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The American Revolution
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The Proclamation Act
After defeating the French and their Indian allies in the French and Indian War. Indian tribes rebelled and tried to drive the British out of Ohio. In fear of any further uprisings, the British issued the Proclamation of 1763 that prohibited settlement beyond west of the Appalachians, instead the land would be reserved for the Indians. The colonists were angered that they could not settle further westward in the land that was received after they won the French and Indian War. -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act, issued by the British government, was an import tax on foreign sugar for British colonies in North America. The government wanted to ensure that the colonies were trading only with the British, in order to maximize their profits. The Sugar Act angered the colonists and was the first of the many taxes issued by the Parliament in the years to come. -
The Stamp Act
Followed by the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act was an internal tax on all legal documents, such as a college degree. The colonists angered as they believed that only they had taxing authority, since no one represented them in the British Parliament and so as a form of mass resistance they boycotted British goods and participated in mob violences. -
The Townshend Act
The Townshend Act was a tax on imported paper, paint, lead, glass, and tea, enforced to increase the revenue for Great Britain. This angered the colonists because the tax was decided by the Parliament and no one represented them in the Parliament, making this a direct cause of the Boston Massacre in 1767. The taxes were removed the next year except for the tax on tee. -
The Boston Massacre
After the taxes enforced by the Townshend Acts in 1768, colonists boycotted British goods and to stop this form of protest, Great Britiain sent an army and many more over the years to continue enforcing the taxes. Angry colonists teased the British officers, which led to the death of 5 colonists. -
The Tea Act
In 1773, the British government gave a monopoly on tea in the colonies to the British East India Company under one condition, the company had to sell their tea for a low price. When, the Tea Act was passed on May 10th of that year to administer the monopoly the colonists were angry because of the little choice they were given. Despite the fact that they were able to receive good quality tea for a cheap price, they didn't appreciate the Parliament's authority, leading to the Boston Tea Party. -
The Boston Tea Party
In response to the Tea Act, the Sons of Liberty, a rebel group, dressed up as Indians and dumped 342 chests of tea shipments in the Boston Harbour, which today would be worth one million dollars, as an act of defiance. -
The Intolerable Acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, the Parliament did 5 things, known as the Intolerable Acts or the Coercive acts.
1. Closed off Boston Port untill all the tea that was dumped was paid for
2. Put Massachusetts under Martial Law (governed by military)
3. Colonists had to pay for more British troops to stay
4. Any official accused of a crime would be tried in Britiain
5. Quebec Act, which allowed Quebex to have Catholicism as their official religion -
The First Continental Congress
Angered by the doings of the Intolerable acts, delegates from the 13 colonies, except Georgia, met in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania, known as the First Continental Congress, and took place from September to October of 1774. In their meeting, the delegates did two important things:
1. Sent a letter to King George II to stop the Intolerable Acts or they would boycott
2 If their demands were not met, they would meet again May of 1775.
Congress became the governing body for USA during the revolution. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Minutemen were tradesmen who practiced military exercises and were ready to defend their rights at anytime. the Military governor sough to seize the arsenal of the minutemen and as they were encountered the minutemen at Lexington and Concord. The Battles of Lexington and Concord are the first of the military engagements in the American Revolution. -
The Second Continental Congress
The second time the Continental Congress met in Philidelphia, the revolutionary war against Britain had already started, but the colonial armies were disorganized. In this meeting they created the Continental Army and named George Washington the chief. Throughout the summer they would speak of independence and forming a confederation. -
Thomas Paine published "Common Sense"
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" spoke about ideas favouring American Independence and was read by colonists, whether average citizens or political leaders, and further united the colonies by highlighting the ultimate goal of independence. This paved the way for more published works over the topic. -
The Brtish Evacuate Boston
On this day, the British are forced to evacuate Boston after George Washington's succesful rally of cannons on Dorchester Heights. This marks a great accomplisment for the colonists as no more British troops are present in Boston. In fact, around 1,000 Loyalists left Boston by ship on March 17 and sailed ot Halifax, Nova Scotia. -
The Declaration of Independence
On this day, the Continental congress met at Philidelphia once again and officially recognized themselves as thirteen independent sovereign states, forming a nation called the United States of America.
