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Period: to
independece
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Period: to
independence
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Treaty of Paris
France had to give Canada and land East of the Mississipi River to Great Britian -
Proclamation of 1763
Britain called a halt to expantion to the West of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent more fighting in the West. This angered colonial speculators who had bought land West of the mountains -
Sugar Act
Lowerd taxes on imported molasses in hopes that the colonist would pay the tax and not smuggle. Allowed the British to sieze good sfrom smugglers without a court. The colonist thought it violated their rights as English citizens -
Stamp Act
This law makes it so that all printed documents need stamps on them. The stamps are prepaid taxes. The colonist felt it was a direct tax and was without their consent. In Virginia, Patrick Henry persuaded a resolution declaring that they had "The only and sole exclusive right and power to lay taxes" on its citizens. -
Writs of Assistance
Allowed British offcers to walk into any location to search for smuggled goods. People that they caught with smuggled goods were punished. Colonist were smuggling goods to avoid the taxes. -
Townshend Act
English Parliment passed thees laws to make taxes on imported goods like tea. These were just more taxes that the colonist were angered by. This caused colonist to boycott English goods. As protest of these acts grew Britian sent troops to Boston. -
Boston Massacre
A fight between Bostonians and British soilders. When colonists angered nervous officers, the officers fired upon the Bostonians and killed 5 colonist. Colonial leaders used the killings as propaganda againsted the British. -
Tea Act
Gave British East India Company a monopoly in tea trade in America. This made most of the local tea traders go out of business by allowing the Company to sell directly to shops bypassing colonial merchants. This caused more boycotts. -
Boston Tea Party
When three East India Company ships arrived in Boston, the colonists boycotting did not want them there. The colonist dressed like indians and dumped tons of tea into the Boston Harbor. The colonist celebrated the act, not against British rule, but against the tax. -
Coercive Acts
After the Boston Tea Party, King George III responded with harsh laws to punish the colonists. The Acts closed Boston Harbor until the ruined tea was paid. They blocked food and supplies from arriving by ship and banned town meetings. They made the colonists house soldiers in their private homes. All of these angered the colonists and violated their rights as English citizens. -
Continental Congress
55 delegates arrived in Philadelphia to make a political body for America. The decisions of the Congress were that the 13 acts by British Parliament be repealed. They felt the acts hurt the laws of nature and they wanted to boycott British trade, form militias, and arm themselves with weapons to fight against the British. -
Battle of Lexinton and Concord
Britian sent troops to confinscate weapons. Pual Revere and others sounded the alarm. Shots were fired as redcoats got closer. 8 minute men died. 174 Britains were wounded and 73 died. The British got to concord but found that most of their bullets missing, colonits destroyed what was left -
Second Continental Congress
Delegates from the Thriteen colonies that came to dicuss what they'll do for their own governing of the colonies. They authorized the printing of money, a post office, and committees to communicate with Native Americans and other countries. The Congress created the Continental Army to fight against Britain in an organized form that the militias could not do before. They also unanimously chose Gerge Washington to be the Continental Army's commander. -
Fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold and Ethan Alen with the Green Mountain Boys attacked the Fort. The sleeping British garison were surprized. It was the first American victory of the Revolutionary War. Colonist caputed artilery that would be used later. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
1,200 minutemen set up forts at Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. British wanted to drive them out. Americans opened fire. Redcoats charged 2 more times but Americans ran out of ammuntion and had to withdraw. British won but suffered heavy losses. -
Common Sence
In early 1776 the position of abusolute indepencence was growing. In January of 1776 Thomas Paine published an article called Common Sence. He called for full independence and it influenced the opinion of independence greatly. -
Declaration of Independence
A document that was created to declare themselves an independent nation. It has four sections. The first section the Preamble states the American colonies wish to form a new country. The next sections state the rights of the colonists and the final section proclaims the existance of the new nation. It was signed by 56 Delegates. John Hancock was the first to sign and made his signature large enough so that the King could read it without glasses.
