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Limits on Freedom
After the French and Indian War, the British government created some laws that restricted some of the colonies’ freedoms. The British wanted to limit the Native Americans and colonists contact so the King made a law that required colonists to stay east of a line that he drew on the map along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains -
The Stamp Act
An attempt of creating a new type of tax caused violence and sparked protestants which forced the British government to get rid of it. The Stamp Act required for all printing materials to have a special government stamp, in order to get this stamp, they had to pay a British official to stamp the document -
American Voices: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was a witness in the British Parliament against the Stamp Act of 1765. Benjamin did a speech which was an important part of the act. He also tried to fix the differences between Britain and the colonies. -
Colonial Protestants Grow
After Britain attempted to raise income and control the colonies through the Townshend Acts, it caused there to be protestants and violence -
The Boston Massacre
After the protesters grew, it caused tensions to break between the British troop and the colonists. Some boy started insulting a British soldier so the soldier just hit the boy in the head with his gun which caused commotion. After not being able to control themselves, some soldiers fired at a crowd of angry people. -
The Boston Tea Party
Parliament made new laws to regulate tea. At first, colonist protested to make it difficult for the British East India Company to deliver some tea shipments. Later in the year some Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Native Americans and boarded three tea loaded ships to dump the tea into the icy water without harming anyone. -
Preparing to Fight
King George had reached his limit so he established a list of laws called the Coercive Acts which were made to punish Boston and force the colonies to obey because he thought that the colonies were out of control, but they all united together to resist the laws. -
American Revolution
The American Revolution began when Massachusetts militia fought the British forces in the towns of Lexington and Concord. -
Peace Rejected
After the Second Continental Congress made one final attempt to make peace with Britain, they still continued to fight and public opinion was moved to declaring independence -
Declaration of Independence
In 1776, the Continental Congress finally declared the United States of America's independence from Great Britain. On June 7, Henry Lee of Virginia placed a shocking decision, he stated that “These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” Not everyone agreed with Lee but the Congress still sent a committee to draft an official statement that declared the Independence of the United States.
