MWoods APUSH Timeline

Zenger Trial

Aug 5, 1735

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/zenger/zengeraccount.html
The trial of John Peter Zenger, a German immigrant printer, was the beginnings of free press in America.

Albany Congress

Jul 31, 1754

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/albcon.htm A meeting held between the British and the Iriqois to try to solidify a colonial agreement for mutual defense against the French. Nothing came of this meeting.

French and Indian War

Aug 31, 1754

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_sevenyears.html A war in 1754 between the British, French, and Spanish colonists for the Ohio valley. This period marked a flurry of diplomatic changes among the European nations.

Seven Years' War (Europe)

Aug 31, 1756

http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_sevenyears.html A war that resulted from poor relations between the British and the Bourbons (French and Spanish), that was fought in Europe and America.

Pontiac's Rebellion

Aug 31, 1763

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h598.html Influenced by "The Delaware Prophet", Indian leader Pontiac led a group of Indians against the British; this was a manifestation of rising tension between the British and the Indians.

Treaty of Paris 1763

Aug 31, 1763

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/paris763.asp Established boundaries for the European colonists.

The Sugar Act

Sep 7, 1764

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htm
The British placed a tax on sugar coming into the Americas.

The Stamp Act

Sep 7, 1765

http://www.history.org/history/teaching/tchcrsta.cfm
The British placed a tax on paper in the colonies; this money was used to pay for defense of the colonies. This tax offended the colonists because it set a standard for taxes.

The Declaratory Act

Sep 7, 1766

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/declaratory.htm
This British act made all decisions made in the colonies subordinate to decisions made by the British.

Repeal of the Stamp Act

Sep 7, 1766

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/parliament-repeals-the-stamp-act
Parliament repealled the Stamp Act, and then enacted the Declaratory Act the same day.

Boston Massacre

Sep 7, 1770

http://www.bostonmassacre.net/
A mob of Bostonian colonists pushed British soldiers to violence that served as fuel for the revolution. Several colonists were killed.

The Tea Act

Sep 7, 1773

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/teaact.htm
The British made tea cheaper in an effort to save the British East India Company, but instead set of a chain reaction that would lead to revolution.

The Boston Tea Party

Sep 7, 1773

http://www.boston-tea-party.org/
Several Boston colonists, dressed as Indians, ransacked a British tea ship and threw thousands of dollars worth of tea into Boton Harbor.

The Intolerable Acts

Sep 10, 1774

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/intolerable.htm
Boston Port Act- Port is closed to colonists completely.
Administration of Justice Act- Rioting colonists would be tried by a British administration.
Massachusetts Government Act- The British have full control over the colony opf Massachusetts.
Quartering Act- Soldiers are quartered in private homes.
Quebec Act- British government in Canada.

First Continental Congress

Oct 26, 1774

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/congress.htm
A congress of all colonies except Georgia to discuss and debate colonial grievances and concerns.

Lexington and Concord

Apr 19, 1775

http://www.ushistory.org/us/11c.asp
British soldiers attempting to capture colonial leaders at Lexington and gunpowder at Concord met resistance at both cities, and were fired on during their march back to Boston.

Second Continental Congress

May 10, 1775

http://www.ushistory.org/us/10e.asp
Colonial leaders set up a Continental Army and began to lay out plans for revolution.

Fort Ticonderoga

May 10, 1775

http://www.history.com/topics/capture-of-fort-ticonderoga
Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys made a dawn attack on the fort, securing an important armory for the revolutionaries and the Continental Army.

The Battle of Bunker Hill

Jun 17, 1775

http://www.britishbattles.com/bunker-hill.htm
The British, determined to take the colonist-held Bunker Hill, suffered heavy casualties before taking the overlook.

Olive Branch Petition

Jul 8, 1775

http://www.learner.org/workshops/primarysources/revolution/docs/olive.html
A petition drafted by John Dickinson in a last attempt to remain allied with Britain. The king refused the petition and calledfor the colonists to be brought to justice.

The Declaration of Independence

Jul 4, 1776

http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm
A document written by Thomas Jefferson, and largely put together by representatives from the colonies, the Declaration of Independence did exactly what it's name states: it declared the United States free of British rule.

The Battle of Long Island

Aug 27, 1776

http://www.britishbattles.com/long-island.htm
George Washington, in an attempt to protect New York from the British, was forced to retreat instead and lost the city.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

Sep 10, 1776

http://www.ushistory.org/paine/commonsense/
Thomas Paine used common language to challenge British rule over the colonies. This pamphlet got the idea of revolution and independance into the heads of many colonists.

Virginia Declaration of Rights

Sep 11, 1776

http://www.constitution.org/bcp/virg_dor.htm
A commitee of delegates at the Virginia Convention created a Declaration of Rights for the independent colonies.

Valley Forge

Sep 10, 1777

http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/history/vstory.html
The camp that the Continental Army took their winter retirement at. While they suffered great lack of goods and many died, they were also forged from a ragtag group of colonistsinto a powerful army.

Battle of Saratoga

Oct 10, 1777

http://www.ushistory.org/us/11g.asp
The Continental Army defeated British forces at Saratoga and began to turn the tide in their favor. This eanred the Americans greater respect from the French.

A Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom

Sep 11, 1779

http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/media_player?mets_filename=evm00003280mets.xml
This bill by Thomas Jefferson ensured that no person in the state of Virginia would have to participate in any religion, and hadthe freedom to practice whatever religion they wanted to.

Ratification of the Articles of Confederation

Mar 1, 1781

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/articles-of-confederation-are-ratified
After much arguement between the colonies, the Articles of Confederation were finally passed by Congress.

The Battle of Yorktown

Sep 28, 1781

http://www.britishbattles.com/battle-yorktown.htm
British General Cornwallis took and held Yorktown, but was denied reinforcements. After a siege by the Americans, Cornwallis gave himself and his army up.

Treaty of Paris 1783

Sep 27, 1782

http://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/Treaty
The British and Americans begin negotiations over the independence of the colonies. Benjamin Franklin refuses to allow the British to have imperial rule over America.

Land Ordinance of 1785

Sep 11, 1785

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1150.html
Thomas Jefferson developed a system for selling Western land using a system of rectangular measurement.

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Sep 11, 1787

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/milestones/ordinance/
All land beyond the Ohio River and Mississippi was going to be held by America.

The First Inaugeration of George Washington

Apr 30, 1789

http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres13.html
George Washington was sworn into office as the first president of the newly formed United States of America.