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Battle of Lexington and Concord
Hundreds of British troops marched from Boston to nearby Concord in order to seize an arms store. Paul Revere and other riders sounded the alarm, and colonial militiamen began mobilizing to intercept the Redcoat column. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
British advanced in columns against the Americans an effort to conserve the Americans’ limited supply of ammunition. British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bunker Hill in Massachusetts. Despite their loss, the inexperienced colonial forces inflicted significant casualties against the enemy, and the battle provided them with an important confidence boost. -
Declaration of Independence
Conflict between American colonists and British soldiers began. The Americans were fighting only for their rights as subjects of the British crown. With the Revolutionary War in full swing, the movement for independence from Britain had grown, and delegates of the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue.John Adams and Benjamin Franklin wrote a formal statement of the colonies' intentions. Then the DOI was signed. -
Articles of Confederation
Served as the written document that established the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain. It established a weak central government that mostly, but not entirely, prevented the individual states from conducting their own foreign diplomacy.
Ratified the 13 states in 1781. -
Battle of Yorktown
Cornwallis made a move north to Virginia. His army joined with other British troops and planned an attack. This caused war. French and American troops marched into Yorktown. They captured two main redoubts on October 14. The British launched a counterattack but it failed. Realizing that the situation was hopeless, Cornwallis surrendered. -
Treaty of Paris of 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 made the British realize and recognize the independence of the United States.
Help granted boundaries stretching to the Mississippi on the west, to the Great Lakes on the north, and to Spanish Florida on the south. -
Treaty of Fort Stanwix
The first treaty between the United States and an Indian nation.
Indians ceded most of their land.
In this treaty, the Six Nations of the Iroquois agreed to relinquish all claims to the Ohio Country. The Six Nations included the Tuscaroras, the Mohawks, the Onondagas, the Oneidas, the Senecas, and the Cayugas. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
An Ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of Lands in the Western Territory. This ordinance set aside what was known as Section Sixteen in every township in the new Western Territory for the maintenance of public schools. It also allotted section number 29 for the purpose of religion and no more than two townships for a University. The separation of church and state was visible with the two entities being in different areas. -
Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
Created in 1786 by Thomas Jefferson.
Stated that each person can choose any religion.
