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Sugar Act
- Indirect tax ( out of sight = out of mind)
- Duties on molasses and sugar
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Stamp Act
Tax on all paper product
Official stamp/seal on all paper items (proof tax was paid) -
Declaratory Act
Parliament declares it has power to make laws for the colonies "In all cases whatsoever"
Parliament passes this to save face -
Townshend Act
Taxes on glass,lead,paints,paper, and tea
Searched for smuggled goods -
Boston Massacre
- Crowd gathers and hassles soldier, throwing snowballs and shouting insults.
- More troops arrive, colonists get more and more angry
- "Fire if you dare!'
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Tea Act
- Lower prices than colonist merchant prices
- Tax tea cheaper than smuggled tea
- Less smuggling = more tax money
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Boston Tea Party
Members of sons of liberty dump over 340 chests of tea into boston harbor
Caused problems for loyalists/ Tories -
Intolerable Acts
- Boston Harbor closed until tea paid for
- Massachusetts charter cancelled
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Quartering Act
- Quartering act required to house soldiers
- "If a soldier knocking at the door your sleeping on the floor"
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First Continental congress meets
All colonies but Georgia have representatives Voted to send a "statement of grievances" voted to boycott all British Trade Patrick Henry - VA rep. urged colonists to unite against Britain. -
1,000's of Redcoats in Boston
General Gage brings thousands of British soldiers to Boston with more on the way. -
Midnight ride of paul revere
Paul Revere rides to warn the sons of liberty in lexington and concord that the "British are coming... The British are coming.." -
Battles of Lexington & Concord
Battle of Lexington -
- 1st battle of American Revolutionary War
- "Shot hears round the world" Ralph Waldo Emerson
- British Victory
Battle of Concord-
-Americans stop British and force them to retreat
back to Boston
- American Victory -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Benedict Arnold & Ethan Allen capture the fort
Get all supplies in the fort including cannons
American Victory -
Second continental congress meet
They printed money
set up a post office
They created continental army led by george washington
Sent Olive Branch asking King to protect their rights
King hires 30,00 Hessians Soldiers in response -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Fought on Breed's Hill
"Don't Fire until you see the whites of their eyes" - William Prescott
British Victory (Americans ran out of ammunition) British learn defeating Americans would not be easy. -
Washington arrives on outskirts of boston with continental troops
Realizes men are disorganized & need discipline
Need weapons -
Common sense published by thomas paine
pamphlet inspires more colonists to become patriots
"Every thing that is right or reasonable pleads for separation, The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, 'Tis Time to part" Thomas Paine, Common Sense -
British Surrender Boston
Washington believes his army is ready & weapons arrive
Washington puts cannons on dorchester heights overlooking boston
British retreat - American Victory -
Second Continental congress meet again
Debate on declaring independence
Thomas Jefferson is the primary author of the document -
Second continental congress votes for independence
All 13 colonies vote yes on declaring independence -
The Declaration of Independence is signed!
Fireworks