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Navigation Acts
The Navigation Acts were passed to regulate colonial trade and manufacturing but were mostly not enforced. As a result, activities like smuggling were common and not considered crimes by the colonists. -
French and Indian War Ends
Britain defeats France and Native Americans. As a result, Britain gained all of French Canada, as well as rich islands in the Caribbean. Britain’s Treasury was also drained and George III insisted the colonists pay for the costs. -
Stamp Act
A tax on the colonies that taxed items such as newspapers and pamphlets. Colonists resented it. Colonists protested stating, “No taxation without representation”. Caused the Boston Massacre. -
Boston Massacre
As a result of the new taxations, tensions were high. British soldiers in Boston opened fire on a crowd that was pelting them with stones and snowballs. Five protestors died. -
Tea Act
Parliament granted British East India Company Tea a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies. Caused the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Tea Party
As a result of the new tea act, a group of colonists threw cargo of British tea into the harbor to protest. Parliament then passed the intolerable acts to punish Massachusetts. -
Intolerable Acts
Caused by the Boston tea party. Parliament passed these harsh laws to punish Massachusetts. -
1st Continental Congress.
As a result of the intolerable acts, 12 colonies sent representatives to Philadelphia to discuss a response to Massachusetts harsh punishment. -
Lexington and Concord
As a result of the constant tension between the British and Colonists, the first shots of the Revolutionary war were fired at Lexington and Concord. This caused the second continental -
2nd Continental Congress
Met after Lexington and Concord. Resulted in the creation of the Continental Army with George Washington in command. -
Declaration of Independence Adopted
The Continental Congress voted to declare independence and Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence was officially signed. -
Battle of Saratoga
The first Turning point in the Revolutionary war. The Americans triumphed over the British. This persuaded the French to join the Americans. -
Winter at Valley Forge
Continental troops suffered cold, hunger and disease, but George Washington held the troops together. -
Battle of Yorktown
Washington and a French fleet forced the surrender of a British army at Yorktown, Virginia which caused the collapse of the British army. -
U.S. Constitution Written
Evolved from the Articles of Confederation, it was written by Ben Franklin James Madison and George Washington. -
U.S. Constitution adopted
Constitution was adopted September 17, 1987.