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The Molasses Act
The Molasses Act of 1733 was inforced by the the Parliament of Great Britain, which imposed a tax on molasses from other colonies that were not British. The colonists had to pay six pence per gallon if they got it imported from the other colonies. The sugar growers in the British West Indies confronted the British to force the colonists to buy their molasses. This molasses was more expensive then the other kinds from the French and Spanish. This act was not strictly enforced though. -
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The French and Indian War
The French and Indian War started when the Half King murdered the French Envoy in 1754. This war lasted about 9 years but is also known as the 7 Years War, because the last 2 years there was not a lot of fighting. Tension had also been building up because the colonies were affected by how France was expanding into the Ohio River Valley. There was many battles during this war and many men got killed. France lost in 1763, and gave up all of Canada, they only had Louisiana left. -
Proclamation of 1763
The end of the French and Indian War in 1763 came with much celebration to the colonies, as well as new oppertunities, and removed many barriers. The Royal Proclamation closed off the expansion to the colonial expansion. The King and his council presented this as a way to calm the fears of the Indains, because they worried that they would drive through their land. The Proclamation line ran through the Atlantic Ocean near Quebec. through West Flordia. -
The Sugar Act
In 1764, the Molasses or the Suagr Act was enforced once again. Although, this time there were a couple of changes. The tax on the molasses that was not from the British got reduced down to three pences per gallon. They also put taxes on wine and other imported goods. The British wanted to not stop the trading but to simply raise the revenue, and to strictly enforce the act more. The colonists did not like this tax because it was another form of "taxiation without representation". -
The Currency Act
The Currency Act was enforced after the French and Indian War had ended. The act banned all use of paper money in the colonies. While the British were passing the act, they were attempting to gain more control over the indiviual colonies, and to control the printing of the money. Before the act, there was much confusion about the money. The British thought this would help, but it didn't. This was a form of "no taxiation without representation". -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament to make the colonists pay a tax on every piece of paper they got. The act went into effect on November 1, 1765. This included newspapers, documents, and even playing cards! The act was to help the British troops in the war against France. The colonists were not happy about this act. It led into The Stamp Act Congress. Eventually, this act got revoked in 1766. -
The Stamp Act Congress
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The Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was held from October 7, 1765 through October 25, 1765. This was a meeting about how the colonists were angry about the Stamp Act, and how the British taxed the colonies. Twenty-seven representatives came to this meeting, but they were only from 9 colonies, so not everyone came and agreed. The meeting was kind of rocky, and one delegate even left. However, they came to an agreement, and wrote a draft for a resolution. -
The Declatory Act
The Declatory Act was enforced because the Stamp Act backfired and repealed on the British. The Parliament all agreed to make this act. This gave the British the right to make and pass laws in the colonies. This was a direct statement or indication that the British could make laws for the colonies without representation. This act also put a dampen on the colonists celebration about how the Stamp Act repealed. -
The Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts was made my Charles Townshend, and were passed by the British Parliament after the Stamp Act repealed. The acts were made so they would collect revenue from the colonists in America. This act taxed imports on glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea. The colonists were very angry with this act, so they protested and boycotted tea from the English. The British sent troops to make sure this law was enforced. Many of the acts were repealed later on. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was the pre-Revolutionary event that became legendary event for the Americand rebellion against the British. Gangs constantly bothered the British troops that were sent to Boston to make sure that the Townshend acts were enforced. On March 5, 1770, the British finally had enough; they fired into a rioting crowd and killed five men. The funeral for the victims was the occasion for a great patriot demonstration. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was passed by The Parliament because after the Townshend Acts, the British had 18 million pounds of unsold tea. This granted the British East India Company to sell their tea to the colonists and be in charge of the tea trade. The tea was cheaper but the colonists thought that they were being taxed without representation, and the local merchants got out of business. This lead into The Boston Tea Party. -
The Boston Tea Party
Since The Tea Act, the colonists thought that they were confirming with the British that they had the power if they kept the tea from The British East India Company. Some colonies sent the ships back to England, but in Boston, the British Govener there said to leave it on the ship for the colonists to unload. Led by Samuel Adams and The Sons of Liberty, they decided to throw the crates of tea into The Boston Habor and have a "tea party". -
The Boston Port Act (The Intolerable Acts)
