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French and Indian War
The French and Indian War was a battle between France and Britain for the land centered between the Appalachian Mountians and the Mississippi River, as well as Canada. The British fought the war because they wanted to settle all of the available fertile land. When the colonists found out about the war, they were thrilled because they were given the chance to gain new land along with a new oppertunity and a new life. -
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The Revolutionary War
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Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris issued the surrender of France and the conditions that the French were required to meet, finalizing the end of the French and Indian War. The British established this document because it gave them control of all of the land possessed by the French east of the Mississippi River along with Canada. -
Treaty of Paris Continued
The colonists were very excited about the new oppertuntiy that lied before them with the French surrender because with the land of the Ohio River Valley under British control, the colonists were free to settle it and start a new life. -
Proclomation of 1763 Continued
The colonists were not pleased with Parliament for taxing them without their consent. Especially since they helped the British fight a war where they reaped no benefit. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 prohibited colonists from crossing the Appalachian Mountains to settle in the Ohio River Valley. British soldiers were stationed at different places along the border to keep the colonists out of the territory of their Native American allies. The British passed this law directly from Parliament to keep colonists from settling in the Ohio River Valley in order to maintain peace with their Native American allies. -
Sugar Act
The Sugar Act required all colonists tp pay a tax on imported sugar, molasses, and other products. The British Parliament passed this law in order to help pay off some of the debt that they had accumulated from the French and Indian War. The colonists were enraged that Parliament passed a law, not to mention a tax, on them without their say in the matter. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required a stamp to be placed on all public and legal documents, such as newspapers and wills, that showed a tax had been paid. The British Government taxed the colonists in order to pay off debts from the French and Indian War because they were fighting for the colonist's land. The colonists once again were furious because they were being taxed without being represented in Parliament . It started the slogan "No taxation without representation,". A boycott led to it being repealed. -
Writs of Assistance
The Writs of Assistance were passed by Parliament and they gave customs officials the ability to search any incoming ships at will. Parliament passed this law to help uphold the Sugar Act by giving the officials a better oppertunity to find smugglers. Only merchants were affected, but they were concerned about their privacy being invaded. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts placed a tax on several common goods used in colonial households, such as paper, glass, lead, silk, and tea. The British once again placed taxes on the colonists to help pay off debts from the French and Indian War. As with the Stamp Act, colonists were fuming because they were being taxed without having a say in Parliament. They boycotted all of the taxed goods and once again the Act got repealed. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a riot at the Boston Customs House where British soldiers fired ona defenseless crowd and killed 8 colonists. The leader of the Boston Sons of Liberty, Samuel Adams, called it a massacre. British troops had no intentions on murder, although two of the soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter. They were simply trying to calm down the crowd. When colonists heard about this, they were infuriated, and it turned more of them against Britian. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act forced colonists tp provide housing, meals, and anything desired by British soldiers stationed in the colonies. The British could not afford to provide needed supplies to 10,000 soldiers that were stationed in the colonies, so to save money, time, and supplies, they forced the colonists to do it. This enraged the colonists because they couldn't afford to provide for the needs of the soldiers anymore than the national funds of Britain, especially since Britian passed the Acts. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act placed a high tax on British tea and prohibited the colonists from purchasing tea anywhere else. The British were again trying to raise funds to pay off debts from the French and Indian War. The colonists were being driven to ruin by the unceasing collection of taxes by Britsh officials. They were driven to the Boston Tea Party as a form of protest. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was when the Boston Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, boarded the Dartmouth and dumped 90,000 pounds of British tea into the frigid Atlantic Ocean in protest of the Tea Act. The colonists were enraged by constant taxation from Parliament without their consent, so they were pushed to rash action for protesting. The British were shocked the colonists would do such a horrid thing, and as punishment, they passed the Intolerable Acts. -
1st Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss what to do about the Intolerable Acts.They were rapidly losing money bcause Boston Harbor was blockaded and they decided to offer one more chance for peace. Their final product was the Olive Branch Petition, which offered peace with Britain if the king was willing to fulfill a list of demands, including repealing the Intolerable Acts. the king showed his denial through increasing the tax rate. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were passed by Parliament as a punishment for the Boston Tea Parrty. They closed of all the ports in the colonies so that the colonists could not import or exprt goods. They figured that if they did something rash and strict, then the colonists would back off, but no. The colonists got ignited and were more ready than ever to declare independence. -
"Give Me Liberty" Speech
Patrick Henry expected a war to come, and he proved it in his speech to the delegates of the House of Burgesses in Virginia. He made his point precise in his famous line "Give me liberty or give me death". His speech brought more supporters to his side and more patriots into the colonial divide. -
