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Merchantilsim
An econimuic princilple that states that teh mother counrty should utilize its colonies for making profit. Colonies should export raw material to its mother country. The american colonies contained key mines of profit for the british empire. The American colonies were capitalized by the British. -
Period: to
Beginning to end of american rev
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Sugar Act
An act passed in 1764 were a tax was placed upon sugar and wine as well as many other goods. The British passed this act in order to get more money, money that would be spent on providing the colonies with more security. The British also did this in order to force the colonists to sell their goods only to Britain, and for cheap. This act caused a lower income for colonists as well as an increase on the price of some goods and this angered the colonists. -
Stamp Act
An act passed by parliament on March 22, 1765 that taxed the colonists for every single piece of printed paper that they used. The British taxed things ranging from ship papers and letters to things as small as playing cards and licenses. The money gained from these taxes were put towards adding troops to defend the frontier near the Appalachian Mountains. The costs on this tax were actually relatively small, which offended the colonists even more because the colonists expected taxes -
Quartering Act
An act passed by parliament in 1765 that forced the colonists into having to support soldiers who were stationed near their homes. They would have to supply these soldiers with food and drink and in some cases even give the soldiers a place to spend the night or camp out. Britain passed this law in order to save them money, instead of having to support their own troops they force the colonists into having to support British soldiers themselves. Through the years this law expanded -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts where passed by the British Parliament in 1767, They included tax on many commodities including Tea. The Act was named after Charles "Charley" Townshend who proposed the acts. They were considered "sneaky" because the colonists would not actually know they where being taxed. When the colonists did find out the reaction came with boycotts and a general feeling if distrust towards the British. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred in March 5, 1770 between an unarmed mob and a few British soldiers. It began when the mob attacked a British sentinel who called his captain, followed by other soldiers and when the mob continued to attack they fired into the crowd, killing 3 on the spot and mortally wounding 8 others, all innocent “patriots”. Only two of the soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter and all others were found innocent. -
Committees of Correspondence
The main goal of these committees was to spread the spirit of resistance. This was accomplished by exchanging letters which helped to keep the opposition to British policy alive. Virginia created a standing committee known as the House of Burgesses, and before long, every colony had a central committee through which they would communicate with other colonies. They were important in spreading the ideas of revolution. These would one day evolve into the first American congress. -
Tea Act/ Boston Party
The tea act was an act passed in 1773 that finally sparked revolutionary movements in Boston. This tea act in fact imposed no taxes but instead was meant to get rid of 18 million unsold pounds of tea, tea that was causing economic issues. The Boston Tea Party was a revolutionary event in 1773 where around 200 colonists, outraged by the tea act in Boston, stormed the docks, some disguised as Indians, and dumped all of the tea on the boats into the harbor in Boston. -
Intolerable Acts
A series of laws which were designed for the purpose of chastising Boston in particular, and Massachusetts in general. Most drastic was the Boston Port Act which closed all the tea-stained harbors until the damages were paid and they could be sure that order was restored. The peoples’ rights were taken away, and replaced by restrictions. The one with the most profound effect, was the Quebec Act, which an act where the British guaranteed the French they had conquered their Catholic religion, but -
Lexington and Concord
Battles that were the first military engagements of the Revolutionary War. The British had been given orders to capture and destroy military supplies at Concord. The Americans learned of this plan, and the colonists were able to move the supplies. When the British reached Lexington however, the colonists engaged the British in battle. This first conflict was called by Ralph Waldo Emerson “the shot heard ‘round the world.” -
The Dec. of Independence
This was an official document signed by the continental congress in 1776 which stated all thirteen of the colonies as individual states, separate from Britain. This document was signed by many men, men who came to be called the founding fathers. The signing of this document is considered to be a very important event in American history for it is considered to be the official start of American independence. -
Battle of Valley Forge
During the winter of 1777 – 1778 George Washington and his Continental Army camped out at Valley Forge. Many of the soldiers didn’t have shirts, pants, and especially shoes. Even with the lack of conditions George Washington led his soldiers through camp and drills every day. The soldiers morality and spirits dropped from the look of things but as time progressed huts were build, there food supplied prospered, and new recruits were coming to the camp. This winter at Valley Forge set the tone for -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga or the Battles of Saratoga were fought September 19 and October 7 1777. The British were attempting to control northern New England while the colonists were trying to protect it. These battles were said to be the turning point in the Revolutionary War. Since the Americans won this battle it inspired the French to side with them. From here on Americans dominated the battlefield eventually forming a new country. -
Franco-American Alliance
This was a french alliance with the American Colonists during the Revolutionary War. The alliance provided the Colonists with food, money, and arms. The alliance helped the Americans win some key battles including an invasion of Saratoga in 1777. The treaty also recognized the United States as a nation. -
Yorktown and the Treaty of Paris
This very very important treaty ended the Revolutionary War. Signed on September 3rd 1783, It Acknowledged the United Stated as a Sovereign nation. The Treaty was made up of 10 key points. It determined the boundaries of the U.S being south of Canada, east of the Mississippi and north of Florida. The British no longer had control over the Americans. A new government was elected. This Treaty also had an international effect that led other countries to revolt.
