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French and Indian war
The war solidified Britain's hold on to continent. this was important becuase several European countries became involved. It changed the reltionship between the colonies and Britain, and left Britain in debt. -
Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan unitiing the coloines called the Albany Plan of Union. It was rejected. This was important because latter on colonists began thinking of themselves as Americans united by their hostility to British authority. Colonial leaders began to take political action. -
The second Continental Congress
This congress assumed the powers of a central government. It made John Hancock the president, voted to organize an army and navy amd to issue money. It also made Goerge Washington commander of a organizing continental army. This was important becuase it served at the acting government of the colonies throughout the war. -
Britain Tightens Control
When King George III became king, he had different idea on how the colonies should be governed. Up untill then the British government was staisfied with the arrangement. The British needed the colonists' loyalty, the colonists remained loyal in return for a large measure of self-rule and protection tfrom the French. This was important because King George wanted to change how things were being governed. He wanted to deal more firmly with the AMerican Colonies. -
Stamp Act
After the war King George III had to pay the debt. The Stamp Act imposed taxes on the colonists which raised Britain's revenue. This was important becuase it was approved by the parliament and it was the first law ever passed having to do with raising money. -
Committees of correspondence
The organization was urging resistance to the British. These committees consisted of colonists who wanted to keep touch as events happened. This was important becuase it spread quickly, it was a communication network. -
Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists dressed up as Mohawk Indians and dumped hundreds of chests of British Tea into the Boston Harbor. The protest was known as the Boston Tea party. This was important becuase then Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts. In the early 1770s you could tell the revolution wasn't far away. -
The First Continental Congress
The delegates imposed an embargo on Great Britain. This was important becuase Britain then changed quickly and adopted stronger measures. Thia led to the first battle of the Revolutionary War. -
Independence
The independence movenment was growing. Thomas Paine wrote a pamphlet titled Common sense. The views of Sammuel Adams also influenced the Colonists. This was important becuase Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution in the Continental Congress. -
The Declaration of Independence
After Lee's resolution the congress named a committee composed of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman to prepare a written declaration. The congress then approved Lee's resolution. The colonies had broken with Great Britain. The congress then focused on Jefferson's draft. Some passages were removed and some changes were made. This was important becuase then on July 4th the congress approved the final draft of thr Declaration of Independence. -
The final Declaration of Independence
The finale Declaration of Independence was approved on this date. John Hancock, the president of the congress, was the first to sign it. Which was followed by the signatures of all 56 delegates. The document's actual title was "The unanimous Declation of the thirteen united States of America."
