-
Sugar Act
To regulate trade and raise revenue, the British Parliament passed the law known as the Sugar Act. It halved the tax for molasses but put a tax on sugar. -
Stamp Act
Imposed on all American colonists by the British Parliament; required them to pay a tax on every peice of printed paper they used. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a fight that broke out between a group of angry colonists and a squad of British soldiers. The colonists were upset because of the new taxes placed by the British government. Several colonists had been killed. -
Tea Act
Passed by Parliament, the new tax on tea (as well as the other taxes) made the colonists extremely angry. This was the reason for the rebellious act known as the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
In protest of the Tea Act, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty snuck onto three British ships in the Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. They were disquised as Native Americans (Indians). -
1st Continental Congress
A meeting was held on September 5 to October 26, 1774. Delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies attented the meeting in Philedelphia, Penn. -
Battle of Lexington & Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the Revolutionary War because of tensions between British authority and American colonies. -
Shot Heard 'Round the World
The phrase "Shot Heard 'Round the World" refers to the first shots to mark the opening of the American Revolutionary War in 1775. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Kill in Massachusetts. Even though they lost, colonial forces had significantly less casualties than the British. -
Declaration of Independence
A statement created by Congress was signed on July 4, 1776, thus announcing the Independence of the American colonies. -
Battle of Trenton
Small but important battle in the development of the Revolutionary War. It took place in Trenton, New Jersey. -
Battle of Saratoga
(Continued until October 7, 1777); is reffered to as the "turning point" of the American Revolution because of the decisive victory of the Americans. -
Cherry Valley Massacre
An attack by British/Iroquois forces on a fort and village in Cooperstown, New York. They killed more than 40 people and took about 70 as prisoners. -
Battle of Yorktown
Ending on October 19 in Yorktown, Virginia, it was a victory for a combined force of American/French troops led by George Washington. General of the defeated British troops, Charles Cornwallis, finally surrendered. -
Treaty of Paris
Ended the American Revolutionary War when representatives of Great Britian and the United States signied the document in Paris.
