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French and Indian War
French explorers and traders came to America and made communities in the middle section. They wanted to go to the Ohio River Valley area, and they got the indians permission. Virginias govenor then told the French to leave Ohio Valley homes. A War then started and it was not good for The British. The British realized after war that the French had badly over run them. Also Britain and their colonial allies were growing appart, and there was tension between them. -
The Stamp Act
This was the First direct tax on the colonies. It was common in England, but it made the colonists very angry. The colonists protested, and in Boston their were tons of riots and protests. In this act, every single peice of paper that was going to be used, or written on had to be taxed. The paper would get a stamp on it so that the British would know it had already been taxed. -
Boston Massacre
This event happened because of the Townshed Acts. One colonial boy was insulting a British soldier, and soon tons of colonists were insulting the soldiers too. Some of the people started throwing snowballs filled with rocks, and dared the soldiers to shoot their gun. One soldier out of the nine of them fell on the ground, and then the other soldiers started to shoot their gun. Samuel Adams agreed to defend the soldiers. In the end the soldiers were branded on the thumb, and then they were free. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was set up by the Sons of Liberty. The colonists did this to protest the British Tea Act. 150 Patriots disguised as Native Americans and went onto Three of the British ships that were in the harbor. They took many chests of tea, and threw them overboard into the harbor. In all, there was 90,000 pounds of tea thrown off the ships. The British then closed down the Boston port, so that no one from Boston could get any of the supplies that they wanted or needed. -
Intolerable Acts
The British passed four laws in 1774. The laws were not very fair, and not liked by the colonists. The laws were passed because of the Boston Tea Party. First the British closed the port. The next act was the Massachusets Bay Regulating Act. The last act was the Quartering Act. The Continental congress passeed a measure to start a boycott of British goods, and told Britain to stop the Intolerable Acts. -
Shot Heard Round The World
The Colonists decided that they wanted to restore their authority. They started to form new milita forces. Several minute men were hiding arms in Concord, and soon the goveror of Massachusets figured out about it. He sent 700 British troops to take away the arms. Two colonists then rode through the town to warn the minute men that the British were coming. Suddenly a shot rang out, and it is known as the shot heard round the world. In the end 8 americans dies, and 300 British were killed. -
2nd Continental Congress
Most of the colonists still did not favor independence. The Second Continental Congress then came together becuase of a crisi in Britain deepened. The congress decided to prepare for war. They appointed George Washington as the leader of the new army. They also printed paper money to pay for the war. This did decrease the value of money by a lot.The congress then started to act like a real government. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The British General decided to attack Breeds Hill. The third try the British won because the Americans ran out of amo, and had to retreat. The fighting did not solve Britains problems because Boston was still surrounded by Colonists. Washington then came and took control of the American Army. He placed several cannons on high grounds pointed them towards British ships, which made the British retreat quickly and never come back. -
Seccond Continental Congress
Most of the colonists still did not favor independence. The Second Continental Congress then came together becuase of a crisi in Britain deepened. The congress decided to prepare for war, so they appointed George Washington as the leader of the new army. They also printed paper money to pay for the war, which did decrease the value of money by a lot, but the congress then started to act like a real government. -
Common Sence
Common Sence was a pamphlet that was anonymously writen by Thomas Paine, and was very famous in America and in Europe. In the pamphlet Thomas Paine says that King George is a "royal brute", he also mentions that he does not like the ideas of having Kings. He says that the thought of America would be much nicer if it were self goverend. In the end, the pamphlet inspired many colonists in all parts of America. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas jefferson wrote the first draft of the declaration of Independence. The third draft was made by all of the committee, and then shown to the Continental Congress. later on all of the colonies accepted the idea of independence. This document announced that all of the colonies were at war with Britain. The rebellion against Britain was ready. -
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The Valley Forge
The Continental Army suffered through a harsh, and very cold winter in poorly built cabins. The British were having balls, and staying warm not too far away. Most of the soldiers were not fed, or clothed properly. They usually ate thin soup and bread, and sometimes had to eat wax, or shoe leather. Some women who were outside of the Valley Forge sent items and food, and some helped the injured and sick. The soldiers used this winter to improve their military skills. -
Help From Overseas
The french signed an important treaty with the Americans and gave them money and supplys. Soon the Netherlands and Spain helped America too. Later there were wars starting in Europe and the Carribean. Lots of British soldiers had to be sent there, not America. A volunteer from Poland led the cavalry, and trained it too. A French noble became an officer in the army, and was very close to Washington. Baron Von Stuben trained the Continental Army, and taught them important army skills. -
The War at Sea
In the Colonies the shipyards could not build many warships. Near the English coast an American ship battled with a British ship. Both ships were completely wrecked, but the AMericans didn't stop fighting. Eventually the British surrendured, and the Americans won. A little later, privateers would act like pirates, and steal items off of British merchant boats. This forced the British to protect their merchant ships much more. -
The Final Battle
The only places that the British were in control of in the 13 colonies were Charleston and Savannah. The British main army decided to move to the Yorktown Peninsula. A large French fleet then went over to the Yorktown Peninsula, and destroyed all of the British ships in the area. Washington then moved his main army to Virginia where the Yorktown Peninsula is located. The main British army was trapped, and had no other choice but to surrender. -
Treaty of Paris
In the end, Florida was returned to Spain. The States also restored their rights and returned the land. Although they were told to do this, most of the states didn't listen. The war was finally over after eight years of fighting.
