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Alaska discovered by Russians
a Russian team led by Vitus Bering and George Steller first "found" Alaska. They landed near what we now call Kayak Island. Later, in 1778, Captain James Cook sailed into the area known today as Cook Inlet. -
The 7 Year War/ Treaty of Paris
The Seven Years' War was a big fight between European countries from 1756 to 1763. France, Austria, Saxony, Sweden, and Russia were on one side. They were against Prussia, Hanover, and Great Britain. The Treaty of Paris made France give New France to Britain. France mostly left the continent. The Seven Years' War set up the two-culture base of today's Canada. -
Pontiac's Rebellion
It was a big Native American uprising against the British. The conflict occurred in the Great Lakes area after the French and Indian War. Ottawa Chief Pontiac led the rebellion. Many tribes joined to attack British forts and settlements. They wanted to push the British off their land. They were unhappy with British policies after the French lost. The rebellion didn't succeed in removing the British. However, it made the British rethink their policies with Native tribes. -
The Battle of Bloody Run
The creek was said to have turned red with blood from the 20 dead British soldiers. It was then called Bloody Run. The British forces pulled back, taking their wounded and all but seven dead. Captain James Dalyell, who led the attack, was one of the soldiers killed. While the Pontiac war was happening at the same time -
The Proclamation Line of 1763
a British rule that set a boundary along the Appalachian Mountains. It stopped colonial settlement westward to try to make peace with Native Americans and reduce conflict. -
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The Revolution
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The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was a law made by the British in 1765. It said American colonists had to pay a tax on paper and legal documents. -
The Boston Massacre
Happened when soldiers arrived in the city, causing tension. On March 5, soldiers surrounded by an angry crowd fired their guns. They killed three people and badly hurt two more. The situation almost turned into a big riot, but it didn't because the troops left and went to islands in the harbor. The soldiers were put on trial for murder, but they were only found guilty of lesser crimes. John Adams, a well-known patriot, was their main lawyer. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty felt more American than British. That night, 30 to 130 men, some dressed like Mohawk warriors, got on three ships. In three hours, they dumped all 342 chests of tea into the water. -
Lord Dunmore's War
The Virginia militia, named after the royal governor, fought the Shawnee Indians in Kentucky. The Shawnee were trying to protect their land. A big fight happened on October 10, 1774, at Point Pleasant. The militia won against the Shawnee in what's now West Virginia. Afterward, a treaty gave the British the land south of the Ohio River. -
Revolutionary War
The main idea of the American Revolutionary War was to gain freedom from British rule. People wanted political and economic independence. They were unhappy with British taxes and trade limits. They also wanted to expand west and protect Native American lands. -
The Revolutionary War from the indigenous POV
During the American Revolution, the Iroquois split. The Oneida and Tuscarora supported the Americans. The rest, led by Chief Joseph Brant's Mohawk loyalists, sided with the British. They attacked several American settlements. In 1779, U.S. Maj. Gen. John Sullivan led 4,000 Americans against them. They defeated the Iroquois near Elmira, New York. The fields, orchards, and granaries of the Iroquois were destroyed. Their morale was shattered too. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a paper that said 13 American colonies were breaking away from Britain. It was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration says some important things like:
All men are created equal. This means that they have rights that can't be taken away, like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The purpose of government is to protect these rights. -
The Battle of Saratoga
The win at Saratoga gave a big lift to American soldiers and colonists. It showed they could beat a bigger British force. The American win at Saratoga convinced France to join the war on America's side. They brought needed ships and troops. The battle stopped the British from taking over the Hudson River Valley, which would have split the colonies. Saratoga is seen as a key moment in the Revolutionary War. It turned the tide for the American fighters. -
The Treaty of DeWitt's Corner
This treaty ended the Second Cherokee War. The terms were straightforward. The Cherokee had to give up most of their land in South Carolina. A boundary was set at the top of Oconee Mountain. American law was seen as more important than Cherokee law when they interacted. South Carolina controlled trade and travel in and out of the remaining Cherokee areas. -
Fort Loudoun Massacre
The British called it the Fort Loudoun Massacre. The Cherokee killed 23 soldiers and 3 women, and took 120 hostages. They thought the killings were fair because the British had killed Cherokee prisoners at Fort Prince George. Also, the British didn't keep their promises after surrendering. -
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The New Nation
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The Treaty of Paris in 1783
The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the American Revolutionary War. It was between Great Britain and the United States. This treaty recognized the United States as an independent country. It also gave the U.S. a lot of land to the west. They signed the treaty on September 3, 1783. Peace talks started in Paris back in April 1782. -
The Northwest Indian War
It was a fight between Native American tribes and the U.S. military. The tribes, led by Miami warrior Little Turtle, wanted to keep their land, which included Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Native Americans resisted American settlers moving into their territories. They won some big battles at first because the American armies weren't ready. -
The Treaty of Hopewell
The treaties were made at the Hopewell plantation in South Carolina. U.S. commissioners and representatives from three nations were involved. They set boundaries, arranged prisoner exchanges, and promised peace and friendship. The treaties said U.S. citizens couldn't settle on tribal lands. Criminals had to be sent back to the U.S. U.S. citizens who hurt Indigenous people would be punished. The U.S. would control trade. The U.S. had to inform of any plans against them. -
The Treaty of Holston
It was between the U.S. government and the Cherokee Nation. It was signed on July 2, 1791, near the Holston River, where Knoxville, Tennessee, is today. William Blount, who was the governor of the Southwest Territory, negotiated for the United States. This treaty set the boundaries for Cherokee land and promised U.S. protection for the Cherokee Nation. -
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The last battle of the American Revolution was fought by the U.S. military. Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne led them against a group of American Indians. Chief Michikinikwa, or Little Turtle, led the Indians, who were allied with the British in Ohio. The battle resulted in the Treaty of Greenville. This allowed settlers to move into areas that became Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. -
The Treaty of Greeville
After the end of the Northwest Indian War, Native American tribes gave up a lot of land in the Northwest Territory, including most of Ohio, to the U.S. government. In return, they got a set boundary line and yearly payments from the U.S. General Anthony Wayne negotiated the treaty after the Native Americans lost at the Battle of Fallen Timbers.