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Pontiac’s Rebellion
In 1763 when Chief Pontiac led a major attack against colonial settlements on the Western frontier. The American Indians were angered by the growing West and movement of European settlers onto their land and by the British refusal to offer gifts as the French did. Destroyed forts and settlements from New York to Virginia. Rather than relying on Colonial forces to retaliate, the British sent regular troops to put down the uprising. -
The First Continental Congress
The punitive Intolerable Acts drove all the colonist except Georgia to send delegates to a convention in Philadelphia in 1774. The purpose of the convention, was to respond to what the delegates viewed as Britain's alarming threats to their liberties. However, most Americans had no desire for Independence. They simply wanted to protest parliament Infringements of their rights and restore the relationship with the crown that had existed before the Seven Year War. -
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The Revolutionary War
Also known as the American War of Independence. This war was initiated by the thirteen original colonies in Congress against Great Britain over their objection to Parliament's direct taxation and its lack of colonial representation. As a result of the war the colonist were granted their independence and became their own nation. -
The Second Continental Congress
Soon after the fighting broke out in Massachusetts, delegates to the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in May 6, 1775. The congress was divided, One group of the delegates, mainly from New England, thought the colonies should declare their independence. Another group mainly from the Middle Colonies, hoped the conflict could be resolved by negotiating a new relationship with Great Britain. -
The signing of The Declaration of Independence
On June 7, 1776 Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced a resolution declaring the colonies to be independent. Five delegates including Thomas Jefferson formed a committee to write a statement in support of Lees resolution. The Declaration drafted by Jefferson listed specific grievances against George III government and also expressed the basic principles that justified resolution. "We hold these truths to be self evident; that all men are created equal". Was adopted on July 4, 1776. -
Shay's Rebellion
In the summer of 1786, Captain Daniel Shays, a Massachusetts farmer and Revolutionary War veteran, led other farmers in an uprising against high state taxes, imprisonment for debt, and lack of paper money. The rebel farmers stopped the collection of taxes and forced the closing of debtors court. In January 1767, the state militia of Massachusetts broke Shay’s Rebellion.