Battle of Lexington
The battle of Lexington was the first battle of the Revolutionary War. The "shot heard round the world" was fired in Lexington and it started the war. 8 colonists died, but it showed that the rebels would not back down. It featured the British forces against colonial militiamen, and it kicked off the Revolutionary War. -
Battle of Concord
The battle of Concord was the second battle of the Revolutionary War. The British were advancing from their victory in Lexington to destroy colonial munition stores. When they arrived, everything had vanished. The militia had beaten them there and hidden everything. When they reached an old bridge, they were met by over 1,000 minutemen and were forced to retreat back to Boston. The colonies had won their first battle of the war. -
2nd Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met to draft a much needed Declaration of Independence. They elected a comittee from the delegates that was given the responsibility of writing the document, which included Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. After editing Jefferson's rough draft, they spent two days ratifying it and it was unanimously voted for and passed on July 4, 1776. -
Ft. Ticonderoga
The seige of Ft. Ticonderoga was a strategic move. Whoever controlled the fort had control of the Hudson River, which was a central trading point and divided the colonies into two parts. Ethan Allen, who was the leader of the Green Mountain Boys in New Hampshire, led an attack on the stronghold aided by Benedict Arnold. They took the British by surprise and won the fort. That also gave the Colonies control of the Hudson River and all cannons inside the fort. -
Bunker Hill
The battle of Bunker Hill was a very devastating Battle for both sides. Britsh forces were trying to destroy colonial fortifications on Breed's Hill. It took three seperate attacks, but after the death of Dr. Joseph Warren and the loos of ammunition and powder, the militia were forced to retreat. Although they won the hll, the British suffered many great losses to several soldiers and officers. -
Common Sense Published
Thomas Paine wrote and published a pamphlet that discussed the absurdity of a small island ruling a great country several thousand miles away. It also discussed Paine's point of view, which was indeed that of a patriot. He had his pamphlet published and it spread throughout the colonies, becoming very popular. It gained overall public support for independence. -
Decleration of Independance
The Continental Congress met to discus sepration from England. They appointed a comittee to draft a Decleration of Independance which included Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. They in turn chose Jefferson to draft the rough draft of the Decleration. It took a few days to write and two weeks to edit, which included the removal of an abolition of slavery, but on July 4, a final document was signed by the whole Congress and sent to England. This ignited the war. -
Battle of New York
The Battle of New York was the first major battle fought by General George Washington. The battle was brief but brutal. King George sent about 3,000 ships, which bombarded the colonial fortifications and caused many casualties, along with a devastating defeat. Washington was able to evacuate all serviving troops along with himself in the middle of the night and avoided being captured. The British obtained their goal of seizing New York and occupied it for the rest of the rest of the war. -
Battle of Trenton
George Washington led a surprise attack on a Hessian camp that was celebrating the holidays right after dusk. He led his troops across the Deleware River from Pennsylvania and attacked an unsuspecting Hessian group that had been shut down for the winter. They took the German mercenaries by surprise and lost not a man as they forced the Hessians to retreat and plundered all contents of the town. This was the first major victory for Washington and gave the colonists hope. -
Battle of Princeton
After defeating the Hessians in Trenton, Washington was aware that a recently departed Cornwallis would seen return with all 8,000 troops. He convinced everyone under his command to stay and fight although their enlistment was up. He then took them and attacked unsuspecting British troops in Princeton that had also been shut down for the winter. The British did not so much as put up a fight. Cornwallis arrived in Trenton only to be welcomed by a deserted town. It was Washington's second big win. -
Battles of Saratoga
In the Battles of Saratoga, General Heratio Gates, a weapons expert, surrounded British General John Burgoyne with the help of Benedict Arnold, who killed many redcoats but suffered a shot to the leg. Burgoyne surrendered his forces, giving the continental army a decisive victory. The victory was a turning point because it gave Benjamin Franklin the oppertuntiy to negotiate a treaty of alliance with France, who came to the colonist's aid and in turn brought Spain in on their side. -
Winter at Valley Forge
General Washington spent a very cold and harsh winter with his troops in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Many soldiers were without shoes or food. Frostbite was a major issue. Several died, whether it be from cold, starvation, or small pox, which spread rapidly throughout the camp. The Marquis de Laffayette provided food and supplies for the soldiers out of his own profit. He also trained soldiers witht the help of Baron von Stubbon, a Prussian who introduced the bayonet to the continental army. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the final battle of the war. Generals Washington, Rochambeau, and Laffayette, with Admiral de Grass, surrounded General Cornwallis who was stationed at Yorktown, thanks to James Armistead, a former slave who worked as a double agent in favor of the colonies. The attack took three weeks, but with Cornwallis being surrounded, he was forced to surrender on October 17, giving the Americans their independence. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was negotiated between Britain and the new United States of America in Paris, France. Benjamin Franklin was at the negotiation. The fianl treaty stated that the British would recognize America as an independent nation. America also gained control of all land east pf the Mississippi River between Florida and Canada. The only thing the treat required of the new nation was to return any land commandeered from loyalists during the war.
