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The Stamp act (1765)
The stamp act of 1765 was the first tax set on American colonist by the British. The act imposed a tax on all paper documents in the colonies. This act came when the British where in debt from the 7 year war and because of this they taxed the colonies to pay back their debt. And colonies argued that only it was unconstitutional and they resorted to mob violence. -
Intolerable Acts (1774)
The intolerable acts were a bunch of laws passed by Britian in 1774 after the Boston tea party the laws where aimed to punish colonist for their acts in the Boston tea party.
Boston Port Bill (Closed off the port of Boston, eliminating commerce and trade in the city)
Administration of Justice Act (Granted a change of location to Great Britain or a British colony in the event of a jury trial)
Their where a few others like the Massachusetts government act and the quartering act etc. -
The Declaration of Independence (1776)
The Declaration of Independence served three primary purposes. (1.) The document was meant to tell the colonists that they needed to unite to fight for their rights. (2.) It also listed why their actions were justified and (3.) gave formal notice to the King. By asserting that the United States was a separate country, it was hoped that foreign countries would recognize the sovereignty of the United States and assist in their fight for Freedom. -
The battle of Yorktown (1781)
Battle of Yorktown was a combined siege of British forces by land and sea by American and French forces. The British army, led by Charles Cornwall, was trapped on the peninsula at Yorktown, Virginia, and forced to surrender to George Washington. The victory secured American independence. George Washington and the Continental Army won the Battle of Yorktown, with help from the French Army, led by Comte de Rochambeau, and the French Navy, led by Comte de Grasse. -
The treaty of paris (1783)
This treaty, signed on September 3, 1783, between the American colonies and Great Britain, ended the American Revolution and formally recognized the United States as an independent nation -
The articles of confederation (1787)
The Articles of Confederation created a national government composed of a Congress, which had the power to declare war, appoint military officers, sign treaties, make alliances, appoint foreign ambassadors, and manage relations with natives. The Articles required unanimous consent to any amendment, so all 13 states would need to agree on a change. Given the rivalries between the states, that rule made the Articles impossible to adapt after the war ended with Britain in 1783. -
Union address/Benjamin Franklin death (1790)
President George Washington delivers the first "State of the Union Address" on January 8, 1790. Benjamin Franklin dies on April 17, 1790 in Philadelphia, PA. -
Capital (1791)
Washington, DC, is established as the capital of the United States, in 1791.