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End of the French/Indian War
The British won the French Indian war, (fought for what would be American land) but now they were in debt. The war was between French and American settlers of the Americas. Native American groups supported both sides. -
The Townsend Acts
The British Parliament passed the Townsend Acts, four acts which took money from the colonists. The colonists were angry because they were given no choice in the matter. -
The Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a protest held by the Sons of Liberty. They ruined millions of dollars of tea to protest the taxation of tea without representation in the government. -
The First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met to discuss grievances against how the British governed them. It was made up of delegates from all 13 colonies except Georgia. -
Lexington and Concord
This battle was a win for the British, who sought to take a stash of weapons that were rumored to be there. It was the first battle of the American Revolution. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met to create the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a document designed to officially inform the British that Americans wanted freedom from the British. It details reasons why they wanted freedom. -
The Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga is known as the turning point in the Revolutionary War. The Americans won this battle decisively. -
The Siege of Yorktown
At the Siege of Yorktown, Americans and French worked together to fight the British. In this battle, they won the war against the British, who would surrender just nine days later. -
The Constitution
The Constitution was and is the document that explains our government. It was signed on this day by 39 delegates. -
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers were what convinced a majority of Americans that the Constitution would be a good government. They were a series of 85 essays written by important political figures. -
South Seceded
The South worried that the North would abolish slavery, which was central to the South’s economic success, so they seceded. This started the Civil War. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. It declared that all slaves were now free, and slavery was illegal. The South didn’t follow these rules, but it meant slaves had hope of freedom if they could cross the Mason- Dixon line. African Americans who crossed the border sometimes joined the Union Army. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
This battle was a bloodbath that ensured the North’s victory. -
The Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address is a famous speech said by Abraham Lincoln. He was trying to bring the United States back together by giving a clear vision of what the country should be.