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The Albany Congress
7 representatives from the colonies met with chiefs of the Iroquois tribes in order to gain support against the French. The other goal of this congress was to create a colonial union. When this new plan was brought back to the individual colonies, none of them ratified the idea of a colonial alliance. -
French and Indian War
English Colonists started moving farther out from the main colonies, and into French claimed territory. The French were outraged by the new “settlers”, and began hostilities towards the English. Both sides built forts on the disputed land, and eventually conflict broke out. The French employed Native American tribes to help attack the British, using guerrilla tactics. The British came out victorious, and the French were forced to concede land. -
Royal Proclamation
New taxes and policies were installed in the colonies to help pay for the cost of the French and Indian War. However, these did not sit well with the colonists, and many were angry that they were being taxed without representation. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first real attempt by the British government to exert control on the colonies. This act taxed almost all paper products. Some examples would be notecards, playing cards, stamps, and parchment. After a while, this act was protested, and it was eventually called off. -
The Townshend Act
This act was put in place as a response to the failure of the Stamp Act. This act taxed oil, glass, paint, lead, paper, and tea. This lead to a wave of boycotts of imported goods, and large protests. -
Boston Massacre
Going into the 1770’s, there was a much larger presence of British soldiers in the colonies. The City of Boston saw a large increase as well. On March 5, 1770, around 50 colonists attacked a British soldier. A British captain nearby called for support, and more soldiers arrived to quell the unrest. The attacks continued, and at some point, the British soldiers fired into the crowd. Three colonists were killed on the spot, and eight were injured, two of which later died. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act, against popular belief, did not impose any new taxes. Instead, this act would see large imports of tea by the British East India Company, in order to keep the company afloat. This tea was sold at a low price, to make it more appealing. This act was seen as a way to make the Townsend Act, which was still in effect at the time, more profitable. It was also seen as a way to undercut local businesses. -
Boston Tea Party
The Tea Act allowed the British East India Company to have a monopoly on the tea trade in the colonies. This was not only to save the company from bankruptcy, but to also gain more tax revenue from lower tea pries. The colonists saw through the scheme, and began boycotting tea. On the night of December 16th, radicals from Boston boarded three ships and tossed over 300 chests of tea into the harbor, dressed as Native Americans, so they could not be identified. -
Intolerable Acts
These acts were in response to colonial dissidence. They included, closing the Boston harbor, revoking the Massachusetts charter, allowing British soldiers to lodge anywhere, and allowing British officers to be tried in Britain, and not the colonies. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
In Lexington, British soldiers hoped to capture leaders of local radical groups, and in Concord, they hoped to secure the stores of gunpowder located there. Upon noticing the approaching forces, Paul Revere, along with many other riders, began notifying locals. A militia force, called the Minutemen, began setting up to defend the two towns. At Lexington, the two sided stood off, with a single shot being felt around the world. The towns were lost, but not without the beginning of a revolution. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
American Rebels wanted to set up a defensive position on Bunker Hill, which would allow them to bombard British ships in the harbor. However, the position instead was set up at Breed’s Hill. The British sun he’d an attack against the Americans, and the battle began. A total of three attack waves occurred, with the first two ending in British retreat. Eventually, the hill was taken by the British, but with heavy losses on both sides. -
Common Sense
Published in January of 1776, and Written by Thomas Paine, Common Sense was one of the first public works to question British Rule over the colonies. It is believed that this book was the turning point for many colonists, and created a growing sense of independence. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Continental Congress made a committee to draft a Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson eventually was given the task of writing the Declaration. After many rough drafts, one final draft was accepted. On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted.