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Treaty of Paris
Negotiated between the United States and Great Britain, ended the revolutionary war and recognized American independence. -
Stamp Act
Tax was imposed on all American colonists and required them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. The money collected by the Stamp Act was to be used to help pay the costs of defending and protecting the American frontier near the Appalachian Mountains. -
Boston Massacre
A Britain soldier was knocked down by a snowball, which made him fire his gun. This killed five civilians. -
Burning of the Gaspy
The revenue schooner Gaspee ran aground near Providence, Rhode Island and was burnt by locals angered by the enforcement of trade legislation. -
Boston Tea Party
People were angry about the Tea Acts, so American patriots disguised as Mohawk Indians dump East India Company tea into the Boston harbour. -
Passage of Intolerable Acts
Four measures that stripped Massachusetts of self-government and judicial independence after the Boston Tea Party. Then colonies began boycotting British goods. -
Declaration of Independence
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence that proclaimed the 13 colonies as independent. The war continued because Britain was not willing to give up its North American colonies. -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from 12 colonies met at the First Continental Congress to discuss how to react to the Intolerable Acts. They decided to boycott British goods and ban the export of American goods to Britain if the Intolerable Acts did not stop. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The British governor of Massachusetts sent hundreds British troops to seize the colonists' military stores at Concord. The Patriots prevent the British from carrying out their plan. The British were defeated and forced to withdraw to Boston. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The first major battle of the War of Independence. Sir William Howe dislodged William Prescott's forces overlooking Boston at a cost of 1054 British casualties to the Americans' 367. -
Olive-Branch Petition
Congress endorses a proposal asking for recognition of American rights, the ending of the Intolerable Acts in exchange for a cease fire. George III rejected the proposal and on 23 August 1775 declared the colonies to be in open rebellion. -
Battle of Quebec
Washington and the Continental Congress had decided they wated to seize Quebec in order to gain forces from the French-canadians there. But the city was being protected by the British defenders. They planned to split the Continental Army in two and attack from different points. However, the British were already waiting for them and ended the war. -
The Battles of Saratoga
Encouraged France to openly support the American against the Britain. In the first battle, the American troops prevented the British to break through their lines and join with their troops at Albany. The British failed, and were surrouned by a much larger Continental Army. The British commander accepted defeat and surrendered. -
Battle of Yorktown
General George Washington commanded a force of 17,000 French and Continental troops, begins the siege against the British General Lord Charles Cornwallis and 9,000 british troops. -
Shay's Rebellion
Series of protest between 1786-1787 by American famers against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgments for debt. The name of this rebellion came from a captain in the Continental Army, Daniel Shays.
