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Francis Marion
Francis Marion was a military officer who served in the Continental Army and the Green Berets (special force) during the Revolutionary War, and strongly opposed British occupation of South Carolina (1780-81), where he was born. Also known as The Swamp Fox, Marion is credited as being one of the fathers of modern guerilla and manuever warfare. -
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Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold was an American hero of the Revolutionary War, but later became one of the most infamous traitors in U.S. history after he switched sides and chose the British. Arnold participated in the capture of the British fort, Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. In 1776, he disrupted a British invasion of New York at the Battle of Lake Champlain. He never believed he was recognized for his deeds and defected to the British side. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 was created by King George III to put any land west of the Appalachians off-limits to colonists, to make the Native Americans less hostile towards Great Britain. Most people completely ignored the Proclamation and chose to move west anyways. Because the Proclamation made the colonists angry (even though they ignored it) it further separated the Americans and the British before the Revolution. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament to tax all colonists on any piece of printed paper. This included newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards. This act was important because it was supposed to raise money for the protection of the American Frontier in the Appalachian Mountains, where thousands of troops were stationed. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were several acts passed by the British Parliament that would tax Americans on supplies such as glass, paints, and tea. All of these taxes were dropped in 1770, except for the tea tax. This formed a sort of truce between the British and the Americans, until the Gaspee Affair in 1772. -
Boston Non-Importation Agreement
The Boston Non-Importation was a decision made by the merchants and traders of Boston to not import/export anything from Britain as a way to protest the 1767 Townshend Revenue Act. This agreement was important because it was a way to resist the taxes that the British created. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a fight between the Sons and Daughters of Liberty/townspeople of Boston and the British soldiers who were staying there. Five people were killed during the fight and the soldiers were put on trial, and were eventually ordered not to return to Boston. The Boston Massacre was important because it was a major reason for why the colonists were against the British, later leading to the Revolutionary War. -
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Marquis de Lafayette
Marquis de Lafayette, also known as "The Hero of Two Worlds" was a French military officer who served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Lafayette was known for 'distracting' troops led by Cornwallis while other American and French troops prepared for the Siege of Yorktown. -
Spain Declares War on Britain
The French convinced the Spanish to form an alliance with them against the British during the war. This alliance was important because it also created an alliance between Spain and America, because America and France were allies at the time. -
The Gaspee Affair
The HMS Gaspee was a British customs ship that was built to carry out the Navigation Acts in Newport, RI. John Brown and Abraham Whipple led a group of men onto the ship and attacked the people on board, taking some prisoner, and then burned the ship. The Gaspee Affair was important because the Americans who burned the ship started fighting for their rights when they were put on trial in England, which eventually led to the creation of the Committees of Correspondence. -
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Sally Hemings
She was an enslaved woman of mixed race who's father was allegedly Thomas Jefferson's father in law. Thomas Jefferson is believed to be the father to many or all of her children, their facial features look to resemble Jefferson and the children themselves look to be fathered by a white man. Since it is unknown whether the affair was real or not, it is hard to say if Jefferson and Sally's alleged relationship was consensual or not. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was an act created by the British Parliament to help save the British East India Company, who had too much tea that they weren't able to sell, because of illegal smuggling to North America. This Act let the company ship their tea straight to North America to avoid smuggling, however this came with tax on tea sales. The Tea Act was important because it was the reason for the Boston Tea Party later in the year. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea party was a protest against British taxation held by the Sons and Daughters of Liberty. One night in December, the Sons of Liberty, disguised as Native Americans, threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor, and eventually led to the Coercive Acts being passed in 1774, as well as further separating the British and the colonists. -
Quebec Act of 1774
After the Proclamation of 1763 created a new government in Canada, the British Parliament issued the Quebec Act, which allowed the French religious freedom and their own civil ways (their government was no longer under British power). This was considered one of the Intolerable acts, because it included making the land north of the Ohio River part of Quebec. This was important because, although they had their own government, it kept Canada loyal to the British Parliament through the Revolution. -
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Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were several acts passed in by King George III to put an end to the colonists' attempts of rebellion. The Acts were:
1. Boston Port Bill: closed the Boston Port
2. Administration of Justice Act: British soldiers could be tried in Great Britian
3. Massachusetts Government Act: Put an end to town meetings and elections
4. Quartering Act: British soldiers could stay in private homes/inns
