Events That Led to the American Revolution

  • Proclamation of 1763

    Proclamation of 1763
    King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763 in order to keep colonists from living west of the Appalachian Mountains and causing problems.
  • The Sugar Act

    The Sugar Act
    Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which lowered the tax on the mollasses and other goods the colonists imported in hopes that it would make the colonists pay their taxes instead of suggling.
  • The Stamp Act

    The Stamp Act
    Parliament passed the Stamp Act which taxed almost all printed materials including newsapers, wills, playing cards, and much more.
  • The Sons of Liberty

    The Sons of Liberty
    Sam Adams created the Sons of Liberty to protest against the Stamp Acts.
  • The Stamp Act Congress

    Colonial leaders decided to meet together and send a statement to Parliament declaring that only colonial assemblies could tax the colonists.    
  • Declaratory Act

    Declaratory Act
    Parliament repealed the Stamp Act but passed the Declaratory Act stating that it had the right to tax and make decisions for the colonies.
  • The Townshend Act

    The Townshend Act
    Parliament passed the Townshend Acts to tax imports such as glass, tea, and paper when they arrived in the colonies.
  • The Boston Massacre

    The Boston Massacre
    A fight broke out between Boton colonists and British soldiers. British officers tried to calm them down, but the colonists were surging forward. Shots were fired and 5 colonists died.
  • The Boston Tea Party

    The Boston Tea Party
    An act of civil disobedience where colonists dressed as Native Americans and threw tea overboard into the ocean.
  • The Intolerable Acts

    The Intolerable Acts
    Parliament passed a series of laws called the Coercive Acts that were meant to punish the colonists for resisting British authority. They banned town meetings, forced colonies to let British soldiers to live with them, and more. (AKA th Intolerable Acts)
  • Continental Congress

    Continental Congress
    55 delegates gathered in Philadelphia to set up a political body that would represent colonists and challenge British control.
  • Battle at Lexington and Concord

    Battle at Lexington and Concord
    At dawn, the redcoats approached Lexington where they ran into about 70 waiting minutemen led by Captain John Parker. Badly outnumbered, the minutemen were about to give way but a shot was fired and an exchange of bullets was let out from each side. (shot heard round the world)
  • The Battle at Bunker Hill

    The Battle at Bunker Hill
    The Americans were low on gunpowder and ran out of ammunition after an exchange of shots from each side so they had to surrender. (a British victory) But the British learned that defeating the Americans would not be easy.
  • Olive Branch Petition

    Olive Branch Petition
    Delegates sent a petition to King George III assuring him that the colonists wanted peace and asked him to protect the colonists' rights. He denied and instead prepared for a war.
  • Declaration of Independence

    Declaration of Independence
    The document was written by a commitee and was signed by 56 people announcing the birth of the United States.