British schooner) became trapped on a sandbar off the coast of Rhode Island during its pursuit of The Hannah, a ship suspected of smuggling. On the night of the 10th, a group of angry colonists rowed out to the ship, took the captain and crew hostage, and set fire to the vessel. Despite attempts made by the Crown, the culprits were never caught. -
The Tea Act
Read The Tea ActThe Tea Act granted a monopoly to the East India Company on tea sales in the colonies. It allowed the East India Company to sell their tea at a bargain price to the colonies but, with the Townshend tea tax still in place, it was viewed by many in the colonies as the Crown's attempt to force them to accept the Townshend tax. -
The Boston Tea Party
Read George Hewes Account Of the Tea PartyThe Boston Tea Party was the Colonists’ response to the remaining Townshend Act tax on tea. When three ships with cargos of tea entered Boston Harbor, tensions rose over what was to be done. The colonists were adamant that the cargo not be landed but Governor Hutchinson refused to let the ships leave until the tea was brought on shore. On the night of December 17, a group of colonists, led by the Sons of Liberty, rowed out to the ships and dumped the tea into the harbor. -
The Intolerable Acts
Read The Intolerable ActsAlso called the Coercive Acts, the Intolerable Acts were Britain’s response to the Boston Tea Party and placed further strain on the relationship between the American colonies and Great Britain. These acts were introduced over the period of several months and included the Boston Port Bill, which closed Boston Harbor; the Massachusetts Government Act; the Administration of Justice Act; and the revival of the Quartering Act. The Quebec Act is sometimes included as an Intolerable Act as well. -
The Declaration And Resolves Of The First Continental Congress
Read The Declaration And Resolves Of The First Continental CongressA meeting of delegates from twelve colonies, the First Continental Congress took place in Philadelphia from September 5 to October 26, and was called in response to the Intolerable Acts. Its major contribution was the creation of its “Declaration and Resolves”, which listed the violations of colonists’ rights at the hands of Great Britain, and authorized a policy of non-importation and non-consumption of British goods. -
Patrick Henry's Famous Speech
Read Patrick Henry's Famous SpeechPatrick Henry's famous speech, delivered at the Second Virginia Convention, was a call for Virginia to take up arms and defend itself against British tyranny. It's famous last words, echoed through the ages, were, "I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” -
Ride Of Paul Revere And William Dawes
See Paul Revere And William Dawes' RoutesRead Longfellow's Famous PoemThe famous "midnight ride" of Paul Revere and William Dawes took place as an effort to warn the Sons of Liberty in Lexington, and then in Concord, that the British, journeying by sea, were on their way. -
Battles Of Lexington And Concord
Read More About The Battles Of Lexington And ConcordThe Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first battles of the American Revolution. The British were en route to Concord to confiscate and destroy military supplies rumored to be stored there and the local militias, having been warned earlier by Revere and Dawes, moved the supplies and prepared for the conflict to come. No one knows who fired the first shot at Lexington but it is famously remembered, thanks to R.W. Emerson, as “the shot heard ‘round the world.” -
The Second Continental Congress Begins
Explore The Journals Of The Second Continental CongressThe Second Continental Congress met once again in Philadelphia and included delegates from all thirteen colonies. Some of its most notable works were its attempt at reconciliation with King George III through the unsuccessful “Olive Branch Petition”, its authorization of the creation of a continental army, and its official declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. -
Battle Of Bunker Hill
Read More About The Battle Of Bunker (Breed's) HillOne of the most brutal battles of the American Revolution, the Battle of Bunker Hill actually took place on Breed’s Hill and resulted in 1096 British casualties (soldiers dead or wounded) and 420 colonial casualties. The outcome of the battle is often debated: some say it was a British victory because the colonial militiamen were out-numbered, out-gunned, and the surv -
Declaration Of Independence Adopted
Read The Declaration Of IndependencePenned by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, the Declaration of Independence is America’s most important document and its most prized symbol of liberty. It represents the unanimous decision of the colonies to join together as a group of united states and declare themselves free from British rule.
