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French and Indian War
The French and the British fought for territory on the Ohio Valley for access to Mississippi river. The Native Americans played a key role in helping both the French and the British. Eventually, after some bad losses, the British changed their strategies and ended up eradicating the French from North America. -
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Sugar and Stamp Acts
Britain placed taxes on the colonists in order to compensate for the money used for the French and Indian War. They also placed theses taxes to pay for the British military in the colonies. This caused anger in the colonies and the colonists protested these acts. In response, Britain repealed the taxes; they put in place the Declaratory Act. This stated that Britain created the laws and the colonists couldn't do anything about it. -
The Townshend Act
Britain's Parliament passed down a law that taxed imported glass, linen, tea, paint, and other items. To enforce this law, Britain sent out British officials to collect the money of the colonists. Patriots of the colonies quickly became angered at this and committed large-scale boycotts of British goods. This also sparked the beginning of The Sons of Liberty, a group of patriots that were against Britain, Britain's Parliament, and the taxes and laws they created. -
Townshend Protests Stopped by Britain
Governor Francis Bernard, a British colonial administrator, ordered British troops to the colonies to help passify the rioters. He also disbanded the Massachusetts legislature. -
Boston Massacre
Patriots in the colonies protested in front of the Boston customs house. The colonists threw things and rioted, threatening soldiers standing guard in front of the building. The British soldiers shot killing 5 of the protesters when they heard the command "Fire" from an unknown source. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of 50 colonists that were the members of The Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans, so as not to be noticed by other colonists. The men scaled a British merchant ship and dumped over 10 million dollars in tea. Britain couldn't do anything to stop it since they had taken all of the British guards from the colonies after the Boston Massacre. -
Intolerable Acts
After the Boston Tea Part, Britain became furious and would not tolerate things like this from the colonists. In return, they sent troops to the Massachusetts colony and put forth an act called the Intolerable Acts. They shut down the Boston harbour, required the colonists to house and feed any British soldiers no matter what. They also put all British soldiers on trial in British courts, this meant they would get little to no punishment. Then they took away territory from the colonies. -
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The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was a group of delegates, both loyalist and patriot alike, who discussed the Intolerable Acts set by Britain. After much debate, the congress decided to send a letter stating the rights of the colonists as Englishmen. They also decided to create militias to defend themselves if they needed to. King George ||| was not happy with this and sent British troops to seize the colonist's weapons.