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The Albany Congress
The Albany Congress was created by the British government to attempt to bring the thirteen colonies together, for Britain was fearing a war would eventually break out. In the end the, the Congress was rejected by the colonies, because they didn't agree with cooperating as one so suddenly. -
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The French and Indian War
The French, along side Indian tribes, fought the British and the colonist in the mid 1700's for control over the Ohio River Valley. After 7 long years, the British won the war and gained almost all of France's power, doubling the size of their old empire. -
The Treaty of Paris
After losing Quebec, France could no longer defend the rest of its North American territory. The treaty was signed by Britain and France to end the war, but the French also lost French Canada, all of the territory east of the Mississippi River, and also gave up Spanish Florida to the British. -
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Pontiac's War
In the last days of the French and Indian War, Pontiac, the leader of an Ottawa nation, formed an alliance of western Native Americans to rebel against the growing colonists' population and their need for more land. Finally, a year later, the British defeated Pontiac's forces in August near Fort Pitt. Pontiac continued to fight, but by the fall of 1764, the war was over. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The Proclamation was created by Britain, for they wanted to avoid further wars with Native Americans on the frontier. It banned colonial settlement west of a line drawn along the Appalachian Mountains. Settlers were told they had to move East of that line. However, the Proclamation angered many colonists who believed they had the right to settle where they wanted, and it was widely ignored. -
The Sugar Act
The British effort to impose new taxes on the colonies began with the Sugar act, which put a duty, or import tax, on several products, including molasses. Colonial merchants, who sometimes traded in smuggled goods, protested against Parliament. They had believed it was taking away their rights as a people living in the colonies. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required that all colonists buy special tax stamps for all kinds of products and activities. The stamps had to be placed on newspapers, wills, licenses, insurance policies, land titles, contracts, and other documents. The Colonists protested against the Stamp Act wildly, and started boycotting British goods. Addressed to the king and Parliament, the petition they created demanded an end to the Sugar and Stamp Acts. The Protests worked and in 1766, Parliament repealed the Stamp act. -
The Quartering Act
A year after Parliament passed the Sugar Act, they created the Quartering act to help Britian save money. It required colonists to quarter, or house, British troops and provide them with food and other supplies. The colonists protested angrily once again complaining that Parliament was violating their rights. -
The Boston Massacre
In Boston, 1770, an angry crowd of workers and sailors surrounded a small group of soldiers on the grounds of how they were tired of housing the British troops. They shouted and through snowballs and rocks at them. The frightened soldiers fired into the crowd, killing 5 and wounding 6. Governor Thomas Hutchinson tried the soldiers for murder to calm things down, but only two of nine soldiers were found guilty of manslaughter and had their thumbs branded. -
The Tea Act
The Tea Act was created to help the British East India Company, one of Britain's most important companies. The Tea Act actually lowered the price of tea, but the colonists were angered not because of the price, but because it gave a monopoly to the East India company. Many colonial leaders also argued that even though the price of tea was lowered, colonists still had to pay the tax on it. The colonial boycott did hurt the company, but the act stayed a law. -
The Boston Tea Party
A group of colonists called the Sons of Liberty organized in port cities to stop the East India Company tea from being unloaded. For more then two weeks, feelings were tense in Boston. Finally, on a night in December, a large crowd gathered in a harbor. Suddenly, a large group of men disguised as Natives boarded the ship and through 342 cases of tea overboard, destroying 90000 pounds of it worth thousands of dollars. -
The Intolerable Acts
The Boston Tea Party outraged the British government. In response to the incident, Parliament passed four laws. These laws were very harsh, and named The Intolerable acts. The first act closed the Port of Boston. Two others abolished the upper house of the Massachusetts legislature, and cut the powers of town meetings. Finally, a fourth law strengthened the 1765 Quartering Act. The colonists reacted by trying to help the people of Boston, but many people still lost their homes and jobs. -
The First Continental Congress
The meeting, known as the First Continental Congress, took place in Philadelphia, with twelve of the thirteen colonies' delegates together. Among the delegates were John and Sam Adams, John Jay, George Washington, and Patrick Henry. The Congress was created because each of these delegates demanded the repeal of the Intolerable Acts, and it also called to the training of militias. The Congress also called for a boycott, but it didn't work against the British this time. -
The Battles of Lexington and Concord
In April, General Thomas Gage found out that minutemen were storing weapons in nearby Concord, so he sent 700 troops there to seize the arms. Five miles away in Lexington, 77 Americans were waiting to defend against the British. The British arrived, killing eight Americans in their path. A larger battle in Concord took place with 4000 Americans firing at British troops by hiding behind nearby trees and rocks. By the time the British were back in Boston, 300 of their troops were wounded or dead. -
The Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was met after the battles of Lexington and Concord, for Americans were feeling they needed to get ready for war. Although they agreed on preparing for a war, the congress was divided about what to do. Some wanted to right away declare independence, and others wanted to build an army. They eventually decided to instead build their army, naming the commander George Washington. The Second Continental Congress was starting to act like a government. -
Battle for Fort Ticonderoga
On the same day of the meeting of the Second Continental Congress, an important battle took place in northern New York. A daring band of colonists attacked Fort Ticonderoga, and successfully took control. This was important for two reasons. One, it controlled the main route between Canada and the Hudson River Valley. Two, it had valuable weapons, including cannons. These cannons proved to be a big help for the Americans and were eventually moved to Boston for a strong defense. -
Battles of Bunker and Breeds Hill
The two hills overlooking Boston were very important to the American army. They placed about 1,600 troops on top of the hill for defense. British General William Howe decided to attack straight up Breed's Hill to take control. The Americans didn't have much ammunition, so they waited until the British were 150 feet away, and then opened fire. The first two British attacks failed, but the last was won because the colonists ran out of ammo. Britain lost about 1,000 soldiers, America only lost 400. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Second Continental Congress was still hoping for peace, even months after Lexington and Concord. They formed the Olive Petition, hoping that peace could be restored. The petition stated that the colonists were loyal to the king, and asked all fighting to stop. The effort to make peace failed, as King George ignored both petitions and stated the colonists were "in open...rebellion." Parliament, meanwhile, voted to send 20,000 British soldiers to the colonies to end the revolt. -
The Invasion of Quebec
In late December, the American troops attacked Quebec during a severe snowstorm for control over Canada. The attack was led by Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold, but the battle was immediately turned back. Montgomery was killed, Arnold was wounded, and the British had landed new troops in Canada. Weakened by disease and hunger, the Americans withdrew, leaving Canada to the British. -
The British Withdrawal From Boston
The fighting of Bunker hill did not solve Britain's problem. Boston was still surrounded by American forces. George Washington took control of America's army, and in March he placed the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga on high ground overlooking the city. The British could no longer defend the city, so they evacuated and never returned.