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Founding of the Colonies
British colonists sailed over the Atlantic ocean to settle in the New World, current day America. They established 13 colonies: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. These colonies eventually started forming their own governments. Since the UK was across the ocean, the colonists had some sort of freedom. Many of them came over for religious freedom. -
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The French and Indian War
A war between the French and their Native American allies vs. the British and their Native American allies. This was to gain land in the New World. The British won and obtained land west of the Appalachian and parts of Canada. After the war, the British taxed the colonists to gain more money to surmount their debt. The colonists were not happy about this since they believed they weren’t officially part of the UK. The taxes were also too harsh. -
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The Passing of the Sugar and Stamp Acts
The British established the Sugar and Stamp acts. The Stamp Act required taxes on all printed papers the colonists used. The Sugar Act required taxes on all sugar products - especially molasses. The colonists were not happy about these taxes - one step to the American Revolution. -
The Currency Act
The Currency Act brought British currency into the colonies to be used. The colonists probably did not like using British money and led them to rebel. -
Sons of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, were created to enforce liberty. They were the ones demonstrating during the Boston Tea Party. The Sons of Liberty played a big role in rebelling against the British. -
"No Taxation Without Representation"
The colonists were protesting the taxes by the saying, "no taxation without representation." This means that they shouldn't be taxed because they have no say in the British Government. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty hosted a demonstration in Boston Harbor, Boston, Massachusetts. The demonstrators destroyed shipments of tea and threw boxes of tea overboard. They did this in protest of the Tea Act,, passed in 1772. This event inspired many others to carry out other protests eventually piling up to the American Revolution. -
The Quartering Act
The Quartering Act allowed British troops and soldier to stay in colonists homes while being tended and fed to. The colonists were probably very unhappy about this - another step to the revolution. -
Boston Blockade/Boston Port Act
The Boston Port Act was in direct response to the Boston Tea Party. The British set up blockades to stop people from using the port of Boston. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were established to punish the colonists for the Boston Tea Party and other protests. These acts were the Quebec Act, which enlarged the boundaries of Quebec; the Massachusetts Government Act, which took away the charter of Massachusetts; the Sugar Act, which lowered taxes on molasses since they weren't paying them; the Boston Port Act, which closed the port of Boston; and the Quartering Act, which allowed British soldiers to reside in colonist's homes. -
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First Continental Congress
12 of the 13 delegates from the colonies met up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss their situation with Britain. They came together in response to the Intolerable Acts. In the end, they decided to boycott British goods. -
Paul Revere's Ride
In Boston, Paul Revere scrambled around the colonies on horseback to inform everyone that the British were coming so the people could prepare for the upcoming attack. The famous quote affiliated with Paul Revere's ride was about signaling to see how the British were going to attack, and the quote was "one if by land, two if by sea." the quote talked about lantern signals so the militia could prepare. -
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Tom Paine's "Common Sense"
Tom Paine's "Common Sense" was a pamphlet advocating independence from Britain. 2.5 million copies were produced and sent out. Currently, it is still the all-time best selling American title, and is still in print today. This convinced many colonists that breaking away from Britain would be the right thing to do. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The British tried attacking at night to wipe out the resistance. However, this would not work because Paul Revere alerted the militia that the British were coming. This would ultimately start off the American Revolution.
