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French and Indian War ends
Salutary neglect wasn't economically advantageous anymore. The colonies had become an expensive drain. There were war debts to be paid. -
Stamp Act passed
A new act tax that required a stamp for all printed items included newspapers, legal documents, and even playing cards. Colonists were angry that the tax was being imposed without the consent of their colonial legislatures. There was a need for money, and to raise it they had no choice but to levy taxes on all British taxes including those in the colonies. -
Stamp Act Congress
The colonies decided to organize and sent representatives to a meeting in New York City. They met to discuss the colonists' rights as British subjects, declaring that only their colonial legislatures had the power to tax them. They elected no representative to Parliament and had not given their consent to any taxes Parliament decided to impose. -
Stamp Act repealed
The commissioner quickly resigned. There was no longer any stamp commissioners left in the colonies to collect the tax. Under all the pressure from the colonies, Britain decided to repeal. -
Declaratory Act passed
Parliament passed the Declaratory Act stating that it had all the power to make laws that were strong enough to keep the people in the colonies under Great Britain's control. Any laws the colonies made that denied or called into question the right of Britain to control the colonies would be null and void.The act said "in all cases whatsoever." -
Townshend Act passed
It was enacted, taxing British imports, products shipped from other countries such as glass, tea, lead, paint, and paper. These were things the colonists couldn't get or easily make for themselves. -
Townshend Act repealed
The British parliament repealed the Townshend duties on all but tea. Pressure from British merchants was partially responsible for the change. -
Boston Massacre
Tensions were high. British soldiers were guarding the Boston customs house, where taxes were collected, when an angry mob began throwing rocks and snowballs at them. Shots rang out, killing five colonists. -
Tea Act passed
The British East India Company was losing money selling their tea. Parliament passed the Tea Act allowing only the British East India Company to sell tea to the colonies. It lowered the price of tea because it allowed the British East India Company to ship tea to the colonies directly. -
Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty dressed as Mohawk Indians, boarded British ships in Boston, and dumped the cargo tea into the harbor. Parliament waived the export tax out of Britain and continued the small import tax colonists have been paying without complaint. -
Coercive Act (Intolerable Act) passed
An outraged Parliament punished the Boston rebels. Boston Harbor would be closed until the destroyed tea was paid for. This economically hurt merchants and people in Boston who relied on trade conducted in the harbor for goods and supplies. The King appointed a British governor and limited the power of the Massachusetts legislature. -
First Continental Congress
The colonies united behind the belief that their rights were being violated by the King. Each colony except Georgia, sent delegates to meet in Philadelphia.The congress drafted a petition (Declaration of Rights) to the King, naming their grievances with the Intolerable Acts, and asking the King to repeal them. -
Revolutionary War begins
British soldiers, called lobster backs because of their red coats, and minutemen exchanged gunfire at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The American Revolution was a time when the British colonists in America rebelled against the rule of Great Britain. There were many battles fought and the colonies gained their freedom and became the independent country of the United States. -
Second Continental Congress
The colonists were a year into war with Great Britain when the Second Continental Congress met to formally adopt the Declaration of Independence. It was the governing body of the American colonies. It was founded when the British failed to address the grievances of the First Continental Congress and to organize a Continental Army to fight. -
Declaration of Independence is signed
Two years later,at the Second Continental Congress, delegates signed the Declaration of Independence.This document officially stated that the 13 colonies were cutting ties with Great Britain and the king. They listed every single grievance they had with their mother country's most recent rule. Though the fighting at the had already began, Independence was at last formally declared.
