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The French and Indian War
Battle between the French and the Brtish tha took place in the Ohio River valley. The French built Fort Duquesne in the region despite the fact that the Virginia government
had already granted land in the Ohio country to a
group of wealthy planters. In response, the Virginia governor sent militia led by George Washington to evict the French. The Virginians were defeated and Washington then joined the Brtiish army in further battles against the French, all of which the French won. -
Writ of Assistance
A general search warrant that allowed British customs officials to search any colonial ship or building they believed to be holding smuggled goods. Because many merchants worked out of their residences, the writs enabled British officials to enter and search colonial homes.
whether there was evidence of smuggling or not. -
John Locke’s Social Contract
John Locke: one of the key Enlightenment thinkers & English philosopher
-an agreement in which the people consent to choose and obey a government so long as it safeguards their natural rights. If the government violates that social contract by taking away or interfering with those rights, people have the right to resist and even overthrow the government. -
Proclamation
Established a Proclamation Line along the Appalachians, which the colonists were not allowed to cross. This was to avoid further costly conflicts with Native Americans of war and death by disease. However, most of the Brtisih did not follow this new law and crossed the line anyways. -
Treaty of Paris
This treaty marked the end of the war between France and Britain. Britain claimed Canada, virtually all of North America east of the Mississippi River, and they also took Florida from Spain.The treaty permitted Spain to keep possession of its lands west of the Mississippiand the city of New Orleans, which it had gained from France in 1762. France retained control of only a few islands and small colonies near Newfoundland, in
the West Indies, and elsewhere. -
Sugar Act & Colonists' Response
1.) Halved the duty onforeign-made molasses in the hopes that colonists would pay a lower tax rather than risk arrest by smuggling
2.) Placed duties on certain imports that had not been taxed before
3.) Provided that colonists accused of violating the act would be tried in a vice-admiralty court rather than a colonial court. There, each case would be decided by a single judge rather than by a jury of sympathetic colonists.Merchants complained that this would reduce profits & no right to be taxed -
Stamp Act & Colonists' Response
This act imposed a tax on documents and printed items such as wills, newspapers, 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. Previous taxes had been indirect, involving duties on imports. In May of 1765, the colonists united to defy the law. -
Sons of Liberty is formed & Samuel Adams
A secret resistance group to protest against the Stamp Act. Samuel Adams was one of the founders of this group. -
Declaratory Act
On the same day that it repealed the Stamp Act, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, which asserted Parliament’s full right “to bind the colonies and people of America in all cases whatsoever.” -
Townshend Acts & Colonists' Response
Named after Charles Townshend, the leading government minister. The Townshend Acts taxed goods that were imported into the colony from Britain, such as lead, glass, paint, paper, and TEA. Outraged colonists boycotted these goods. The Townshend Acts were costing more to enforce than they would ever bring in. North persuaded Parliament to repeal the
Townshend Acts, except for the tax on tea. -
Boston Massacre
On March 5, 1770, 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. -
Tea Act
Lord North devised the Tea Act in order to save the nearly bankrupt British East India Company. The act granted the company the right to sell tea to the colonies free of the taxes that
colonial tea sellers had to pay -
Boston Tea Party
A large group of Boston rebels disguised themselves as Native Americans and proceeded to take action against 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. -
Intolerable Acts
1.) One law shut down Boston harbor
2.) Quartering Act: authorized British commanders to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings
3.) To keep the peace, General Thomas Gage placed Boston under martial law, or rule imposed by military forces -
First Continental Congress meets
In September 1774, 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. -
Minutemen
Civilian soldiers who pledged to be ready to fight against the British on a minute’s notice -
Midnight Riders: Revere, Dawes, Prescott
Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to spread word that 700 British troops were headed for Concord. The darkened countryside rang with church bells and gunshots—prearranged signals, sent from town to town, that the British were coming. -
Battle of Lexington
The first battle of the Revolutionary War and it lasted only 15 minutes. War between the British and minutemen.
Minutemen: 8 dead, 10 wounded
British: only 1 wounded -
Battle of Concord
Battle after Lexington once again between the British and minutemen. The British died by the dozen and the remaining survivors made their way back to Boston. Colonists had become enemies of Britain and now held Boston and its encampment of British troops under siege. -
Second Continental Congress
In May of 1775, colonial leaders called the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to debate their next move. Some delegates called for independence, while others argued for reconciliation with Great Britain. Despite such differences, the
Congress agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander. -
Continental Army
The Continental Congress agreed to recognize the colonial militia as the Continental Army and appointed George Washington as its commander. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
British general Thomas Gage decided to strike at militiamen on Breed’s Hill near Bunker Hill. On June 17, 1775, Gage sent 2,400 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 1,000 casualties. The Battle of Bunker Hill would prove to be the deadliest battle of the war. -
Olive Branch Petition
On July 8, Congress sent the king the so-called Olive Branch Petition, urging a return to “the former harmony” between Britain and the colonies. King George flatly rejected the petition and he issued a proclamation stating that the colonies were in rebellion and urged Parliament to order a naval blockade to isolate a line of ships meant for the American coast. -
Loyalists and Patriots
Loyalists: those who opposed independence and remained loyal to the British king (judges, governors, etc)
Patriots: supporters of independence (drew their numbers from people who saw politcal and economic opportunity in an independent America)
Many Americans remained neutral -
Redcoats push Washington’s army across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania
Washington's army retreated Continental Army because his troops were untrained and poorly equipped -
Washington’s Christmas night surprise attack
Trenton, New Jersey. Washington's troops were untrained and poorly equipped. British captured the American capital at Philadelphia -
Publication of Common Sense
Thomas Paine declared that independence would allow America to trade more freely. He also stated that independence would give American colonists the chance to create better society—one free from tyranny, with equal social and economic opportunities for all. Common Sense sold nearly 500,000 copies in 1776 and was widely applauded. In April 1776, George Washington wrote, “I find Common Sense is working a powerful change in the minds of many men.” -
Declaration of Independence
Virginia lawyer Thomas Jefferson was chosen to prepare the final draft. “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” to be “unalienable” rights—ones that can never be taken away. The people have the right to “alter or abolish” that government. All men are created equal. -
Saratoga
General John Burgoyne planned to lead an army down a route of lakes from Canada to Albany where he would meet Brit troops as they arrived from NYC. Didn't realize his fellow Brit officers were preoccupied w/ holding Philadelphia and weren't coming to meet him. American troops finally surrounded Burgoyne at Saratoga where he surrendered. -
Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette
Friedrich: Prussian captain and talented drill master, helped to train the Continental Army
Marquis: led a command in Virginia (foreign military leader) -
French-American Alliance
Saratoga victory made France believe that the Americans could win the war. As a result, the French signed an alliance with the Americans and openly joined them in their fight -
Valley Forge
Wasington and his Continental Army, desperately low on food & supplies, fought to stay alive at winter camp in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. More than 2000 soldiers died -
British victories in the South
Savannah, Georgia. In their greatest victory of the war, the Brits under generals Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis captured Charles Town, South Carolina. -
British surrender at Yorktown
A French naval force defeated a Brit fleet and then blocked the entrance to the Chespeake Bay, obstructing Brit sea routes to the bay. About 17,000 French and American troops surrounded the Brits on the Yorktown peninsula and bombarded them day and night. -
Treaty of Paris
Signed by the delegates, it confirmed U.S. independence and set the boundaries of the new nation. (signed in Paris)