The Boston Port Act was passed by the Parliament to close down the Boston Harbor. This was one of the five of the Intolerable Acts, and the easiest to enforce. Since the Boston Tea Party happened, the Parliament shut down the harbor to all other imports except the British ones. They would reopen the harbor when Boston decided to pay for the lost tea that the British East India Company gave them. -
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The Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercieve Acts, were enforced after The Boston Tea Party. Four of the five acts were aimed directly after the Boston Tea Party to make sure none of that would ever happen again. These Acts consisted of the Quartering Act, the Quebec Act, the Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, and the Administration of Justice Act. The colonists were even more angry at these acts, and wanted to rebel even more. -
The Massachusetts Government Act (The Intolerable Acts)
After the Boston Tea Party, the colonies continued with their independence and control. After the Massachusetts legislature appointed a comitee of correspondence, the British Governer challenged their right to make such meetings and appointments. On May 20, the British restrained their amount of royal control. Severe limits were put on those types of town meetings, which was the most important part of the American Government. -
Administration of Justice Act (The Intolerable Acts)
This act was one of the Intolerable Acts enforced by The British Parliament, which was their response to the Boston Tea Party. This act authorized the Massachusetts governer to move the trials of royal officials that were accused of comitting capital offenses while doing their job into other colonies or to Great Britain. This would only happen if the governer believed that the official would not recieve a fair trial. -
The Quartering Act (The Intolerable Acts)
The Quartering Act was the second one, and this one was known as an Intolerable Act to the colonists. In the previous one, the colonies were supposed to provide housing for the soldiers, but they had not been doing it very well. The new act made the governers provide the housing in other areas like barns, if regular housing was not provided. The act also stated that both of the parties had to agree on the housing, This act repealed on March 27, 1776. -
The Quebec Act (The Intolerable Act)
This act was passed by the British Parliament in order to put in a permanent administration in Canada, and replace the temporary government from the Proclamation of 1763. This gave the French Canadians complete religous freedom. The colonists considered this act an Intolerable Act because it extended the boundaries of Quebec, south to Ohio and west to the Mississippi Rivers. This cut off future development and wealth. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress procceded from September 5, 1774 to October 26, 1774. This was to protest about The Intolerable Acts. Representaives from all the colonies except Georgia came including, Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and Patrick Henry. The voted to cut off the colonial trades with the British unless they stopped the Intolerable Acts. It started preparing citizens for war, and to get America's rights. -
The Battle Lexington and Concord
The battle started when the British troops marched from Boston to Concord. Tension had been building up for years, and was the start to the Revolutionary War. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm and went to go fight against The British. There was a confrontation at the Lexington town and started the battle. The fighting began, and eventually the British had enough of the intense heat and fire, and the colonists won. This lead to many other battles. -
The Second Continental Congress
After Lexington and Concord, it changed everything. The British once again marched into Boston, and that made the Second Continental Congress in Philidelphia. The Continental Army was created during this meeting and made George Washington the leader. The congress authorized the money for the provisions, and was no longer dealing with grievances. Still, they were not getting much independence from Britain. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
The night of June 16, 1775 the Americans marched onto Bunker Hill. This was a good spot to bomb the British and into the habor. They accidentally misunderstood the Ward and went to Breed's Hill; closer to the British. In the morning, the British marched up the hill, and when they got close to the Americans, they fired. Some men were killed or wounded, leading the British back down the hill, but they came back for two more times. The British did win but there were around 2,000 casualties. -
The Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson drafted the Decleration of Independence on June 11, 1776 to June 28, 1776. This is one of the nations most cherished symbols. Jefferson wrote about the minds and hearts of the American people. John Adams and Benjamin Franklin also assisted him, along with two other men. The Decleration of Independence was written in Philidelphia by these five men, and signed by them on July 4, 1776, which is now our nations holiday. -
Crossing The Delaware
This day was a hard time for George Washington and his Continental Army which was dwindling. Washington planned a surprise attack on the British, but his troops had to cross the icy Deleware River. This suprise attack resulted in a victory for George Washington's continental army. They crossed the river back to Pennsylvania, but this time they were burdened by prisoners, and resulted in a battle. After that, the army crossed the river again later in January defeating the British once again. -
The Constitution Signed
On September 17, 1787 forty-two out of the fifty-five delegates to the Constitutional Convention had their final meeting. They only did one thing that day in the meeting. That was to sign the Constitution. The meeting was held in the State House in Philidelphia. The Constitution is just four hand written pages and states how the states are forming a "more perfect union". As long as the Constitution stands, we are free, and our country is free.
