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Great Awakening
First beginning in Congregational Churches in New England, the Great Awakening was a great religious revival that swept across America. It caused both social and spiritual reform. Leading pastors, such as George Whitefield and Johnathan Edwards, preached their messages to enormous crowds, promoting mass conversions and repentance. The Great Awakening taught citizens personal independence and brought many back to Jesus Christ. -
Stono Rebellion
In 1739 on a Sunday morning, 80 enslaved laborers escaped and set off towards Spanish Florida to Fort Mose carrying a banner that read "Liberty!". While on their journey, the group murdered 20 enslavers and burned plantations. Although defeated by the local militia, the rebellion inspired enslaved laborers to fight for freedom. -
Invention of the Lightening Rod
Through his investigations and experiments with electricity, Benjamin Franklin discovered the lightening rod in 1749. -
Slavery Legal in all North American Colonies
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Seven Years War
The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War, was fought between the French and the British. The Algonquian tribe fought with the French while the Iroquois sided with both the American colonists and the British. Both countries were in disagreement over their boundaries. During this war, Britain amassed great debt. Additionally, "American style" fighting was used instead of traditional fighting, raising the chances of survival in battle. -
Quakers Take Action Against Slavery
Quakers were the first group in America to openly resent and turn away from the system of slavery. Starting in 1758, individuals who took part in the slave trade were disowned by the Quakers. -
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Pontiac's War
Neolin, a Native American prophet, claimed to have received a vision from the Master of Life instructing him to gain heaven by expelling the British. In May of 1763, Pontiac and 300 warriors attacked Fort Detroit by surprise, which turned into a six-month siege. Native American warriors continued to attack British forts until 1766 when Pontiac settled for peace at Fort Ontario with General William Johnson. Pontiac's warriors killed over 2,400 British people during the war. -
Treaties of Paris and Hubertusburg
The Seven Years War between the French and British was ended with the Treaties of Paris and of Hubertusburg. The treaties ceded much of Canada and North America to the British. Silesia remained in the hands of the Prussians. Britain gained more land than their empire could control, eventually leading to revolution. -
Sugar Act Enacted
The Sugar Act, or Revenue Act, of 1764 was the first tax imposed on the American colonies by British Parliament. The act was placed to both raise money for the government and to destroy any citizens' sense of gentility. -
Stamp Act Enacted
The Stamp Act, much like the Sugar Act, was a tax on stamps to crush colonial gentility and bring power to the government. Both acts greatly angered American colonists and brought leaders together to fight against such acts instituted by Parliament. -
Philadelphia becomes Center of Colonial Printing
Although Boston, Massachusetts, held the title of the center of colonial printing for 100 years, the arrival of Benjamin Franklin and innumerable German settlers in Philadelphia created the demand for a German printing press. Colonial printing then took off in Philadelphia with the addition of Franklin and the Germans. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, when a street mob began harassing British soldiers by pelting them with snowballs and other objects. When the citizens began attacked a soldier, reinforcements were called in and were attacked by the mob as well. Upon being attacked, the soldiers fired into the mob and killed 5 citizens and wounded 6 others. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was an action of protest against Parliament's Tea Act of 1773. American colonists believed the Tea Act was put in place to simply make money for the government off of the colonists in order to lessen Britain's debt, which angered the colonists immensely. As an act of protest, colonists had several meetings to plot against the act, but they eventually ended up in joining others and threw 90,000 pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor. -
Meeting of the Continental Congress
The Continental Congress convenes for the first time. -
First Shots Fired in the Revolutionary War
The first shots of the Revolutionary War are fired at Massachusetts at Lexington and Concord. Seven hundred British troops had marched to capture Patriot leaders and an arsenal. The conflict ended with 1 injured British soldier, 8 killed Americans, and 10 wounded Americans. -
Second Continental Congress Convenes
The Second Continental Congress convened to unite the colonies to fight for freedom in the American Revolution. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
After the Battle of Lexington and Concord, British forces under General William Howe and Robert Pigot arrived at Charleston and marched to Breed's Hill. To conserve ammunition, the soldiers were instructed to hold their fire until they were close enough to see the whites of their opponents eyes. The British won the Battle of Bunker Hill. -
American Declaration of Independence.
Adopted by the Second Continental Congress, the Declaration was signed and passed on July 4, 1776. This document officially declared America of its mother country, Britain. Thomas Jefferson was the document's main author. -
Washington's Crossing of the Delaware
On Christmas day, George Washington led his men on a surprise attack against the German Hessians in order to catch them off guard after their Christmas festivities. Washington's surprise proved successful, and his army won at Trenton. -
Articles of Confederation Adopted in America
After declaring independence from Britain, the 13 colonies of America came to an agreement to organize their country's first constitution. The Articles of Confederation, after much debate, gave more powers to the states rather than the federal government. It also aimed to preserve America's hard-earned independence. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War. George Washington led America to a victory in this battle. -
End of Revolutionary War (Treaty of Paris)
After a devastating British defeat in the Battle of Yorktown, the British Commons voted to end the Revolutionary War. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris between Britain and America. Great Britain was to formally acknowledge the formation of the new nation, open up the Mississippi River to both nations, agree to the U.S. border, and several other conditions. -
George Washington is Elected President
On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States of America. -
Bill of Rights
Although hotly debated within the congress through several debates, those who desired for the ratification of the Constitution understood that it would not be passed without the addition of a Bill of Rights to guarantee personal liberties. James Madison wrote down the amendments. -
Invention of the Cotton Gin
The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 by Eli Whitney radicalized cotton production in the American South and transformed slave labor. The cotton gin immensely reduced the amount of time it took to remove seeds from cotton, thus increasing an employers yields of cotton and, thus, profits. -
John Adams is Elected President
On March 4, 1797, John Adams is elected as the second President of the United States of America.