-
Seven Years War Has Come to an End
The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763, ended the Seven Years' War, also known as the French and Indian War. France gave up all of its North American territories east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain, which gave the British colonists a boost in power along the Atlantic coast. However, the costs of the war and the need to maintain an army led the British government to enforce new taxes on its colonists, which had major consequences. -
Stamp Act
In 1765, the British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, the first direct tax on the American colonists. The act required colonists to pay a tax on legal documents, newspapers, and even playing cards. The act was strongly resisted from the colonists, who argued that they should not be taxed without representation in Parliament. The Stamp Act controversy played a significant role in the tension between Britain and its American colonies, which eventually led to the American Revolution. -
British Troops in Boston
British troops land in Boston to enforce the Townshend duties and control local radicals. The troops' presence doesn't sit well with locals and leads to street fights. One clash between soldiers and a mob in March 1770 will leave five dead. Radicals will call it the Boston Massacre, while the British will call it the incident on King Street. -
Committees Of Correspondence
Committees of Correspondence are established throughout the colonies to control American response to British policy. This represents an important move toward cooperation and the development of identity among Americans. -
Britain vs. Massachusetts
The British Parliament passes the Intolerable Acts in America. Among other actions, Britain closes the port of Boston and requires British troops to be housed in local buildings. The acts generate sympathy for Massachusetts among other colonies. -
Revolutionary War Begins
The first shots of the Revolutionary War are fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The news of the bloodshed spreads along the eastern seaboard, and thousands of volunteers called "Minute Men" meet on Cambridge, Mass. These are the beginnings of the Continental Army. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
In the first major battle of the American Revolution, inexperienced colonial soldiers held their own against British veterans for more than two hours at Breed's Hill. Though they were forced to retreat, the Patriots showed that they were not intimidated by the British army and were willing to fight for their independence. -
British Alliance with Slaves
The British governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, issues a proclamation offering freedom to any slaves of rebellious Americans who will fight for Britain. Throughout the course of the war, thousands of African Americans will seek their freedom by supporting the British. A smaller number will fight on the patriot side, despite policies that were against their enlistment. -
Moores Creek
A force of loyalists, most of them of Scots descent, is defeated by a patriot army at the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge. This will quiet loyalist activity in the Carolinas for up to three years. -
British Invade Charleston
In a bold attempt to seize control of Charleston, South Carolina, a formidable British invasion force launched a day-long assault on the Patriots stationed on Sullivan's Island. However, the British invaders were stopped by the Patriot's resistance and the dangerous waters of Charleston Harbor. Defeated, the British fleet retreated, leaving South Carolina to enjoy three more years free from enemy threats. -
America Declares Independence
On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.After a decade of protests over taxes and a year of war, the colonists had made the decision to break free. King George III refused to let his subjects go without a fight, and support for the British Crown remained strong in many areas. At the time, Americans' primary allegiance was to their states, and nationalism would develop slowly.