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French and Indian War ends
The French and Indian War began in 1754 and ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. The war provided Great Britain enormous territorial gains in North America, but disputes over subsequent frontier policy and paying the war's expenses led to colonial discontent, and ultimately to the American Revolution. -
Stamp Act passed
American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. Ship's papers, legal documents, licenses, newspapers, other publications, and even playing cards were taxed. -
Stamp Act Congress
Colonist decided to organize and sent representatives to a meeting in New York City that became known as the first Stamp Act Congress. -
Stamp Act Repealed
After months of protest, and an appeal by Benjamin Franklin before the British House of Commons, Parliament voted to repeal the Stamp Act on March 18, 1766. -
Declaratory Act passed
Delaration by the British Parliament that accompanied the repeal of the Stamp Act. -
Townshed Acts passed
They placed new taxes and took away some freedoms from the colonists including the following: New taxes on imports of paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea. -
Townshed Act repealed
The British parliament repealed the Townshend duties on all but tea. -
Boston Massacre
A fight that was between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. Several colonists were killed and this led to a campaign by speech-writers to rouse the ire of the citizenry. -
Tea Act
Granted the company the right to ship its tea directly to the colonies without first landing it in England, and to commission agents who would have the sole right to sell tea in the colonies. -
Boston Tea party
The Boston Tea Party took place because the colonists did not want to have to pay taxes on the British tea. -
Coercive Act passed
Passed in response to the Boston Tea Party, the Coercive Acts sought to punish Massachusetts as a warning to other colonies. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from 12 of the 13 British colonies that became the United States. -
Second Continental congress
It was founded when the British failed to address the grievances of the First Continental Congress and to organize a Continental Army to fight. -
Revolutionary War begins
The Revolutionary War began with the confrontation between British troops and local militia at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, on 19 April 1775. -
Declaration of Independence
It was an official act taken by all 13 American colonies in declaring independence from British rule
