-
Period: to
Enlightenment
Enlightenment was a vast time period when European politics, philosophy, science, and communications changed radically. -
Period: to
French & Indian War
Th French and Indian War lasted seven years (1754-1763) and was fought over whether or not Britain or France would have control of America - this ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and Britain controlling the area. -
The Sons Of Liberty are formed
The Sons of Liberty was a secret revolutionary organization formed in August of 1765, by Samuel Adams, to advance the rights of the colonists and fight taxation by the British government. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a confrontation in which British soldiers shot and killed several people while being harassed by a mob in Boston, Massachusetts. The event was heavily publicized by leading Patriots such as Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political and mercantile protest by the Sons of Liberty, protesting the British tax on tea, and fueling tension between America and Britain. -
Intolerable Acts Passed
The Intolerable Acts were a series of acts passed by the British Parliament after the Boston Tea Party. These laws were meant to punish the colonists who participated in the Tea Party in reaction to the British change in taxation. -
The Olive Branch Petition is Sent To England
The Olive Branch Petition was a final attempt made by colonists to avoid going to war with England, appealing directly to King George III in hopes of reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain. -
Common Sense Is Published
Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense, advocating for independence from Great Britain, thus helping the Patriot Cause. -
Declaration of Independence Adopted
The Declaration of Independence is adopted by the Continental Congress, severing political ties with Great Britain, and summarized the colonists' motives for seeking independence. -
Period: to
The Battle Of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown is fought, and British General Cornwallis surrenders to General George Washington and America's French allies. This was the last major battle fought in the American Revolutionary War, and the start of a new nation's independence. -
The Great Compromise
The Great Compromise was an agreement that large and small states reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that helped to define legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the United States Constitution -
3/5 Compromise
An agreement came among delegates that 3/5 of the slave population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. -
Period: to
The Constitutional Convention
A gathering of state delegates who decided how America was to be governed, although originally it was to revise the Articles of COnfederation. -
Constitution is Ratified
The U.S. Constitution is ratified and becomes the official framework of the government. -
Bill of Rights is Adopted
In September of 1789, Congress sent to the state legislatures twelve proposed amendments to the Constitution. Numbers 3 through 12 were adopted by the states to become the U.S. Bill of Rights, effective December 15th, 1791.
