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Stamp Act is passed
Made the colonists pay a tax on everey piece of printed paper they used.What appalled the colonists so much was that they were required to pay a tax on newspapers and even playing cards to pay for the British military presence in their colony. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Act led to the resurrection of hostilities created by the Stamp Act. It caused taxes on glass, paint, oil, lead, tea, and paper. -
Boston Massacre
When the British redcoats killed five civilian men. This event sparked a rebellion in some of the colonies. It began when civilians began throwing rocks at the redcoats. Crispus Attucks was the first to die in this incident.After the incident, the British captain was jailed along with eight soldiers and tried for murder. John Adams defended them and all but two were freed of the conviction. This showed that America would give everyone a fair trial with a just punishment. -
Boston Tea Party
It began when three tea ships arrived. A group of 200 locals dressed as Native Americans boarded the ships and dumped the tea into the harbor. The Boston Tea Party showed the
American people that they could stand up for their rights and ultimately make a change. -
First Continental Congress Meeting
Met in Carpenter hall in Philadelphia, all colonies but Georgia were represented there. They wanted to show Great Britain they had authority and could rule themselves. -
Battle of Lexington
One of the first military engagements of the Revolutionary war. Ralph Waldo Emerson described the first shot as the "shot heard 'round the world". -
Second Continental Congress Meeting
The Second Continental Congress meeting was to create a continental army out of the existing militia. George Washington was elected commander in chief of this army. At this meeting they also decided to start printing paper money and signed the Declaration of Independence. -
Declaration of Independence
This was a statement that told Brittain and other countries that the thirteen colonies did not regard themselves as part of the British Empire. -
Articles of Confederation
The first written plan of government that specified how the national government would operate.It gave the states a form of diplomacy with Europe and a way to insure the freedom and security of the U.S. -
Treaty of Paris
This treaty marked the end of the Revolutionary war between the U.S. and Great Brittain. Some major points include the establishment of boundaries between the U.S. and British North America, the freeing of all prisoners of war on both sides, and if the U.S. captured any territories after the signing of this document, they were to be returned without compensation.
