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French and Indian war
This was the official end of the French and Indian war, which began the domino effect that would eventually lead to the American Revolution. After England fought in the war, "protecting" the colonies, the King demanded that the colonists pay for the protection through taxes. The colonists had no say in decisions made in England, so they called this "Taxation without representation". This also marked the end of Salutary neglect when the British began to enforce restrictions upon the colonies. -
Sugar Act is passed
The Sugar Act was a tax placed on British sugar, wine and several other things. The colonists believed this tax unfair and began the rebellion against British taxes through boycotting of British goods. -
Stamp Act goes into effect
A british tax forcing the colonists to pay a fee on every piece of printed paper they used. The colonists did not disagree with the tax so much for the cost itself, but because it was not first approved by the colonies' legislature, and the citizens did not want to allow much worse taxation to be forced upon them. This was an introduction point for Virtual representation. While the colonists felt they were not being represented, the british government argued under virtual representaion would do. -
Declaratory Act passed
This was a document stating that England's power was the same in America as it was in Britain, and the colonies would follow the laws set forth by the crown. This angered the settlers because it did not allow for any independece from Great Britain and was similar to an Act passed previously in Ireland that nearly enslaved the Irish. -
Townshend Acts passed
The purpose of the act was to state firmly to the colonies that England could tax the colonists and to pay judges/governors in Britain. It also was meant to punish the colony of New York for rejecting the 1765 Quartering Act. This led to further rebellion by the colonists. -
Boston Massacre
This was the date on which British soldiers shot and killed several colonists after rising tensions. The soldiers had been placed in Boston to enforce the legislature England had passed which the colonists rebelled against. -
Tea Act is passed
This act established that the colonists could only purchase tea from the East India trading company, limiting their trading abilities. The future Americans took this as an insult, an excerisize of power over the colonists to intimidate and establish further power over the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
In response to the Tea Act, several Boston citizens dumped Tea into the harbor as an outward sign of rebellion against England's tyranny and oppression. -
Boston Port Act
This was a measurment taken against the colonies which closed the port of Boston until the tea thrown into the harbor was paid for. This was one of several acts dubed the "Coercive acts" or "The Intolerable Acts" -
Rejection of Olive Branch Petition
The colonies created a petition to present to the King of England, asking for peace between the colonies and Great Britain, hence the "olive branch". The king rejected this, marking England's wish for further oppresion of the colonies, and inevitable war through this rejection of a plea for peace. -
Publishing of Thomas Paine's "Common Sense"
This was a pamphlet, first published anonomosly, which urged the colonists to rebel against England, and gave them reason tyo fight for independence. -
Decleration of Independence
This was a document declaring the colonies' independence from England and establishing them as their own country, the United States of America. this would spark the official start of the American Revolutionary war.