-
French and Indian War
-Because of land competition the control of North American trade routes, alliance with Native Tribes, European wars, and traditional enemies became very important and controversial and eventually led to the war.
-Ended in 1763
-The effects of the war were increased taxes for colonists, British troops in America, Proclamation of 1763, end of westward expansion, and prohibition of settlement in Ohio River Valley. -
Sugar Act and Stamp Act
-British thought colonists needed to pay them back for the war
-was an indirect tax on sugar
-Failed attempt
-Moved onto the Stamp Act (1765)
-Direct tax on all printed goods
-Boycotted by colonists
-Colonists would attack tax collectors (Tarring and feathering)
-Failed as well -
Townshend Act
-Stamp Act was repealed
-Tax on glass, paint, tea and others
-The same year as the Quartering Act.
-Colonists were forced to house and feed soldiers -
Boston Massacre
-Colonists mobbed and angered British soldiers.
-Colonists were throwing rocks and sticks and yelling at the soldiers
-Soldiers started shooting and killed several colonists. -
Tea Act/The Boston Tea Party
-Tea Act was a tax on tea
-The Tea Party was a raid on cargo ships where the Sons of Liberty threw hundreds of gallons of tea into the Boston Harbor
-Caused the Intolerable Acts
-England isolated Boston
-Sons of Liberty formed
-British arrested rebels -
First Continental Congress
-Was in response to the Intolerable Acts
-Purpose was to show support for Boston and work out a unified approach to the British
-Decided to boycott British goods -
Lexington and Concord
-Militia forming in Massachusetts
-Goal of the British was to seize leaders and munitions
-Ended badly for British
-Found nothing and were no longer secretive -
Second Continental Congress
-Had to settle the argument of Reconciliation vs. Independence
-Elected George Washington as commander of the continental army
-Authorized the rising of an army through conscription -
Battle of Bunker Hill
-British sent troops into the colonies.
-British defeated Americans.
-"Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes."
-Gave Americans confidence -
Olive Branch Petition
-Americans wanted to avoid war with the British
-Petitioned to repeal acts, and define colonial rights
-King saw this as a joke
-Declared colonies in a state of rebellion
-Colonists wrote Declaration of Independence in response some time later