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Period: to
1765-1785
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The Stamp Act
Britain sets a tax that requires a stamp on all public documents like newspapers or legal documents. The colonists did not like having this tax placed on them. This led to unrest in the colonies and the Stamp Act Congress (October 1765). -
The Boston Massacre
British soldiers in Boston opened fire on a group of American colonists killing five men. -
The Boston Tea Party
Angry with a new tax on tea, some Boston colonists calling themselves the Sons of Liberty board British ships and dump crates of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
First Ccontinental Congress
The First Continental Congress took place from September 5 through October 26, 1774. Delegates from each colony, except Georgia, met at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They discussed the current situation with Britain including the Intolerable Acts, which the British Parliament had imposed on Boston as punishment for the Boston Tea Party. -
Paul Revere's Midnight Ride
The Revolutionary War starts and Paul Revere makes his famous ride to warn the colonists that the "British are coming". -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
The actual fighting starts with the first "shot heard around the world". The Americans win as the British retreat. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Boston was being besieged by thousands of American militia. The British were trying to keep control of the city and control its valuable sea ports. The British decided to take two hills, Bunker and Breeds, in order to gain a tactical advantage. The American forces heard about it and went to defend the hills. -
Declaration of Independence
The thirteen colonies in the America's had been at war with Britain for around a year when the Second Continental Congress decided it was time for the colonies to officially declare their independence. This meant that they were breaking away from British rule. They would no longer be a part of the British Empire and would fight for their freedom. -
Crossing the Delaware
George Washington and the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night into New Jersey in a surprise attack on the British. They had a decisive victory that helped turn the war back to the American's favor. -
Adopting a Flag
During the American Revolutionary War, the Congress decided that the country needed a flag to represent the united colonies. On June 14, 1777 the Second Continental Congress passed a Flag Resolution. This day is still celebrated as Flag Day in the United States. -
Valley Forge
Valley Forge was where the American Continental Army made camp during the winter of 1777-1778. It was here that the American forces became a true fighting unit. Valley Forge is often called the birthplace of the American Army. -
Alliance with France
France recognized the United States as an independent country with the Treaty of Alliance. -
Articles of Confederation
Defined the official government of the United States. -
Battle of Yorktown
The last major battle of the American Revolutionary War. British General Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown was the unofficial end to the war. -
Treaty of Paris
The treaty was negotiated in the city of Paris, France. That's where it gets its name. The Treaty of Paris was the official peace treaty between the United States and Britain that ended the American Revolutionary War. It was signed on September 3, 1783. The Congress of the Confederation ratified the treaty on January 14, 1784. King George III ratified the treaty on April 9, 1784. This was five weeks after the deadline, but nobody complained.
