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Roanoke
One of the first British settlements that failed when all the colonists disappeared after resupply ships were delayed sue to the Spanish Armada -
founding of jamestown/British colonial America
First successful British colonies. Profits from tobacco plantations after starving time from 1609-1610
Unlike other European empires colonizing america, the British focused on large settlements. The main reasons for immigration from Britain included:
1. Religious freedom: Pilgrims, Puritans, and Catholics moved to be free from the Anglican church
2. Economic motives: many immigrated to British America to profit off of cash crops/plantations -
Pilgrims arrive at Pylmouth
Massachusetts- focus in trading, whaling, small farms, and government -
Period: to
The Enlightenment
a movement that started in England that presented new ideas about society and politics. This led to the formation of a "modern society" that fueled the "Age of Revolution". Also helped give rise to the bourgeoisie and a decline in noble privilege. Criticized old governments and imagined new ones. Built on Scientific Revolution. More secularization; the separation of state and church. More citizenship and civic equality --> basic human rights -
Navigation Acts
1651 and 1660
Mercantalist acts that restricted the colonies from trading with other nations beside England. -
Thomas Hobbes
1588-1671
English philosopher and political theorist who was one of the earliest voices in the Enlightenment. Lived through the English civil war which had much political instability and violence leading Hobbes to believe in absolutism and societies should have a social contract. He believed to maintain order we must have an absolute monarch. Hobbes wrote leviathan in 1651. -
King Philip's War
Because the British wanted more land for settlement, that caused conflict with native Americans. -
Bacon's Rebellion
Rebellion of indentured servants -
John Locke
1632-1704
English philosopher and political theorist who was the father of liberalism. Believed humans had inalienable rights and humans should give up rights consensually in a social contract. His ideas were directly used in the Declaration of Independence (1776).
he wrote his book Two Treaties of Government in 1689 -
Founding of Baltimore
Settlement made by lord Baltimore as a haven for Catholics -
Period: to
1st Great Awakening
Religous revival across the 13th colonies with an emphasis on personal faith and more forms of worship. -
Period: to
French and Indian War/ Seven Year's War
The French and Indian War was a part of the Seven Years' War which was a global conflict between European powers fueled by Mercantalism. The war was a conflict between England and France who were fighting for territory in North America (the Ohio river valley). Britain wins the war.
Direct cause of revolution: Britain's debt doubled->more taxes->tax colonies.
Indirect cause of Revolution: the first time colonists fought unified and bitter feelings due to negative interactions during war. -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty that ended the French and Indian War. France was to lose all of Canada and all land in north america east of Mississippi river and give it to England -
Pontiac war
Native American territory is threatened by England after they win French and Indian war and previous French held land is now England's. Great Lakes Natives were unhappy with British control and Chief Pontiac rallied tribes to fight England. This led to conflict between Natives and colonist motivating the British crown to reduce future conflicts. -
Royal Proclamation
Issued by the British crown to separate colonists and natives by restricting colonists from settling west of the Appalachian mountains angering many colonists. This is thought to be an indirect cause of the American Revolution because it caused tensions between colonists and the crown. -
Sugar Act
After the French and Indian war, the British national debt doubled and the crown sought to reduce the debt by taxing the colonies. The sugar act was one of the first attempts to do this. the sugar act was an indirect tax which taxed imports on raw sugar and molasses. -
Stamp Act
This act was passed by the British parliament to help reduce the British National debt and to exert control over the colonies (same as the sugar act). This was the first direct tax on the colonies in which they taxed anything with the British treasury stamp on it which was required for most printed materials. -
Sons of Liberty/Response to British taxation
The stamp act enraged many colonists coining the phrase "no taxation without representation" meaning that Parliament wasn't allowed to tax the colonies if they did not have direct representation on congress
Among these colonists was a resistance group called the sons of liberty led by Sam Adams and organized demonstrations against the stamp act. -
Stamp Act Congress
Representatives from 9 colonies declare colonial representation if they were to be taxed. they agreed to resist the taxes and sent a petition to London.
