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The American Revolution
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The Sugar Act
Under this act, the colonists were required to pay a tax of sixpense per gallon on imported molasses and sugars. Some avoided the tax by smuggling these items illegally, or bribing British officials. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp act was passed by the British Parliament in an effort to pay for the cost of the French and Indian War. The act placed taxes on paper items, such as newspapers, legal documents, and pamphlets, as well as dice and playing cards. -
The Townshend Acts
After repealing the Stamp Act, the British government still needed some way to pay off war debts. They did this by passing the Townshend Acts. These acts placed taxes on items including tea, paper, glass, paint, and lead. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a skirmish between a small group of British soldiers and colonists. The result was 5 colonists dead and 6 wounded, while the soldiers remained unharmed. -
The Tea Act
Although this act actually reduced the price of tea, the colonists refused to buy the tea because it didn't allow them to buy tea from anyone but Britain. This lead to the Boston Tea Party. -
The Boston Tea Party
A small group of colonists disguised themselves as a poor impersonation of Tomahawk Indians and went aboard British ships carrying imported tea. They proceeded to cut open the chests that held the tea and dump the entire content of the chests into the harbor. -
The First Continental Congress
The main purpose of the Continental Congress, held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was to address the grievances of the colonies and to find solutions. The delegates of the Congress decided that they would meet again the next year if King George III did not acknowledge their petition. -
Declaration of Rights
The colonists felt that they were being treated unfairly by the British government. They wrote the Declaration of Rights, a list of rights they thought they should have. This was sent to the king, but was ignored. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
These were the first battles of the American Revolution. The British were marching to Concord to capture patriot weaponry, as well as arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock. -
The Second Continental Congress
During the Second Continental Congress, the Continental Army was established, with George Washington as its Commander in Chief. The Olive Branch Petition was also sent to the king in the hope that he would attempt to resolve the issue peacefully. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
During this battle, the British army had to fight uphill while low on supplies. Although they won, the British Army lost twice as many soldiers as the patriots. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition, a document that stated the desired rights of the people while still trying to remain loyal to the crown, was the colonies' last attempt at peaceful compromise with Great Britain. However, as was the case with every other attempt preceding it, the petition was completely ignored. -
Common Sense
This 48-page pamphlet was written by Thomas Paine, an English immigrant who was inspired by the ideals of the Revolution. This pamphlet challenged British athority and was the first of its kind to openly ask for independence. -
The Battle of New York
General George Washington and his troops went against General Howe in New York. They were forced to retreat to Brooklyn Heights because of casualties. -
The Declaration of Independence
This document was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson during the Second Continental Congress in 1776. The Declaration separated the colonies from British rule. It is considered the document that founded the United States of America. -
The Battle of Trenton
This Battle was one of the most important victories for the Americans. It boosted the morale of the Patriot soldiers, and Washington gained much-needed supplies. There was a new surge of enlisters that joined the ranks after this victory. -
Battle of Brandywine Creek
General Howe attacked Washington's army from the right flank. Washington was forced to retreat to Chester, Pennsylvania. -
The Battle of Saratoga
General Burgoyne planned on going down from Canada to Albany while Genera Howe cut through New Jersey to meet him, therefore cutting off the New England colonies. But when he got to his destination, Howe was nowhere to be found. Burgoyne's army was overwhelmed by the Patriots. -
Valley Forge
Although there was no actual battle that happened at Valley Forge, Washington's army faced many hardships there. They stayed during the winter of 1777-1778 in tents that were little shelter from the cold, and they lacked proper supplies; very few had shoes or warm clothing. Here, they were trained by Washington to be a more disciplined army. -
The Battle of Yorktown
This was one of the last battles in the American Revolution. The American army, along with their French allies, marched to Yorktown. The British realized that fighting back was useless, and on October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered.
