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Enlightenment
It was an intellectual and cultural movement in the eighteenth century. It emphasized reason over superstition and science over blind faith. -
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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was fought over land which is now in the United States and Canada. The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763. -
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Sons of Liberty
It was established to undermine British rule in colonial America. It was also influential in organizing and carrying out the Boston Tea Party. -
Stamp Act
It required colonists to pay taxes on every page of printed paper they used. The tax also included fees for playing cards, dice, and newspapers. -
Boston Massacre
Seven British soldiers fired into a crowd of volatile Bostonians. This tragedy angered the entire colony. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest where American colonists dumped 342 chests of tea imported by Britain. They did this because they were angry at Britain for imposing "taxation without representation". -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
It marked the start of the American War of Independence. Politically disastrous for the British, it persuaded many Americans to take up arms and support the cause of independence. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Americans were defeated but they proved they could hold their own against the superior British Army. The fight confirmed that any reconciliation between England and her American colonies was no longer possible. -
Declaration of Independence adopted
By issuing the Declaration of Independence the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain. The Declaration summarized the colonists' motivations for seeking independence. -
Battle of Trenton
George Washington crossed the Delaware river to attack the German mercenaries. Which changed the course of the war as the Americans picked up a victory. -
Battle of Camden
Around 2000 British and Loyalist troops defeated over 4,000 American troops. The Battle of Camden was the worst Patriot defeat of the American Revolution. -
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Battle of Yorktown
Washington's forces defeated Lord Charles Cornwallis' army in Yorktown, Virginia. Washington's army was supported by the French. -
Treaty of Paris
Signed on September 3, 1783, between the American colonies and Great Britain, this treaty ended the American Revolution and formally recognized the United States as an independent nation. -
The Great Compromise
The Great Compromise was also known as The Connecticut Compromise. It was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that was part of defining the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. -
Bill of Rights Adopted
The Bill of Rights is the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. It spells out Americans' rights in relation to their government.