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The French and Indian War
The British wanted cheap farm land owned by the French. Dinwiddie had George Washington order the French to leave politely. Washington shot first in the war. The British eventually won the war but the colonists weren't happy with new taxes. -
Proclamation Line of 1763
Following the war, the British Parliament established a border aligned with Appalachian mountains that separates colonists from unhappy Native American in the west to prevent another war. This made colonists unhappy because they fought for that land. -
Stamp Act
British troops were stationed in the colonies to protect the newly won land from the French and Native Americans. To support the troops and pay war debt, colonists had to pay a tax for a stamp to be put onto important papers. Colonists were angered because they didn't like the troops, and it was unfair to pay taxes without representation in the British government. -
Townshend Act
The British Parliament passes many laws to not only pay war debt, but to also show England had the authority. The new laws placed taxes on imported goods such as tea, paint, glass, and paper. The colonists themselves protested against the taxes. -
Sugar Act
The parliament put a tax a 3 cent tax on sugar. This was made to help cover the war debt. This caused colonist to be angry and chant "no taxation without representation!" -
Boston Masacre
A night at 9:00 a crowd of colonists confronted 8 British soldiers. The colonists taunted them and eventually muskets were fired. This killed 5 colonists and injured many more. -
Committees of Correspondence
Samuel Adams the first Committee of Correspondence. Many more committees were soon formed in the colonies. The aim was to share information on their developing crisis with England. -
Tea Act/The Boston Tea Party
The British Parliament placed a tax on tea to not pay war debt, but to help the East India company. Colonists were forced to only buy this tea. Even though the tea was cheaper colonists despised the Tea Act. The tea was left to rot on the dock, the shipments were sent back, and they prevented people from unloading the tea. About 60 colonists ended up dressing as Native Americans. They boarded the ship and threw about 342 crates of tea into the harbor. -
The Coercive (Intolerable) Acts
Colonists nicknamed the Coercive Acts the Intolerable Acts because they truly were intolerable. The Boston harbor was closed, colonists were forced to house and feed British troops, a British solider arrested for murder would be trialed in England, and colonists lost their say in government. The good to come out of this was it united the colonies. -
The First Contiental Congress
This was the first time the colonies were united.Delegates from each colony besides Georgia were there. It included George Washtington, John Adams, Patrick Henry, John Jay, Samuel Adams,and many others. The thing they wanted most was peace. A petition was passed around that said they were still loyal to the king but it was unfair to be taxed without representation. The First Contiental Congress lasted till October 26th, 1774. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
British troops were ordered to capture John Hancocks and Samuel Adamd as well as take firearms.The hundreds of troops were met with 70 militiamen. 8 militiamen died and no British troops died in Lexington. They continued to Concord but found no weapons there. The colonists beat them to it and hid the weapons. On their march back to Boston they were fired at behind trees, walls, and buildings. 250 British soldiers died or were injured and 90 militiamen died.
