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The French and Indian War
France's expansion in the Ohio River Valley caused repeated conflict between the British and their claims on the land. They declared war in 1756. The future Prime Minister William Pitt, gave them a huge financial boost. The earned victories in Louisbourg, Fort Frontenac and the French- Canadian territory of Quebec. In 1763, at the peace conference, the British got the territories of Canada from France, and Florida from Spain, this opened the Mississippi Valley to westward expansion. -
The Proclamation of 1763
After the French and Indian War had ended the British Empire begin to strengthen control over over the colonies. The proclamation closed down all expansion westward. Only licensed traders would be allowed to travel or deal with the Indians. It was supposed to be a temporary action but it benefited Britain so it was kept till the eve of the revolution. This caused the colonists to defy them even more. -
The Sugar Act
The law was passes in attempted to stop the smuggling of sugar and molasses in the colonies by reducing the previous tax rate and enforcing collection duties. It also added several products such as hides and skins. The British mainly put this into act because they were in debt from the French and Indian War, and they needed the colonists to help pay for it. They also wanted trading with any other countries besides Britain to put to an end. This caused boycotts in the colonies. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was the first internal tax put directly on the colonists by the British government. It imposed a tax on all paper paper documents in the colonies, this was also put into effect because they were deep in debt from the French and Indian War. The colonists argued that only their tax assemblies could tax them, they argues that it was unconstitutional, they resorted to mob violence to intimidate stamp collectors. This caused tension between the colonies and Great Britain. -
The Quartering Act
The Quartering Act, outlines the locations and conditions in which the British soldiers are to find room and board in the American colonies. Colonists had to house British soldiers in barracks provided by the colonies. If the barracks were too small then they would be housed in local inns. If there was still not room the then the colonies had to find other places for them to live. The colonists were not happy about this law at all. -
The Townshend Act
A series of acts were introduced into the English Parliament by chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Townshend in 1767. The Townshend Acts imposed duties on glass, lead, paint, paper and tea imported into the colonies. Many Americans viewed the taxation as an abuse of power. In, 1770, Parliament repealed all the other acts except the tax on tea. This lead to an almost truce, which lasted until the burning of a British boat in. The resistance to the tea tax became a symbol in American patriotism. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770. A group of British soldiers, come to support a sentry (guard) who was being heckled by a crowd of colonists throwing snowballs at them. The guard let off some shots, three people were killed immediately and two died later of the injuries. The Boston Massacre is remembered as a key event in helping to inspire the colonial public to the Patriot cause. -
Gaspee Affair
The HMS Gaspee, a British ship that had been violently enforcing unpopular trade regulations, ran aground on June 9, 1772 off of Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island while chasing smugglers.n act of colonial defiance that gained popularity, the ship was then attacked and burned. -
The Boston Tea Party
This act of defiance was a protest against taxation. The British were trying to boost the income of the East India Company, so the parliament passed the Tea Act in 1773. On the night of December 16, 1773, Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty boarded three ships in the Boston harbor and threw 342 chests on tea overboard. This pushed the colonies and England even closer to war. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable acts were a group of acts that were passed in response to the Boston Tea Party. The first one was the Boston Port Act, which basically didn't let any ships come through or go out of the harbor. Another one was, the Massachusetts Government Act, this act was there just to have a better regulation over the government of Massachusetts Bay. Finally, the Quebec Act. This was for making effective provisions over the government in Quebec. This gave the colonies a clear message. -
Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, kicked off the American Revolutionary War. It was known as the "Shot heard around the world". Hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militia men prepared to fight. Soon after the battle began the British were retreating under intense fire. Lexington and Concord was the start of a very important war in American beginnings.
