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The Stamp Act
The new tax was imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay tax on every single piece of printed paper they used. Legal documents, licenses, newspapers, even playing cards were taxed. -
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The American Revolution
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The Townshend Act
The British decided to put new taxes on tea, paint, glass, and other goods that were shipped to the colonies from Britain. -
The Boston Massacre
A crowd of people gathered and started harassing a soldier he called for help which brought group of nine soldiers led by Captain Thomas Preston. The crowd continued to harass the soldiers with insults. Suddenly someone yelled "Fire!" the soldiers fired. 5 people were killed and 6 were wounded. No one knew who gave the order to fire. -
The Gaspee incident
The Gaspee was one of several ships that would patrol the sea off the coast of America. Every now and then they would stop merchant ships to examine their cargo looking for illegal goods. On June 9, 1772 the Gaspee was chasing a ship believed to be smuggling illegal goods. Later on a group of men snuck onto the Gaspee, wounded the person in charge and set the ship on fire. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of men calling themselves the "Sons of liberty" went to the Boston Harbor. The men were dressed as Mohawk Indians.They boarded three British ships, the Beaver, the Eleanor, and the Darthmouth, and dumped forty-five tons of tea into the Boston Harbor. the tea was worth over 18 thousand pounds. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
British General Thomas Gage sent 700 soldiers to destroy guns etc. that colonists had stored in Concord, near Boston. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Patriots had heard through spies that the British were going to attack. They sent 1600 men to fight them on Breeds Hill which was closer to Boston than the town of Concord. -
The British Evacuation of Boston
After dragging 50 cannons over 300 miles across snowy mountains by sled, the Americans positioned the cannons on top of Dorchester Heights aimed at the Boston Harbor. The next morning the British General Howe noticed the cannons were aimed at him. He loaded his men and supplies onto their ships and left the Boston Harbor. -
Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson declared that governments were made to serve people, and they could only act with permission of people. It created the democratic government. -
Washington crossing the Delaware
Gorge Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River to defeat the British in the Battle of Trenton. -
Battle of Princeton
Washington and his troops just defeated the British. and on January 3, 1777, Washington led his troops to the Battle of Princeton, where he defeated the British again. -
The France Alliance
Despite defeating the British several times, Washington was still having trouble getting the states to provide the necessary men and supplies he needed for his army. Since France also wanted revenge they agreed and joined Washingtons troops. -
Signing of the Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris officially ended the revolution, and recognized the United States of America as an independent nation. -
Ratification of the Treaty of Paris
The Treaty was ratified (made official) on April 17, 1783. -
George Washington is elected president
George Washington becomes the first president of the United States of America, serving from 1789 to 1797
