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The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act took place in 1765. The Stamp Act was passed by Britain, and it required tax stamps to be on every document. Britain was able to collect taxes from the colonies this way. British Parliament created this law to fund and replenish loss of money from the Seven Years War. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Acts was an act passed by Britain that created taxes on many goods in the 13 colonies. British Parliament took away a lot of freedom. Some new taxes were placed on paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea. The Townshend Acts also gave British officers the ability to search colonists houses and businesses. Many colonists saw this as an abuse of power rather than simple limitations. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston massacre was a deadly shooting that occurred in Boston. It took place on March 5, 1770 on King Street in Boston. It began as a simple street brawl between some American colonists and a lone British soldier, but it quickly turned into a massacre. This conflict energized many colonists and encouraged others to fight for independence. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest that took place on December 16th, 1773 at a wharf in Boston. American colonies were angry at Britain because British Parliament started to tax the tea that they drank. With an act of fury, they dumped 342 chests of tea into the ocean. This act of defiance was the first of many in American history. -
Coercive Acts/Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts was a set of new rules. Britain did not appreciate the Boston Tea Party and made more restrictions. The four acts were the Boston Port Act, the MA Government Act, the Administration of Justice Act, and the Quartering Act. The Boston Port Act gave authority to the Royal Navy to blockade harbors. The MA Act made Parliament decide who was in the MA council. The Administration of Justice Act gave the governor more power. Lastly, the Quartering Act gave better things to troops. -
First Continental Congress
The Continental Congress consisted of delegates from 12 out of the 13 colonies. The Continental Congress was formed because of the Act of Coercive that Britain created to try and stop acts of resistance from the colonies. The Continental Congress achieved many things, including the writing of the Declaration of Independence after the war was over. -
Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord was part of the many battles that started the Revolution. Britain wanted more money and taxes from America, and tensions were rising, especially in MA, where the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party took place. The Battle of Lexington and Concord took place in Concord. This battle is also when the famous Paul Revere rode his horse to warn the citizens in the area. Colonists got away, but the British still won the battle. -
Bunker Hill
On June 17, 1775, the British fought Americans during early stages of the Revolutionary War. The battle took place at Bunker Hill. The inexperienced colonies tried to fight against the British, but the lack of experience caused significant casualties. The victor of this battle was Britain. Despite the failure, this gave them a much needed boost of confidence for many more battles -
Common Sense by Thomas Paine
Thomas Paine wrote and published the pamphlet “Common Sense” on January 6th, 1776. Back in the 1800’s, pamphlets were influential ways to spread information. Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” was no different. It supported notions of freedom and independence. It convinced many people that the Revolution was worth supporting. Some say that his pamphlet was the road to the U.S. Constitution. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document stating that the colonies were independent from Britain. Many people signed the actual document and it was seen as a team effort, when in reality, Thomas Jefferson was the main writer. The Continental Congress decided that America was to be independent on July 2nd and created the Declaration on July 4th. This lead to our national holiday, the Fourth of July, or Independence Day. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga took place in Saratoga County, NY. This battle was a game changer because the outcome of this battle convinced many people to join the cause. This was a long battle, and with time, the Continental Army was able to provide a victory for the 13 colonies. Many colonists wanted to join the cause after seeing the outcome, and the battle convinced France that the American Revolution was a deserving cause to support. This ended up in an alliance between the colonies and France. -
Articles of Confederation
Written in 1777 and ratified in 1781, the Articles of Confederation was the first U.S. constitution. It established the first government in America. It also named the thirteen colonies “The United States of America.” However, there were some flaws in the document. It did not give Congress power to enforce laws or raise taxes. This prevented the colonies from replenishing money and funds from the war. -
Baylor's Massacre
In the summer of 1778, George Baylor was stationed at Paramus NJ. British troops heard that Americans were near the area and decided to ambush them. The British were ordered to kill anyone they found. Many were killed, injured, and captured. Few people were able to escape. Colonel Baylor and his second in command, Major Alexander Clough tried to escape through a chimney, but were found and shot. The British emerged victorious after this ambush. -
Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was a disorderly battle. It took place at the Monmouth Courthouse in NJ. George Washington ordered Charles Lee to attacked Lieutenant General Henry Clinton’s forces, but Charles Lee was surprised by more British forces. Wanting to back out, Lee told his men to retreat without giving word to General Washington. Washington arrived in time to see his men retreating, and was furious. He ordered the Continental Army back in lines, and fought back. In the end, the British won. -
DeWint House
The Dewint House is the oldest standing structure in Rockland County. George Washington was a guest in the south parlor twice in 1780, and once more in 1783. George Washington was there for the execution of Major John Andre in 1870. During his stay in 1783, Washington was there to negotiate his army’s evacuation of New York City. The DeWint House is a historical site, and is a tourist attraction now. (the date that I entered is George Washington's first visit) -
Execution of Major John Andre
Major John Andre was executed on Oct 2, 1780. John Andre was a British spy. Three men from the Continental Army that were dressed as British officers ran into John Andre. Andre identified himself as a British officer, and the “British officers” revealed themselves to be American. He was arrested and brought before Washington. Andre admitted that he was a spy, but tried to reason that he was also a prisoner. However, the board that was to decide his outcome, chose death. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown took place in Yorktown, Virginia. This battle was the battle that decided the outcome of the revolution. Charles Cornwallis, friend of George Washington, lead a troop and decided to settle at the tip of Chesapeake Bay. While this was happening, Francois, Count de Grasse departed St. Domingue, which is now called Haiti, and he was also headed towards Yorktown. Washington decided that this was the time to strike, and after days of fighting, the Count surrendered. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was the official document that ended the Revolutionary War. The treaty was negotiated in Paris, which is where it gets the name from. Five Americans were appointed to negotiate, but Thomas Jefferson was not able to leave and Henry Laurens was captured. In the end, three men, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay went to Paris to negotiate. It took a long time to negotiate the terms, and after one year and a half, King George ratified the treaty. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention began in May. This convention was a rather important one, as it would be the road to a new government. The convention also addressed the weak points of the “Articles of Confederation.” During this convention, several forms of government were proposed. Some men like John Adams and Alexander Hamilton wanted to form a new government while others wanted to fix the pre-existing one. In the end, the US Constitution was written, and George Washington was elected president -
Treaty of Paris Aftermath
After the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, tensions continued to rise. The treaty solved most issues, but some were still left untouched. For instance, Britain refused to give up several of their forts in the colonies, and Americans continued to confiscate items from colonists that stayed loyal to Britain during the war. John Jay went to Britain to resolve these issues in 1795. The result of this was the Jay Treaty, which prevented another terrible war from sparking.
