Statue of liberty

Key Events Leading to American Independence

By diaihezie

  • Stamp Act Congress

    Stamp Act Congress
    Meeting of representatives of the 13 colonies held in New York City in 1765, during which representative drafted a document sent to the king listing how their rights had been violated.

  • The Townshend Acts

    The Townshend Acts
    This act was passed to levy other taxes on lead, paints, and tea also known as the Townsend Duties. Under this act also passed was the Suspension Act. This suspended the New York Assembly for not enforcing the Quartering Act.

  • The Boston Massacre

    The Boston Massacre
    An angry mob clashed with several British troops and five colonists died as a result, angering many colonists.

  • The Boston Tea Party

    The Boston Tea Party
    342 chests of tea belonging to the British East India Company were thrown from ships into Boston Harbor. Thrown by American patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians. The Americans were protesting the tax on tea and the monopoly of the East India Company.

  • First Continental Congress

    First Continental Congress
    Twelve representatives of the thirteen colonies met up in Philidelphia. They discussed their response to the Intolerable Acts by Britain and they also touched on three objectives: to compose a statement of colonial rights, to identify British parliaments violation of those rights, and to provide a plan that would convince Britain to restore those rights.

  • Second Continental Congress

    Second Continental Congress
    The memebrs of the Second Congress established the militia as the Continental Army to represent the thirteen states. They also elected George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army.

  • Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence
    This document was signed and it has a preamble that explains the reasons of self-government against British rules, reservation to conduct trade, foreign alliances and necessary rights to raise war.

  • Articles of Confederation

    Articles of Confederation
    It was the first Constitution of the United States of America. Established a “firm league of friendship” among the 13 states. Eventually these articles were retired because Congress had no power to collect taxes, regulate interstate commerce, and enforce laws.

  • The Treaty of Paris

    The Treaty of Paris
    This treaty formally ended the American Revolutionary War between Britain and the now United States of America.