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The French and Indian War
In the late 17th and first half of the 18th centuries, France and Great Britain had fought three inconclusive wars. Each war had begun in Europe but spread to their overseas colonies. After six relatively peaceful years, the French-British conflict reignited. The French built fort Duquesne in the region despite and in response, the Verginia governor sent militia, a group of citizens who performed military duties. This was the opening of the French and Indian War -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Ottawa Leader Pontiac recognized that the French loss was a loos for Native Americans. The Proclamation of 1763 established a Proclamation Line along the Appalachians, which the colonists were not allowed to cross. The colonistsm eager to expand westward from the increasingly crowded Atlantic seaboard, ignored the proclamation and continued to stream onto Native American Lands -
The Sugar Act
The sugar Act did three things. It halved the duty on foreign-made molasses in the hopes that colonists would pay a lower tax rather than risk arrest by smuggling. It placed duties on certain imports that had not been taxed before. Most important, it provided that colonists accused of violating the act would be tried in a vice-admiraltty court rather than a colonial court. Each case would be decided by a single judge rather than a jury of sympathetic colonists -
The Stamp Act
This act imposed a tax on documents and printed items sucks as wills, newpapers, and playing cards. A stamp would be placed on the items to prove that the tax had been paid. It was the first tax that affected colonists directly because it was levied on goods and services. -
The Sons of Liberty is Formed
Boston shopkeepers, artisans, and laborers organized a secret resistance group called the Sons of Liberty to protest the law. Alos, Samuel Adams were on of the founders -
The Tea Act
The Acts also imposed a tax on team the most popular drink in the colonies. And it was part of the Townshend Acts -
The Townshend Acts
Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, which asserted Parliament's full right " to bind the colonies and people of America in all cases whatsoever. -
The Boston Massacre
A mob gathered in front of the Boston Customs House and taunted the British soldiers standing guard there. Shots were fired and five colonists, including Crispus Attucks, were killed or mortally wounded. Colonial leaders quickly labeled the confrontation the Boston Massacre -
The Boston Tea Party
A large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans and proceeded to take action againsts three British tea ships anchored in the harbor. In this incident, later known as the Boston Tea Party, the " indians" dumped 18,000 pounds of the East India Company's tea into the waters of Boston harbor. -
The Intolerable Acts
One law shut down Boston harbor. Anotherm the Quartering Act, authorized British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings, In addition to these measures, General Thomas Gage, commander-in-chief of British forces in North America, was appointed the new governor of Massachusetts. To keep the peace, he placed Boston under martial law, or rule imposed by military forces -
The First Continental Congress Meets
56 delegates met in Philadelphia and drew up a declaration of colonial rights. They defended the colonies' right to run their own affairs and stated that, if the British used force against the colonies, the colonies should fight back -
The Battles of Lexington and Concrod
Pauk Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to spread word that 700 British troops were headed for Concord. There was 70 men drawn up in lines on the village green then someone fired. Eight men were killed and ten more were wounded. The battle of Lexington. the first battle of the Revolutionary War, lasted only 15 mins. In Concord they found an empty arsenal and they fall into a trap were dozen of british soldiers fell. Colonists had become enemies of Britain and now held Boston -
The Second Continental Congress
Colonial leaders called it in Philadelphia to debate their next move. Dome delegates called for independence, while others arqued for reconciliation with Great Britain. the Congress agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
Cooped up in Boston. Britsh general Thomas Gage decided to strike at miltiamen on Breed's Hill, north of the city and near Bunker Hill. Gage sent 2400 British soldiers up the hill. The colonists held their fire until the last minute and then began to mow down the advancing redcoats before finally retreating.The colonists had lost 450 men, while the British had suffered over 1000 casualties. The misnamed of this event would prove to be the deadliest battle of the war. -
The Olive Branch Petition
Urging a returtn to " the former harmony" between Britain and the colonies. King George flatly rejected the petition. He issued a proclamation stating that the colonies were in rebelllion and urged Parliament to order a naval blockade to isolate a line of ships meant for the American Coast. Public opinion began to shift. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Continental Congress decided to urge each colony to form its own government. Jeffersin's document declared the rights of "life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness" to be"unalienable" rights. Then he asserted that a governments legitimate power can only come from the consent of the governed, and that when a government denies their unalienable rights, the people have the right to "alter or abolish" that government. Also all men are equal. -
The Pubilication of Common Sense
Paine attacked King George and the monarchy. Paine, a recent immigrant argued that responsibility for British tyranny lay with " the royal brute of Britain". Paine explained that his own revolt against the kind had begun with Lexington and Concord. Paine declared that independence would allow America to trade more freely. He also stated that it would give American colonists the chane to create a better society. Sold was nearly 500,000 copies and Washington wrote,"I find Common Sense is working. -
The Early British Victories
In the Summer of 1776 The British sailed into New York harbor with a force of about 32,000 soldiers. The Continental Army attempted to defend New York in late August but The British had pushed Washingtons army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. In September of 1777, they captured the American capital at philadelphia -
The Saratoga
The surrender at Saratoga turned out to be one of the most important events of the war. Although the French had secretly aided the Patriots since early 1776, the Saratoga victory bolstered France's belief that the Americans could win the war. As a result, the French signed an alliance with the Americans in February 1778 and openly joined them in their fight. -
The Early Continental Army Victories
As Vurgoyne traveled through forested wilderness, militiamen and soldiers from the Continental Army gathered from all over New York and New England. While he was fighting off the colonial troops, Burgoyne didnt realize that his fellow British officers were preoccupied with holding Philadelphia and werent coming to meet him. American troops finally surrounded Burgoyne at Saratoga, where he surrendered on October 17, 1777 -
The Valley Forge
This hopeful turn of events took place in Paris, Washington and his Continental Army---desperately low on food and supplies---fought to stay alive at winter camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. More than 2000 soldiers died, yet the survivors didnt desert. Their endurance and suffering filled Washingtons letters to the Congress and his friends -
The British Victories in the South
A british expedition easily took Savannah, Georgia. The British under Generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis captured Charles Town, South Carolina, in May 1780. Clinton then left for New York, while Cornwallis continued to conquer land throughout the South. -
The Friedrich Von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette
In February 1778, American troops began an amazing transformation Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian captain and talented drill-master, helped to train the Continental Army. Marquis de Lafayette also arrived to offer their help. Lafayette lobbied france for French reinforcements in 1779, and led a command in Virginia. With the help of such European military leaders, the raw Continental Army became an effective fighting force. -
The British Surrender at Yorktown
The armies of Lafayette and Washington moved south toward Yorktown, A french naval force defeated a British fleet andn then blocked the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay. By laate September, about 17000 French and American troops surrounded the British on the Yorktown peninsula and began bombarding them day and night. Cornwallis finally surrendered. The Americans had shocked the world and defeated the British -
The Treaty of Paris
It confirmed U.S independence and set the boundaries of the new nation. The United States now stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River and from Canada to the Florida border
