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French and Indian War
The colonists help the British to fight the French (who are allied with Native Americans) in a war over land claims. This war spans many years and ends up being very expensive. -
Proclamation of 1763
King George III issues this proclamation to say that British colonial expansion cannot spread further west than the Appalachians. It was designed to keep the peace with France. -
Sugar Act
To raise revenue to make up for all the money spent on the French and Indian War, parliament passes a law that puts a tax on all sugar and molasses imported by the colonists. -
Stamp Act
This law was also to make money. it required all pieces of paper to receive stamp on them, which stamp they had to pay for. -
Townshend Acts
These acts put a tax on lead, paint, paper, glass and tea -
The Boston Massacre
A British soldier and colonist started arguing. Colonists threw snowballs at the soldier. More soldiers and a colonial mob arrived. Eventually, soldiers fired into the crowd, killing several colonists. The event became a means of patriotic propaganda. -
Tea Act
To reduce tension, Parliament had repealed the Townshend Act. However, they kept a tax on tea while deciding to make British tea cheaper. Throughout all of these taxes and acts there has been no representation on the colonists. -
The Boston Tea Party
Disguised as Mohawk Indians, members of the Sons of Liberty and other patriotic colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. -
The Intolerable Acts
Also known as the Coercive Acts, these were meant to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party and included:
1. Cancelling the Massachusetts Charter
2. The Boston Port Act - which closed the port until all the tea could be paid for
3. Letting royal officials receive trial in England
4. The Quartering Act which forced colonists to house British soldiers and
5. Putting in a new, royal governor appointed by the king -
The First Continental Congress
A group of 56 colonists met in Philadelphia to discuss what to do about the current situation with Great Britain. While some thought war was the only option, the Congress decided to stay with Great Britain but continue boycotting goods -
Battle of Lexington
Sometimes called the "Shot Heard Round the World," no one knows who fired first in this battle. Some reports say less than 70 minutemen gathered, and some put it at between 200-300. What is certain is that earlier in the morning, some first shot led British colonists to fire upon the colonists, killing at least 8 of them and leaving 10 wounded. [actually APRIL 19TH at 5 AM] -
Battle of Concord
Minutemen in Concord took possession of weapons before the British could get them hid in trees and used guerrilla warfare to cause more than 250 British causalities while suffering less than 100 on the colonial side -
Second Continental Congress
Held after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, delegates met again to decide what to do about Great Britain. They decided not to fight, but to build a Continental Army as protection. -
Olive Branch Petition
This petition was sent to the king as a sign of peace, trying to make a deal that the colonists would stop fighting and be peaceful if the British would cut back on taxes and other acts. The king angrily rejected the proposal. -
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet called Common Sense that sold over 500,000 copies. It was written in a way that most people with any education could understand, allowing him to reach a wider audience in persuading them that it was only common sense that breaking away from England was the only choice. -
Declaration of Independence
Delegates signed a Declaration of Independence written primarily by Thomas Jefferson that listed all the reasons why the American colonies felt they were justified in breaking away from Great Britain. This document became the official sign that America was wanting to become its own country.