5. Quebec Act: Land north of Ohio river was part of Quebec, Roman Catholicism is religion. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a group of representatives from each of the 13 colonies (except Georgia) that was formed as a reaction to the Coercive Acts. This was important because it led to the creation of the Second Continental Congress. -
"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death"
Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775 delivered a speech that would change the course off history. He delivered one of the most famous calls to arms ever. He stood in front of some 120 delegates and raged about the British rule. His famous line, "Give me liberty or give me death!" were rallying words and gave great confidence to the rebellious colonists. -
Paul Revere's Ride
Joseph Warren learned from an inside source that the British planned to march into Concord to steal weapons and arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock, so he sent Paul Revere to warn Adams and Hancock. A poem was written about this event by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, however most of the information is incorrect, and it was created as more of a fictionalized story about his ride. -
Lexington and Concord
The British sent an army to march on Concord and seize a rebel weapons cache. Paul Revere got word and rode to sound the alarm that the British were marching on Concord. The colonial malitia marched to Lexington to intercept the redcoat battalion. The British were forced to retreat under heavy fire. This was the first official battle of the Revolutionary War and a crucial one, the Patriots saved their weapons and began the long road to freedom. -
Capture of Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga is a star fort that was built by the French, but was put under British control when they fought the French during the French and Indian War. In 1775, the Green Mountain Boys (an organization created to protect rights of local landowners) sneaked into the Fort and captured the British soldiers sleeping there. The Capture of Fort Ticonderoga is an important event because it strengthened communication between the north and south British army units. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle Of Bunker Hill was a battle between the colonial malitia and the English army in the early Revolutionary War. Over 2,200 English troops marched on the hill, the colonial forces cut there numbers greatly, nearly 200 were killed and 800 wounded. The British did capture the hill, but the battle gave colonial forces much needed confidence to continue the fight. The Battle of Bunker Hill made the English’s realize that war with the colonies would be long and costly. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was created as a replacement for the First Continental Congress after the Revolutionary War started. They stated America's independence from Britain (1776) and later created the first national constitution, which was used by the government until 1789. -
Burning of Norfolk
British Navy ships arrived in Norfolk, Virginia and began firing shells directly into the town, then came ashore to burn several different properties. After three days, the majority of the town had been burnt down, leading to the Battle of Great Bridge, which the British lost. This event was important because it led to the British loss in the Battle of Great Bridge, losing them their last seaport in North America, as well as their governor (Lord Dunmore). -
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Franklin and Jefferson as Diplomats
Benjamin Franklin was the first American diplomat, gaining French support for the Americans' Independence (Articles of Confederation). Thomas Jefferson was a diplomat after the Revolutionary War, negotiating forms of trade in Paris. Both Franklin and Jefferson were important as diplomats for gaining support for trade and America's Independence. -
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Cherokee War (Cherokee Attack From the West)
The Second Cherokee War consisted of several smaller battles between the Cherokee and Americans who had ignored the Proclamation of 1763 to trespass on their property. The War lasted about a year and took place in eastern Tennessee/North Carolina, however there were still several other fights over the Americans moving west of the Appalachians. -
Common Sense
Common Sense was a pamphlet published by Thomas Paine, written about his reasons for American Independence. It was a sort of turning point for the start of the Revolutionary war, because it argued that Europe was the "parent country" of America, not only England. -
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Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document created by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, officially stating the intent of the colonies to secede from the British empire and to become their own nation. The declaration was completed in the early morning of July 4th and officially adopted by congress the same day, it was not signed until August 2nd though. Along with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the Deceleration of Independence is one of the three major documents to american government. -
Battle of Brooklyn
On August 22, Howe’s large army landed on Long Island, hoping to capture New York City and gain control of the Hudson River. On August 27, the British marched against the Patriot position at Brooklyn Heights. On August 29, General Washington ordered a retreat to Manhattan by boat, saving the Continental Army from being captured. At the Battle of Brooklyn, the Americans suffered 1,000 casualties and the British lost of only 400 men. On September 15, the British captured New York City. -
Battle of Trenton
In December 1776, George Washington led troops into Trenton, NJ to attack the British, however they were attacked by Hessian troops who were defending Trenton upon entry. They fought, and the Hessians eventually surrendered after over 1000 of them were killed or taken prisoner. This was important because after the Hessians surrendered, George Washington's troops were able to enter Trenton and attack the British. -
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Valley Forge
Valley Forge is the location where George Washington and his troops stayed after harsh battles in the summer of 1777, about 20 miles outside of Philadelphia. The men were sick and hungry due to a lack of supplies at Valley Forge. Valley Forge was important because, even though several men died, it brought the surviving troops closer together. -
