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John Locke
John Locke was one of the most important and influential philosophers during this time. The Enlightenment drew heavily on his ideas, as did the Founding Fathers of the American Revolution. -
Boston Massacre
A British soldier intiated this in Boston. Only 6 people were killed in the "massacre," but colonists milked it for all the anti-British sentiment they could. From this point on, the confrontation between the Colonists and the British would be more antagonistic, and less likely to be solved through peaceable means. -
Boston Tea Party
Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Native Americans and boarded three ships in the Boston harbor and threw 342 chests of tea overboard. This resulted in the passage of the Intolerable Acts in 1774 and pushed the two sides closer to war. -
The Intolerable Acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British government toughened their stance against the Colonies. They restricted the Colonies in numerous ways, including closing the Port of Boston, banning colonists from holding town meetings, and having British officials who had committed crimes sent from the colonies to Great Britain for trial, where they were rarely prosecuted. -
First Continental Congress
Conventions were held in Philadelphia to discuss colonial grievances, and what to do about them. 12 colonies were represented by 55 delegates. They wrote up Declaration of Rights, wrote appeals to British American colonies, King George III and the people of Britain. Many of their petitions were rejected. They also established The Association, banning all trade with Britain, imports and exports. They did not yet want independence. -
Mary Draper
Mary Draper is famous for her efforts to assist the Continental Army by offering food, hospitality, clothing, and ammunition to the Patriots. Draper lived from 1719–1810. -
The Battle of Lexington & Concord
"Lexington Massacre" took place right before Battle of Concord. Both were attempts by the British to seize colonial gunpowder and capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock, leaders of rebellion. Colonial militia did not disperse quick enough and the British opened fire. There were eight colonists killed, and several wounded. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill took place at Breed's Hill overlooking Boston with British staging a frontal attack. The colonists slaughtered the British until they ran out of gunpowder, when they were forced to retreat. Though they lost the battle, the colonists struck a blow to the British, which boosted morale. -
George Washington
Congress ordered General George Washington to take command of the Continental Army besieging the British in Boston. Even though Washington had little practical experience in managing large armies, Washington proved to be a capable and resilient leader of the American military forces during the war. Because of his successful war strategies, the American people elected him as president. -
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson is considered one of the Founding Fathers because of his role in drafting the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson lived from 1743-1826 and he was a Patriot. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams wrote the Declaration of Independence. It is important because it states that a government exists for the benefit of the people and that "all men are created equal." It contains the complaints of the colonists against the British king and it also contains the arguments the colonists used to explain why they wanted to be free of British rule. -
Battle of Brandywine
This battle was fought between the American army of General George Washington and the British army of General Sir William Howe. The British defeated the Americans and forced them to withdraw toward the American capital of Philadelphia. -
Battle of Saratoga
Fought eighteen days apart in the fall of 1777, the two Battles of Saratoga were a turning point in the American Revolution. On September 19th, British General John Burgoyne achieved a small, but costly victory over American forces led by Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold. Though his troop strength had been weakened, Burgoyne attacked Americans on October 7th, but this time was defeated and forced to retreat. He surrendered ten days later, and this American victory convinced the French to ally. -
Battle of Yorktown
Also known as the Siege of Yorktown, this battle proved to be the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America.Cornwallis surrendered, and the capture of both him and his army prompted the British government to negotiate an end to the conflict. The battle boosted faltering American morale and revived French enthusiasm for the war, as well as undermining popular support for the conflict in Great Britain. -
Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a statesman, author, publisher, scientist, inventor and diplomat. During the American Revolution, he served in the Second Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He also negotiated the 1783 Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War.
