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The Beginning of the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment, also known as Age of Reason was a cultural movement emphasizing reason or individualism. It produced a number of books, essays, inventions, scientific discoveries, laws, wars and revolutions. -
The French Indian War
The French Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War was from 1756 to 1763. This dispute involved three continents, including the Caribbean. The war was a clash between the French and English over colonial territory and wealth. -
The Sugar Act
On April 5, 1764, Parliament passed the Sugar Act. This act lowered the duty on forgein-produced molasses from six pence per gallon to 3 pence per gallon, in attempts to discourage smuggling. -
The Stamp Act
During the time, the Prime Minister Grenville thought that American colonists should pay a heavier tax load so Parliament passed the Stamp Act. This act required American colonists to buy a special watermarked paper for newspaper and all other legal documents -
The Tea Act
The British Parliament passed the Tea Act to save the delay from the East India Company of going into bankruptcy. They lowered the tea tax and granted the company a monopoly on the importation and sale of tea in the colonies. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord was the start of the American Revolution. British troops were sent to Concord to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock but both of the men had been warned. When British came to attack, the Minutemen were waiting to attack at Lexington. -
The Second Continental Congress
On May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The Battle of Lexington and Concord had recently occurred so Congress needed to create an official army to siege on Boston. -
Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense
On the 9th of January in 1776, Thomas Paine
anonymously published "Common Sense" setting forth his
opinion/arguments on American independence. His pamphlet
played a remarkable role in transforming a colonial squabble into the American Revolution. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of the Americcan Political tradition. It announced to the world, our freedom from Great Britian. It articulates the fundamental ideas that form the nation, such as our rights. -
The Boston Tea Party
On December 16, 1776, people of the Massachusetts Patriots started to protest on the American tea importation that had just been approved by Parliament. They seized 342 chests of tea and threw them into the harbor. This later became known as the Boston Tea Party. -
Valley Forge
From December 19, 1777 to June 19, 1778, Valley Forge was the site of the encampment of the Continental Army of the newly formed United States of America under the command of General George Washington, a few miles from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris offically ended the French Indian War between Great Britain and France. The treaty stated that France give up all its territories in mainland North American and to also end any forgein military threat to the British colonies. -
Shay's Rebellion
This event was a series of protests by American farmers which was lead by Daniel Shays of Massachusetts (a formal captain in the Continental Army). They protested against state and local enforement of tax collections and judgments for debt. -
Constitutional Convention
On May 25, 1787, 55 delegates from every state but Rhode Island met in the Pennyslvanis State House in Philadelphia to create a stronger national government (current day: Independence Hall). From these delegates, included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton -
Ratification of the Constitution
On September 17, 1787, delegates of the Constitutional Convention approved the documents that were established in May. It took 10 months for the first nine states to approve the Constitution. But by May 29, 1790, the Constitution was ratified by two votes.