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The Battles of Saratoga
Earlier in the year, British troops (led by John Burgoyne) overtook Fort Ticonderoga & Fort Edward, and the American soldiers formed a new troop led by Horatio Gates. The first battle (September) was fought between the Americans and the British, and ended with the American troops strengthened/British troops weakened, as did the second battle, where the British returned to Great Britain. These battles were important because it helped the French notice the Americans' independence. -
British Occupy Philadelphia
British occupations of Philadelphia was part of Great Britain's plan to overall occupy new England, and they began with Philadelphia and New York. When they marched into Philadelphia, the patriots left, and the British stayed for nine months. This occupation was not important overall for the British during the Revolutionary War, but once they left Philadelphia it destroyed chances of them taking all of New England. -
Articles of Confederation Signed
The Articles of Confederation were documents signed by 48 people from all 13 colonies, stating that they were a union, however would be governed separately. The Articles were created in 1777, but were not signed by all 13 colonies until 1781. They were important because they were one of the earliest versions of the United States Constitution. -
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Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
He was a former Prussian soldier and military expert. He was brought into inspect, scrutinize and improve Continental forces living conditions and sanitation to make them into an army rather than a bunch of pigs with guns. He created a training program for 120 troops as well to form George Washington's honor guard. These troops when fully trained were to train other troops and so on. He greatly increased the overall togetherness of the Continental forces and made them an army. -
French Alliance
In February of 1778, Benjamin Franklin signed two treaties in France, the Treaty of Amity and Commerce (said America was an independent nation but France and American would still trade), and the Treaty of Alliance (made America and France allies against Great Britain). These treaties are important because they made France and America allies and strengthened their relationship during the Revolutionary War. -
Brits Capture Savannah
American Major General Robert Howe and his force of between 650 and 900 men were outnumbered in Savannah. Howe ordered the city to be evacuated and the army to withdraw from combat. During the process, the Georgia Brigade took heavy losses when it was cut off from Howe’s other forces. The Patriots lost 83 men and 483 were captured, the British lost 3 men and 10 were wounded. This was a massive loss for the Patriots. -
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James Armistead
Armistead was a slave who was allowed to fight during the war and volunteered for service. He was used during the Revolutionary War as a spy by both the English and the Americans, making him a double agent. He joined the army in 1781, he spied on the British and relayed information back to the Colonial troops. He was a double agent though, so much of the information he made up. -
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Deborah Sampson
She was a Massachusetts woman, who disguised herself as a man so she would be allowed to fight during the Revolutionary War. She called herself Robert Shirtliff. She bound her breasts and disguised herself with a trench coat and breeches. She enlisted in 1781, but was injured during a battle in New York. After a doctor discovered her true gender, she was honorably discharged. She was such an important figure in this time, because it proved sexist notions wrong. -
Battle of the Chesapeake
The Battle of the Chesapeake happened when a French fleet (led by Francois Joseph Paul) tried to keep a British fleet (led by Thomas Graves) from interacting with Lord Cornwallis's forces in Yorktown, Virginia. The French were able to chase the British away from Yorktown, however this eventually led to the Siege of Yorktown. -
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The Siege of Yorktown
During the Siege of Yorktown, French and American troops (now joined) used ships to block a major British troop (led by General Lord Cornwallis)'s exit from the Yorktown Peninsula in Virginia, overall forcing the British troop to surrender. Due to this surrender, the Revolutionary War ended, leading to the signing of the 1783 Treaty of Paris. -
The Preliminary Peace Treaty
The Preliminary Peace Treaty was signed by Great Britain and the United States' Continental Congress in 1783, and was created for several reasons, including allowing American Loyalists to retrieve property taken from them during the war and recognized pre-war debts between the United States and Great Britain. This Peace Treaty brought the end of the Revolutionary war one step closer, as well as legally determined Britain's recognition of American independence. -
The Treaty of Paris
Document ending the Revolutionary War between the British and the Colonists. Ceded all land in the colonial territory to the Americans and beyond. Officially recognized America as and independent nation. Agreed to stop persecuting Loyalists in America and give all confiscated land back. Signed in September of 1783, but the Continental Congress Ratified it in early 1784, making America an independent nation. -
Signing of the Constitution
The Constitution was completed in September 1788, but had to be ratified by 9 of the 13 colonies before it was the law of the land. The Constitution created a strong federal government and rules for said government. On the 21st of June, 1788, the ninth colony ratified the Constitution. It was agreed the new governing body would start on March 4, 1789. -
Adoption of The Constitution
The Constitution had been completed in September 1788, but had to be ratified by 9 of the 13 colonies before it was the law of the land. The Constitution created a strong federal government and rules for said government. On the 21st of June, 1788, the ninth colony ratified the Constitution. It was agreed the new governing body would start on March 4, 1789.