-
Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris ended the 7 Years War which made the colonists cranky because it limited their ability to take land from the Indians and left them with a lot of war debt. Thus, Britain began to heavily tax the colonies. -
The Sugar Act
It was the first repressive act without representation extended the molasses act by changing the tax on imports from the Caribbean from 6 cents per gallon to 3 cents per gallon. They actually cut the tax but decided to enforce it by stamping out smuggling. This act also gave British courts to try colonial smugglers taking power away from colonial governments (Who were lenient on smuggling because they enjoyed frustrating the English by avoiding taxes). -
The Stamp Act
It was the most “annoying” act for colonists. It declared that all printed material had to carry a stamp that was not free to gain revenue for Britain. This act, frustrated particularly newspaper printers and lawyers, ironically. This led to the formation of the Stamp Act Congress in October which decided to boycott British goods. This was the first coordinated action by all the colonies together, which led to consolidation of power leading to the strength of the American Revolution. -
Boston Massacre
One of the most important protests to British goods that got out of hand, which was the worst outcome of a snowball fight of American history. 5 colonists were killed. -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists dressed up as Indians and dumped an entire ship of British tea into Boston harbor creating a $4 million loss. Although the Tea Act actually lowered the cost of tea, this act cut into the smugglers’ profits making people frustrated, but most were just angry on principle. -
First Continental Congress
Representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies attended, It was the first real colony-wide government in British America. They policed resistance on British goods and sought to create independent government. -
Allegiance in the American Revolution was twisted.
Lord Dunmore issued a proclamation that granted freedom to any slave who deserted his master and fought for the British. Something like 5,000 slaves took him up on the offer. Both sides were attempting to get slaves, Indians, and others to fight for them in the hope of freedom or more land. -
Battle of Saratoga
most important battle of the American Revolution. It was a huge defeat of the British. They lost mostly due to terrible general strategy. -
Act for Establishing Religious Freedom
Bill for stablishing religious freedom in Virginia by Thomas Jefferson: best summarizes the wall separating church and state that came as a result of the American Revolution. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were written: it was very bad and only lasted 10 years. It was more just a firm league of friendship, which consisted of a one house body of delegates with each state having a single vote. Any decision required 9 of 13 votes, which pretty much guaranteed that no decisions would ever be made. It was extremely inefficient and had very little actual power. It collapsed because it could not collect enough money to run a government. -
Battle of Yorktown
Key battle of the war in the south. The British surrendered here in 1981. Lord Charles Cornwallis staged the “brilliant” tactic to place his troops on a peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water and the French (and Americans) easily attacked on all sides, and the British lost the war. -
Shay's Rebellion
Farmers rose against state-imposed taxes and forcibly closed the courts to prevent the banks from foreclosing their farms from the debt they owed on them. It showed that too much private liberty among the lower classes could threaten private property. -
Annapolis Convention
Meeting in Annapolis, Maryland aimed at better regulating international trade. Only 6 states sent delegates but they agreed to meet the next year in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation. -
The Constitutional Convention
meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rather than to revise the Articles, they decided to make a new charter of government called the Constitution. Although all delegates to meet, who were extremely well qualified, agreed that the new document should outline a judicial, legislative, and executive branch, they disagreed on how much government and how much democracy should be given to the people. -
The Northwest Ordinance
The biggest accomplishment of what little the Articles of Confederation could do. It outlawed slavery in all five of the new states that were accumulated west of the Virginia territory. -
Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin that increased the need for slave labor after its steady decline leading up to its invention. -
Federalist Party Emerges
John Adams is elected president for the Federalist Party who believed that the new central government, and the well-educated, wealthy classes, should be given the greatest power of government. The Federalist Papers explained the Constitution to the American people and promoted the concept of Federalism. Adams and the Federalist party were opposed by the Anti-Federalist Party who believed that the vast majority of ordinary, less educated people, had the skills and common sense required to run the -
Republican Party Emerges/Name Changes
The Federalists tried to discredit the Republican Party by naming them Democratic-Republicans to convey the extreme and radical actions taken in the name of democracy during the French Revolution. However, the Jeffersonian Republicans admired the strong anti-monarchist sentiments of the French and their belief of the principle of government by the people - so the name "Democratic-Republican" stuck. -
Jefferson Elected
Thomas Jefferson, leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, was elected the third president of the United States. The Democratic-Republican Party adhered to the Constitution in order to limit the powers of the federal government and was strongly opposed to aristocracy, monarchy, corruption and elitism. -
Arguments Between Political Parties
The Federalists bitterly opposed the rising power of the Democratic-Republicans and held secret meetings at the Hartford Convention to air their views reproaching Madison's administration and the War of 1812, some delegates favored secession. The War of 1812 ended with a sense of victory and sealed the destruction of the Federalist party. The secrecy of the Hartford Convention discredited the Federalists who were seen as too extreme and disloyal and even branded as "traitors".