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Enlightenment
The Enlightenment brought great minds to Europe and reshaped the ways people understood issues such as liberty, and individual rights. Today those ideas serve as the basis of the world's strongest democracies. -
Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty got support from colonial resistance through the use of petitions, assemblies, and propaganda, and they often used violence against British officials. -
Stamp Act of 1765
the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which wanted to raise money to pay for the army through a tax on all
papers and publications circulating in the colonies. -
Townshend Act of 1767
helping pay the expenses involved in government to the American colonies, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, which initiated taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. -
Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)
The act authorized the Royal Navy to blockade Boston Harbor -
First Continental Congress meets
After about seven weeks of debates, the group agreed to a boycott of British goods within the colonies as a sign of protest -
Second Continental Congress meets
They showed a Continental army and elected George Washington as Commander in Chief, also the delegates drafted the Olive Branch Petition and sent it to King George III in hopes of reaching a peaceful resolution -
Olive Branch Petition sent to England
declaring his own Proclamation of Rebellion -
Declaration of Independence adopted
Congress adopted the final text of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 -
Articles of Confederation created
agreed to state by state voting and proportional state tax burdens based on land values -
Treaty of Paris signed
ended the American Revolution and formally recognized the United States as an independent nation -
Constitutional Convention
he fifty-five delegates who met in Philadelphia between May 25 and September 17, 1787 -
Great Compromise
The compromise provided for a bicameral legislature -
Constitution is ratified
Ratification by 9 of the 13 states enacted the new government -
Bill of Rights adopted
President Washington sent copies of the 12 amendments adopted by Congress to the states