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Act for Liberty to erect a Collegiate School
An Act for Liberty to Erect a Collegiate School in Saybrook is passed by the Colony of Connecticut. It would become Yale University. -
Queen Anne's War
French and Indian's attack Massachusetts killing 56 and abducting over 100. -
New York slave revolt
The resulted in six suicides and 21 executions. -
George Washington born
Westmoreland County, VA -
Poor Richard's Almanac published
Benjamin Franklin published the first of the 26 annual editions in Philadelphia. -
Second uprising of slaves in New York
29 years after the first uprising a second one occurs. This results in 17 slaves being hanged, 13 burned, and 70 deported. -
Lightening rod invented
Benjamin Franklin invents the lightening rod. -
The Sugar Act
This places a duty on various commodities, including lumber, food, molasses and rum in the British colonies. -
Stamp Act Congress
Nine American colonies hold a Stamp Act Congress in New York and adopt the Declaration of Rights against taxation without representation. -
Stamp Act repealed
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Townshend Acts enacted
British government places more levies on goods, including glass, painter's lead, paper, and tea. -
The Boston Massacre
British troops fired into a Boston mob, who were demonstrating against British troops at the customs commission. Five men were killed of the forty-fifty patriots. This event was later credited as the first battle in the American Revolution, which truly began five years later. This incident was used to further the colonists cause of rebellion. -
Townshend Acts repealed, except tea
British Prime Minister Lord North and parliament kept the tea tax to show their supremacy. -
William Clark born
Noted for his Lewis and Clark Expedition. Later became the Governor of the Missouri Territory and Superintendent of Indian Affairs. -
Liberty Hall built
Governor Livingston builds Liberty Hall in Union. -
Committe of Correspondence formed
Samuel Adams organizes the Committee of Correspondence. The meeting was held in Boston's Faneuil Hall and then later repeated throughout the American colonies. -
Rights of the Colonist document written
Samuel Adams writes his Rights of the Colonists document. -
House of Burgesses reacts to British policies
The Virginia House of Burgesses reacts strongly to British policies by making a committee to contact the other colonies. -
Rules By Which A Great Empire May Be Reduced To A Small One written
Benjamin Franklin writes and publishes this satirical essay. -
Boston Tea Party
Josiah Quincy and Samuel Adams board three English East India Company ships and tosses 342 chests of tea overboard in protest of tea trade and British government taxation of the colonies. This act
caused the British Parliament to close the port of Boston and moved them closer to war. -
First Continental Congress held
(09-05-1774 to 10-26-1774) This meeting was held in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia. All of the colonies except Georgia were represented. They petitioned for the stop of new regulations and called for boycotts against British imports. No concessions were granted by the British King and Parliament. -
Boston Port closed in response to Boston Tea Party
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Intolerable Acts enacted
Quartering Act: The act declared that the colonists must allow British soldiers into their homes and stopped self-rule. This act caused the addition of the third Amendment of the Constitution to prohibit the U.S. army from doing the same. -
Fairfax County Militia Association formed
George Washington and George Mason formed this militia with no more than 100 men. -
Patrick Henry's famous speech
Patrick Henry addresses the Virginia House of Burgesses in St. John's Church in Richmond. This speech is famous for the line, "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!" The crowd reacted with chants of, "To Arms! To Arms!" -
Official start of the America Revolution
Two lanterns were hung from the Old North Church Steeple -
George Washington appointed to Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army
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Declaration of Independence
From the pen of Thomas Jefferson and committee is approved and signed -
First submarine attack
The sumbersible ship the Turtle attempts to attach a time bomb to a British ship in the New York Harbor. -
Nathan Hale - "I only regret that I have but one live to lose for my country."
A spy for the Continental Army that was executed by the British. -
General Washington crosses the Delaware River
Christmas Day from 4:00 PM to 4:00 AM from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. They defeat 1,400 Hessians in the 1st Battle of Trenton and captured 900 men. -
Victory at Princeton, New Jersey
General Washington and the 7,000 men he commanded defeated the British troops. -
General Washington defeats British General Charles Coornwallis
Princeton, New Jersey. Back to back wins for General Washington showed the European nations that Americans could and would combat the British army. -
Stars and stripes adopted for national flag
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National flag flies during the Cooch's Bridge, Delaware battle
First time flag is flown during battle -
The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union adopted
This is the first constitution of the United States. -
Valley Forge
General Washington marches 11,000 men into the winter encampment. -
Benedict Arnold court-marshaled for civil authority disputes
He became a traitor against America because of his anger over this. -
French troops fight with Patriot miliamen
Newport, Rhode Island -
Last major battle of the American Resolution fought on American soil
General George Washington and Rochambeau join together to fight the British near Williamsburg. The battle started on 10/09 and ended on 10/16 when the British surrendered. -
Treaty of Paris signed
The "Treaty of Paris" because it was signed in Paris was the final version of the treaty that Britain signed recognizing the U.S. as independent. -
Bald eagle adopted as the United States national bird
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British troops begin to leave American soil
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British Parliament recognized U.S. indeplendence
Preliminary peace treaty is signed. -
Congress officially ends the Revolutionary War
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Massachusetts Supreme Court outlaws slavery
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John Adams signs peace treaty
France, John Adams leads a delegation that signed the peace treaty ending the Revolutionary War -
Bi-focals invented
Benjamin Franklin invented bi-focals because of his poor vision. -
Official monetary system adopted
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Davy Crockett is born
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Call for Congress to hold convention
Five state delegates call for Congress to hold a convention in Philadelphia in order to write the constitution. -
Constitutional Convention opens
George Washington presides in Philadelphia's Independence Hall. -
Delegates adopt the Constitution
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George Washington Unanimously elected first President of the United States
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Government begins to act and U.S. constitution is put into effect
Federal Hall in New York City -
George Washington inaugurated
The first President, George Washington, is inaugurated in New York City. John Adams elected Vice President. -
Federal Judiciary Act is passed
Created the Supreme Court -
Bill of Rights submitted
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First State of the Union
Given by George Washington -
First Patent issued
Improved method for making potash by Samuel Hopkins. -
Vermont is added as the 14th state
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Samuel Morse born
Invented the Morse Code -
Steamboat patented
John Fitch -
Bill of Rights takes effect
Twelve submitted but only ten were approved and put into effect. -
U.S. Post Office Department created
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Kentucky added as 15th state
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U.S. Executive Mansion started
Later called the White House started in the new District of Columbia. -
George Washington reelected
John Adams reelected as Vice President -
Cotton Gin patented
Eli Whitney -
US Navy established
Commissions six vessels to be built -
11th amendment passed
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Tennessee is the 16th state
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President Washington give his last presidential address
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John Adams defeats Thomas Jefferson for presidency
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John Adams second president
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George Washington dies