Many either ignored the taxes or boycotted all British goods and the British repealed the stamp act in 1776 -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend acts were taxes in glass, paper, paint,and tea coming to the colonies. They were enacted to exert control over the colonists but after many protests they were repealed except for tea. -
Boston Massacre
Due to rising tensions between the British and colonists, an argument between British soldiers and colonists broke out in Boston. The colonists taunted the soldiers and the soldiers started firing shots killing 5 colonists. This incident intensified tensions between the colonist and the British. -
The Boston Tea Party
The parliament passed the Tea Act to help the British east India company (BEIC) by only allowing tea from the BEIC to be sold to the colonies. Previously the colonists smuggled tea from the dutch. The BEIC lowered their taxes but the colonists were still angered they had to pay taxes and feared this act would lead to more taxes. Because of this, 150 men dressed as Native Americans dumped 342 chests of tea from the BEIC into the Boston Harbor. -
Intolerable/Coercive Acts
In response to the Boston Tea party passed a series of acts to punish Massachusetts colonists.
1.Quartering Act: British soldiers had to live with colonists
2.Administration of Justice Act: Allowed the MA governor to move trials of British soldiers and officials to Britian
3.MA Gov’t Act: MA Gov’t appointed by
British crown (council members, judges, and
sheriffs)
4.Boston Port Act: Port closed until tea was
paid back by the city -
First Continental Congress
12 colony representatives met up to respond to the intolerable acts. They made The Declaration of Rights and Grievances which declared loyalty to the kind, condemned the intolerable acts, and declared a boycott on British trade. They agreed to reconvene next year. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The first battles of the American Revolution.
In Lexington the British arrived and ordered the minutemen to disperse and a soldier (unknown from which side) shot a gunshot (the shot heard around the world) which started a conflict which ended on a British Victory,
In Concord British troops were on their way to Boston when a colonial militia surrounded them for 8 months. -
Second Continental Congress
1775-1781
After the war broke out the 2nd continental congress voted to make the continental congress and elected George Washington as the General. They also sent the The Olive Branch Petition to king George pleading for peace but King George declared they were already in an open rebellion -
Battle of Bunker Hill
A costly British victory -
Common Sense
An essay written by Thomas Paine that argued against the crown and for American Independence. -
New York and Jersey Campaign
The colonists managed to Siege Boston but the British had better equipment and better trained soldiers so Washington retreated. Washington was chased through New Jersey but managed not to get captured. -
Declaration of Independence
This was passed by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia claiming independence which further escalated the conflict. -
Fall of philadelphia
Due to multiple military setbacks, the British decide to attack Philadelphia to shut down the Continental Congress and Washington was unable to defend to instead retreats to Valley Forge. -
Valley Forge
After Multiple Attempts take back Philadelphia, Washington retreats to valley forge for the winter of 1777 but due to a lack of food and supplies 2,000 to 12,000 soldiers died. During Valley Forge Lafayette and Baron Von Steuben helped train the Army. -
Saratoga/French Alliance
A British force was leaving Canada to join with the main army hoping to gain control over the Hudson River Valley and isolate New England but an American militia surrounded the British, forcing them to surrender.
This victory convinced the French to directly support the Americans that helped the Americans win the war making Saratoga the main turning point in the war. -
Revolution in the South
After Saratoga, the British abandon Philadelphia and shift their focus on the French hoping there will be more loyalist supporters in the south. There success prolongs the war. -
Battle of Yorktown
The French helped counterbalance the war in the Americans favor. Congress sends reinforcements to the south with some french troops which halt the British so the British decide to meet the navy at New York. Patriot spies discover this so with the help of the french navy, they trap the British Army and force them to surrender. This was the last major war in the American Revolution. -
Changes due to Revolution
Many changes happened after the Revolution.
1. New political ideas: Republic-elected officials hold power, more civic equality (but voting still limited to tax-paying white males), state constitutions, separation of powers, some women's rights (more education, easier divorce)
2. Slavery: northern states head toward emancipation
3. hostility toward native Americans: supported British during war
4. separation of state and church
5. more Nationalism: one common enemy, folklore, public education -
Treaty of Paris
After the Battle of Yorktown, the British still controlled New York but the continental army was growing and British resupplies were dwindling. The British were also in conflict with other empires. With all this combined the British accept American independence in the Treaty of Paris but they still keep Canada.