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The French and Indian War
War between the Great Britain and the Indians & French broke out. Even George Washington was involved in the war. -
The Albany Congress
This is when representatives from seven colonies met with 150 Iroquois Chiefs in Albany, New York -
The End to the French and Indian War
The British won the war and won the right to keep Canada and several other possessions in the New World. -
The Sugar Act
1764 Act that put a three-cent tax on foreign refined sugar and increased taxes on coffee, indigo, and certain kinds of wine. It banned importation of rum and French wines. These taxes affected only a certain part of the population, but the affected merchants were very vocal. -
The Stamp Act
Every newspaper, pamphlet, and other public and legal document had to have a Stamp, or British seal, on it. The Stamp, of course, cost money. -
The Boston Massacre
Shooting of five American colonists by British troops on March 5, 1770. One person, an African-American man named Crispus Attacks, was killed. Nearly every part of the story is disputed by both sides. Did the colonists have weapons? The British say rocks and other such weapons were hurled at them. But the British had guns, and they did open fire. -
The Boston Tea Party
Angry and frustrated at a new tax on tea, American colonists calling themselves the Sons of Liberty and disguised as Mohawk Native Americans boarded three British ships (the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver) and dumped 342 whole crates of British tea into Boston harbor. -
The Ride of Paul Revere
Famous silversmith who rode through the countryside to warn the American colonists that the British were coming. He didn't actually make his destination because he was captured by British "Redcoats," but one of his companions, Dr. Samuel Prescott, got the message through. When the British arrived, the Americans were ready. -
The Battle of Lexington and Concord
First shots fired between American and British troops, on April 19, 1775. The British chose to march to Concord because it was an arms depot. This meant that the Americans had stockpiled weapons there. British troops had occupied Boston and were marching on Concord as they passed through Lexington. No one is still sure who fired first, but it was the "Shot Heard 'Round the World." -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
Two-day engagement between British forces under the command of General William Howe and American forces under Colonel William Prescott. The Americans had occupied Breed's Hill in Charlestown, in order to protect the shipyard of nearby Boston. The next day, the British attacked. They took the hill but suffered heavy losses. The Americans fired until they were out of ammunition, then quickly retreated. -
The Declaration of Independence
Document declaring the 13 American Colonies independent from Great Britain. Written by Thomas Jefferson and declared in effect by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. Many prominent Americans signed it, including John Hancock, John Adams, and Samuel Adams. Great Britain's response was to continue the war. -
Winter at Valley Forge
Pennsylvania encampment occupied by the American army. The winter was particularly harsh, and the army was short on food, clothing, and supplies. But they hung on. The leadership of Commander-in-Chief George Washington and Baron von Steuben, the Prussian drill sergeant, kept the soldiers occupied and made them better, tougher soldiers in the end. -
Treaty of Paris
Treaty that officially ended the Revolutionary War. It was signed in Paris by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. Under the terms of the treaty, Britain recognized the independent nation of the United States of America. Britain agreed to remove all of its troops from the new nation. The treaty also set new borders for the United States, including all land from the Great Lakes on the north to Florida on the south, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River. -
US Constitution
Document detailing our form of government. Ratified by a majority of states and declared in effect in 1787. Form of government outlined largely resembles the Virginia Plan, an idea of James Madison's that focused on a strong central government. Madison also insisted on a Bill of Rights, which became the First Ten Amendments.
