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French and Indian War
The main belligerents of the conflict were the French with their Native American allies and the British. The conflict was over the rich Ohio River valley. The British won after a surprise attack on the Plains of Abraham, just outside Quebec. This lead to the Treaty of Paris which gave Britain claim to Canada, nearly all of North America East of the Mississippi River, New Orleans, and Florida from Spain who had allied themselves with France. -
Treaty of Paris 1763
The Treaty of Paris 1763 officially ended the French and Indian War, in this treaty Britain lays claim to Canada and virtually all of North America East of the Mississippi River. Britain also took Florida from Spain. -
Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation of 1763 established a proclamation line along the Appalachians, in which the colonists were prohibited to cross. -
Sugar Act and Colonists' Response
The Sugar Act lowered the tariff on foreign molasses, to lower the desire of smuggling. It put a tariff on a few imports that did not have them before. It also made it so that a colonist accused of violating the Act would be tried in a vice-admiralty court rather than a colonial court. This made it so that a single judge would make the decision rather than a sympathetic jury. -
Stamp Act
This imposed a Tax on printed goods, such as wills, newspapers, and playing cards. The Colonists were outraged and banned together to deny the law, this created the group known as the Sons of Liberty. The colonists boycotted goods until the tax was removed in 1766. -
Writ of Assistance
A general search warrant that would allow British official to search any colonial ship or building -
Declaratory Act
This asserted Parliament's full right "to bind the colonies and people of America in all cases whatsoever." -
Townshend Acts
Taxed goods imported to the Colonies from Britain, such as lead, glass, paint, and paper. It also imposed a tax on tea. The colonist once again boycotted British goods. It was eventually revoked because it cost significantly more to enforce than it brought in. -
Boston Massacre
Shots were fired by British soldiers on colonists, killing five of them. -
Tea Act
Allowed the British East India Company to sell tea without the taxes that the colonists had to pay allowing them to sell it for significantly cheaper. -
Boston Tea Party
A large group of colonists dumped 18,000 pounds of British East India Company tea into the Boston harbor. -
Intolerable Acts
One of the acts shut down the Boston Harbour and another allowed British officers to house soldiers in vacant private homes and other buildings. Boston was placed under martial law. -
First Continental Congress
In September 1774 the First Continental Congress of 56 delegates met in Philadelphia and drew up a declaration of colonial rights. -
Midnight Riders
Paul Revere, William Dawes, and Samuel Prescott rode out to spread word of 700 British troops coming to the country side. -
Battle of Lexington
70 Minutemen stood to face the British, the battle lasted only 15 minutes with a British retreat. 8 minutemen were killed 10 wounded. -
Battle of Concord
Three to four thousand minutemen had assembled for this fight, they used guerilla tactics and tore through the British. -
Minute Men
Civilian soldiers who gathered up arms and were prepared to fight the British at a moments notice. -
Second Continental Congress
The colonial Militia was deemed the Continental Army and George Wasgington was made the Commander of it. -
Continental Army
The Continental Army was led by George Washington and was comprised of mainly militiamen and military veterans. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
The British sent 2,400 soldiers to Breeds Hill. The colonists fought to the last minute before retreating, they had only about 450 casualties while the British had over 1,000 casualties. This battle was misnamed as the Battle of Bunker Hill. -
Olive Branch Petition
A petition urging the return of "the former harmony" between the colonies and Britain, which was flat out denied by George III. -
Publication of Common Sense
Common Sense, Written by Thomas Paine was essentially an attack on King George and the British Monarchy stating how America would be better off free. It sold nearly 500,000 copies. -
Declaration of Independence
Finalized by Thomas Jefferson, the Declration of Independence stated that the people had the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also stated that legitimate power could only come from the consent of the governed people who have the right to retaliate if they feel that their rights are being taken away. It was unanimously agreed on July 2nd, 1776 that the American colonies were free. July 4th would be the day that the Declaration of Independence would be adopted -
Saratoga, The French American Alliance and Valley Forge
Saratoga was an American Victory where British General John Burgoyne had been holding unaware that his fellow officers were busy holding Philadelphia. This led to France openly allying with America.
Valley Forge a deadly frozen battlefield where nature was more deadly than the battles. More than 2,000 soldiers died but the others did not desert, keeping faith in Washington. -
Redcoats Pushing Washinton's Amry Across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania & Washington's Christmas Suprise Attack
The British Stormed the Americas along with thousand of German Mercenaries in an attempt to take New England, they were successful and pushed the continental army across the Delaware River. And although Washington made a rewarding suprise attack on Christmas 1777 by crossing the Delaware River and defeating a Garrison of German Mercenaries in a suprise attack, Britain still took Philadelphia. -
John Locke's Social Contract
The idea that there was a social contract that everyone had the right to life, liberty, and property -
French-American alliance, Friedrich von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette
During the Revolution France took America's side. People like Steuben a Prussian captain helped trained the colonials at Valley Forge. Lafayette lobied for French reinforcements for the colonials and led a command in Virginia.
