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French and Indian War
Conflicting claims between Great Britain and France over territory and waterways, beaver trade, religious differences, control of the Grand Banks. -
Stamp act
an act of the British Parliament in 1765 that exacted revenue from the American colonies by imposing a stamp duty on newspapers and legal and commercial documents. Colonial opposition led to the act's repeal in 1766 and helped encourage the revolutionary movement against the Crown. -
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Townshend Acts
initiated taxes on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. -
Boston massacre
a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. -
Intolerable Acts
a series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 after the Boston Tea Party. -
First continental Congress convenes
the Congress issued a Declaration of Rights, affirming its loyalty to the British Crown but disputing the British Parliament's right to tax it without representation in the parliament, between September 5 and October 26, 1774. -
Patrick Henry's "give me liberty or give me death" speech
requesting that it was time for the Virginia colony to raise a militia in order to defend their right to freedom. -
Paul revere's Ride and the Battles of Lexington and Concord
alerting Colonial militia of British invasion -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought during the Siege of Boston. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought in Charlestown, Massachusetts. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17th, 1775. The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought for only one day. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense published
In Common Sense, Paine argued that it was absurd for an island to rule a Continent, that America could avoid European conflicts by being free of Great Britain, that London was too far from America to rule it, and that the King and Parliament would inevitably rule for Britains benefit, not Americas. -
Declaration of Independence adopted
The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it.