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Stamp Act
This was an act passed by the British to put taxes on stamps to collect more revenue. Paul Revere led protest against this act. Colonists refused to buy stamps and those in charge of the business quit because they were hated and made no profit anyways. This was the first tax act to make colonist upset and rebel. -
Boston Massacre
British troops and colonists clashed, including their minutemen, who were ready for battle quickly and volunteered. This event began with one soldier on the British side and some colonists on the street who were arguing and led to bloodshed and death. This marks the first time there was this much physical violence between the two sides. -
Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party is a very well known protest where colonists disguised themselves as natives and threw 342 chests of tea into the water. This tea was imported into the colonies by the British East India Company. Sam Adams helped organize this protest against the British. This was a major protest of the progression to the American Revolution and remains significant because it showed Britain the colonist weren't going to accept what they were doing. -
Creation of First Continental Congress
After the Intolerable Acts were passed by the British government, the colonies were more strictly ruled and martial law was put into place. Martial law put British troops in the colonies to control the colonist more closely and make sure there was no activity they deemed suspicious. This congress was created after this to discuss protests and ideas against the British in meetings. This was the first and made a good impact on the establishment of the American government soon to be created. -
Lexington and Concord
These were the battles that are considered to really start the war. On April 18 at night, the British tried to take weapons and guns from a cache belonging to the colonists. Paul Revere sounded the alarm to warn the colonists. They both fought through the night until British troops retreated. This was significant as a win for the colonists. -
Creation of Second Continental Congress
After the British ignored the grievances of the first continental congress, the colonist delegates created the second one to discuss further. These meetings were also crucial to the soon to be government of the colonies' formation. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
This battle was fought before the war but greatly affected it. This battle happened in Massachusetts and the British won it. Though the colonists didn't win, they felt better about their chance against the British because the reason they lost wasn't their strength, just their weaponry. -
Olive Branch Petition
This was a petition created by the second continental congress to try a last time to avoid a full on war with Britain. They sent it to King George III giving him their loyalty to Britain, but he refused it. He said this was a rebellion and wouldn't accept the petition after what had already happened. This petition was important because it was shown that there would be no undoing of this rebellion and it had to go all the way through. -
Writing and Distribution of "Common Sense"
This was a book written by Thomas Paine against the British government. The patriots agreed with the book and it fully took on their side, while the loyalist boycotted it. The publication of this book convinced those indifferent before to be on the side of independence and that is what made this book crucial.
