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The Treaty of Paris 1763
This was the conclusion to the French and Indian War, which resulted in the removal of the French Empire from North America ,ending foreign military threat to the British Colonists within the Americas. -
Pontiac’s Rebellion Starts
(Started May 1763, Ended 1766) This was an uprising that was organized by Ottawa Chief Pontiac. During this uprising, participants laid siege to Detroit and overran all but three British posts in the Appalachian Mountains. British response was swift and brutal, utilizing crude biological warfare. British Colonists were then free to settle land West of the Appalachian Mountains. -
The Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation, issued by Britain’s Royal Crown, prohibited the English colonists from settling West of the Appalachian Mountains. The British feared the start of another Native American uprising, but many colonists were angered at being kept from settling the new land and ignored the proclamation. This event sparked animosity between the colonists and Britain. -
The Sugar Act
Due to mercantilism and the need for Britain to make gains in revenue after the economically devastating French and Indian War, British Parliament began to pass a series of acts that allowed the crown to raise revenue from the colonies. The first of these acts that were passed was the Sugar Act. This act raised the duty on sugar from the West Indies. This Act resulted in a series of colonial protests until the duties were lowered. -
The Currency Act
British parliament passed a law forbidding the colonies from issuing paper money. This made it even more difficult for the colonists to pay their debts and taxes. -
The Stamp Act
This act, passed by the British Parliament, required the use of stamped paper or the application of stamps in order to certify tax payment. Due to this act, stamps were required on bills of sale for around 50 different goods. This stroked a great sense of anger among colonists, even though people in England were required to pay a greater stamp tax. -
The Quartering Act
This Act, passed by the British Parliament, required that the colonists provide food and quarters to British troops stationed in the North America. This renewed anger towards the British government within the colonies. -
The Stamp Act Congress
During the Stamp Act Congress (the first Congress of the American colonies), representatives from the colonies met in New York to discuss their grievances with the British Crown, the rights of the colonists, and to ask British Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act. England ignored their pleas, however this congress was a large step forward for colonial unity. -
The Forced Repeal of the Stamp Act
Though the colonial plea to repeal the Stamp Act at the Stamp Act Congress was ignored, due the forced resignation of all stamp agents (as a result of colonial protest) as well boycotting, the British Parliament ultimately did repeal the Act. -
The Declaratory Act
At the same time the Stamp Act was repealed, British Parliament passed another act in which they asserted that Britain had total legislative power over the colonies. This resulted in continued anger from the colonists directed toward Britain, despite Britain allowing a concession in terms of the repealment of the Stamp Act. -
The Townshend Acts
Passed by British Parliament, these acts imposed a relatively light import tax on glass, white lead, paper, paint, and tea. These acts sparked further anger in the colonies, resulting in many colonists demanding no taxation without representation. -
The Boston Massacre
Colonists didn’t take the import taxes imposed by the Townshend Acts very seriously and often were able to obtain cheap tea by smuggling. As a result, Britain landed two troops in Boston. After the townspeople provoked the British troops, a skirmish erupted between the two groups known as the Boston Massacre. This conflict resulted in the death of 5 colonists. This event re-stirred the anger in the colonies, keeping them focused on their enmity with Britain. -
Establishing Committees For Intercolonial Correspondence
The Virginia House of Burgesses proposed that each colony appoint a committee for intercolonial correspondence. These committees of intercolonial correspondence helped keep alive discontent for British policies. -
The British East India Company Was Granted a Monopoly Over Tea
The British East India Company was facing bankruptcy, so the British Parliament granted them a monopoly over the American tea industry. Colonists viewed this as an attempt to coerce them into accepting taxes. Various colonial demonstrations were executed in an attempt to get tea baring ships to leave the Americas with their cargo. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Sons of Liberty loosely disguised themselves as Native Americans, then climbed on a ship transporting tea. They dumped thousands of dollars of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
The Intolerable Acts
Including the Boston Port Act, these were acts passed by British Parliament to punish the rebellious colonists; restrictions were placed on town meetings, British officials who killed colonists in the line of duty were tried in Britain, and a new quartering act gave British authorities the right to lodge British soldiers anywhere. -
The Boston Port Act
Due to the damages and money lost in the Boston Tea Party, British Parliament closed the Boston Port. This Act wouldn’t be lifted until the damages were paid for. -
The First Continental Congress
Representatives from all of the colonies excluding Georgia meant in Philadelphia to discuss their grievances with the British Crown, in particular the Intolerable Acts. During this Congress, the Declaration of Rights was drawn up. Also resulted in the formation of The Association, which called for the boycott of all British goods. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
These were the first military disputes of the Revolutionary War. A British commander sent troops to Lexington and Concord in order to seize military supplies. At Lexington minutemen and other colonists who heard of the raid confronted the British troops. Fire was exchanged resulting in the deaths of 8 Americans. The British troops were forced into Concord where they suffered heavy losses. -
The Second Continental Congress
This Congress of representatives from the colonies elected for George Washington to lead the ramshackle colonial army to siege Boston. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
During the Battle of Bunker Hill, colonists seized a hill (now known as Bunker Hill). The British then launched a frontal attack with roughly 3,000 men. The British defeated the colonial army, but, due to a lack of military supplies and a great many casualities, they had to retreat. -
The Olive Branch Petition
The Continental Congress drew up the Olive Branch Petition, in which America swears loyalty to the British Crown, and asked that Britain prevent further conflict. However, the King refused any reconciliation due to the Battle of Bunker Hill. -
Thomas Paine Publishes Common Sense
Thomas Paine, an English-born supporter of the American Revolution, published Common Sense. Common Sense was a passage in which Paine challenged the authority of the British Crown and perpetuated the belief that the colonies were justified in their fight for independence from Britain. -
Approval of the Declaration of Independence
The colonies came together to create their own laws, create their own government, and to begin to establishing themselves as individuals no longer connected to Europe. They did this by signing a document declaring their independence from Britain. -
The Battle of Trenton
During this battle George Washington secretively crossed the Delaware River and captured around 1,000 Hessian soldiers. -
Burgoyne's Surrender
British Officer John Burgoyne surrendered to Colonial General Horatio in Saratoga after being ensnared by the colonial army. -
The Treaty of Amity and Commerce and The Treaty of Alliance
Delegates from the colonies were sent to Britain’s enemy, France, in order to achieve an alliance. After the Battle of Saratoga, France was persuaded to join the war against Britain. America and France agreed to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce as well as the Treaty of Alliance. These treaties recognized America as an independent state and promoted trade between the two nations. -
The Articles of Confederation
The first written constitution for the United States. That would ultimately fail because it didn’t give enough power to Congress, or the National government. -
Cornwallis’ Surrender at Yorktown
Corned by French forces blockading the sea and American forces (led by George Washington) blockading the land, British Officer Cornwallis was forced to surrender his force of 7,000 men. However, George III intended to continue the fight, causing the war to last a year after the events at Yorktown took place. -
The Treaty of Paris 1783
Within this Treaty, Britain accepted defeat within North America, recognized the independence of the United States, granted generous boundaries to the United States, and allowed the United States to retain access to the Newfoundland Fisheries. America agreed to no longer persecute those loyal to the British Crown, and Congress was to suggest to the states to return Loyalist property that was confiscated and pay back debt to British creditors.
