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French and Indian War
the last of four conflicts between Britain, France, and Spain. This one utilized the colonies more than the previous three. Britain proved victorious, which not only gave it naval dominance, but also made it the unquestioned power in the colonies. As a result, Britain sought to have a tighter control over its colonies. -
Proclimation of 1763
Britain ploclaimed that no expansion would ocur in the colonies west of the Appalacian Mountains. While Britain simly sought to protect its colonies from Amerindians, the colonists believed this act a breech of their right to expand westward, thus initating the strain between Britain and its American colonies. -
Sugar Act of 1764
A direct result of the heavy costs of the French and Indian war, and Britain's attempts to use the colonies to alleviate that financial burden, this act placed a tax on foreign sugar and other luxury items. Also passed with a law that strengthened the Navigation Acts, this law promised that smugglers would be given a trial with no jury. This act helped to inflame the colonists further. -
Stamp Act
A tax proposed to allevaite Britain's war debts, this act required a stamp on all paper items, including newspapers, legal documents, pamphlets, and advertisements. As this was the first tax imposed directly on the colonists and not simply on merchants importing goods, protests ensued. The Stamp Act Congress was formed with representatives from nine colonies to oppose the tax, while the Sons and Daughters of Liberety began to tar and feather revenue officials. Eventually, the act was repealed. -
Quartering Act
To further Britain's presence in the colonies, Parliament passed the Quartering Act, which enabled British soldiers to live with colonists and be provided for by colonists. Colonists were enraged by this act,a nd later would have an amendment regarding the quartering of troops. -
Stamp Act Congress
Formed to oppose the Stamp Act, representatives from nine colonies met. They determined that only elected representatives had legal authority to approve taxes, and proteseted the Stamp Act until its repeal. -
Boston Massacre
While the exact details are disputed, a mob of colonists povoked members of the 59th regiment to fire into it, resulting in thwe deaths of five colonists. This event was blown up into a "massacre," and many patrots used this as propoganda to inflame colonists. -
The Gaspee Affair
The Gaspee, a British customs ship, was notorious for capturing smugglers. After running aground off the coast of Rhode Island, colonists disguised as native Americans burned the vessel. The British ordered a commission to investigate and bring guilty persons to Britain for trial following this incident. -
Boston Tea Party
In 1773, Parliamnet passed the Tea Act, which lowered the cost of tea as to promote sales from the East India Company, so that it could be cheaper than that whixh was smuggled vy the Dutch. Many colonists continued to boycot, and on one evening, colonists dressed as Native Americans and dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. As a result, the Intolerable Acts were enacted. -
First Continental Congress
In repsonse to the Intolerable Acts, represenattives from all of the colonies save Georgia debated to determine how they would respond and whic acts were most threatening to colonial rights. There was no desire to become independent, as they wished for relations to be restored between themselves and Parliament. The Suffolk Resolves were adopted to combbat the Intolerable Acts, while Britain declared Massachusettes in a state of rebellion. -
Second Continental Congress
This Congress created a militia under George ashington and another in Canada under Benedict Arnold, while also sending the "Olive Branch Petition" to King George pledgeing loyalty in exchange for intercession between themselves and Parliamnet. As a result, the colonies were declared in rebellion by the Prohibitory Act. -
Olive Branch Petition
Created during the Second Continental Congress, this called for peace. The colonists promised loyalty in exchange for intercession with Parliament, and resulted in teh Prohibitory Act, declaring the colonies in a state of rebellkion. -
Thomas Paine's Common Sense
This pamphlet argues for colonial independence and the creation of independent states,a s it was not "common sense" for a large continent to be rules by a small, far-off island with a corrupt governemnt. This pamphlet stirred up revolutionary sentiment in the colonies. -
Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson mainly, this document announced to Great Britain the intention of the colonies to secede from it,a s well as the reasons for doing so. This document declared the colonies idnependent and launched the American Revolution in full swing. It also noted that goverenment needed to serve the people, and that the people had unalienable rights that remained untouched by an effective government. -
Intolerable Acts
These acts were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party. The Port Act closed the port of Boston until the price of the tea was made up for, the Massachusettes Governemnt of Justice Act reduced the power of the Massachusettes legislature, the Administration of Justice Act enabled royal officials to be tried in England instaed of in teh colonies, and a fourth law expanded the Quartering Act to private homes and affected all colonies. These acts led to the first Continental Congress.