-
The French & Indian War (The Seven Years War) 1756-1763
The final Colonial War was the French and Indian War, which is the name given to the American theater of a massive conflict involving Austria, England, France, Great Britain, Prussia, and Sweden. -
sugar act
Under the Molasses Act colonial merchants had been required to pay a tax of six pence per gallon on the importation of foreign molasses. But because of corruption, they mostly evaded the taxes and undercut the intention of the tax — that the English product would be cheaper than that from the French West Indies. The act also listed more foreign goods to be taxed including sugarcertain wines, coffee, pimiento, cambric and printed calico, and further, regulated the export of lumber and iron. -
stamp act
George Grenville rose in Parliament to offer the fifty-five resolutions of his Stamp Bill. The Stamp Act was Parliament's first serious attempt to assert governmental authority over the colonies. Great Britain was faced with a massive national debt following the Seven Years War. English citizens in Britain were taxed at a rate that created a serious threat of revolt. -
Boston Massacure
The Boston Massacre occurs as a mob. British soldiers fire their muskets pointblank into the crowd, killing three instantly, mortally wounding two others and injuring six. The captain of the British soldiers, Thomas Preston, is arrested along with eight of his men and charged with mur -
the tea act
An act to allow a drawback of the duties of customs on the exportation of tea to any of his Majesty's colonies or plantations in America; to increase the deposit on bohea tea to be sold at the India Company's sales; and to impower the commissioners of the treasury to grant licences to the East India Company to export tea duty-free. -
boston tea party
About 8,000 Bostonians gather to hear Sam Adams tell them Royal Governor Hutchinson command not to allow the ships out of the harbor until the tea taxes are paid. The same night the Tea Party occurs as colonials disguise themselves as Mohawk Indians. Then board the ships and dump all 342 containers of tea into the harbor. -
Lexington and Concord
General Gage would send out regiments of British soldiers quartered in Boston.destinations were Lexington, where they would capture Colonial leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock, and Concord, where they would seize gunpowder.
Two lanterns hanging from Boston's North Church informed the countryside that the British were going to attack by sea. -
batle of bunker hill
A detail of American troops acting under orders from Artemas Ward moved out of their camp, carrying picks, shovels, and guns. They entrenched themselves on a rise located on Charleston Peninsula overlooking Boston. Their destination: Bunker Hill. From this hill, the rebels could bombard the town and British ships in Boston Harbor. But Ward's men misunderstood his orders. They went to Breed's Hill by mistake and entrenched themselves there — closer to the British pposition. -
Battle of Quebec (1775)
It was the first major defeat of the war for the Americans. General Richard Montgomery was killed, Benedict Arnold was wounded, and Daniel Morgan and more than 400 men were taken prisoner.Montgomery's army had captured Montreal on November 13, and early in December they joined a force led by Arnold, whose men had made an arduous trek through the wilderness of northern New England. Governor Carleton had escaped from Montreal to Quebec. -
declaration of independence
Drafted by Thomas Jefferson the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. -
The Battle of Trenton
As soon as Fort Lee was abandoned, Washington began to withdraw his army across New Jersey toward Philadelphia. About 5,000 Americans left Hackensack on November 21, 1776, and retired without casualties 100 miles to safety behind the Delaware River.Even their stoic commander despaired over "a noble cause lost," and wrote to his brother, "I think the game is pretty near up." -
The Battle of Princeton
Washington's troops were at the moment in no condition to advance, further, he was short of food.Also many of his New England troops enlistments were due to expire. By the 30th he had improved his supply situation and re-crossed the river. On the 30th he made an impassioned plea to a regiment whose enlistments were about to expire. Again the drums rolled, calling for men to step forward, and finally about half the men step out to reenlist. Other officers speak to regiments with the same success.
