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Important Figures and Events of the American Revolutionary War

  • John Locke

    John Locke
    Was an English philosopher. Locke argued that people are endowed with natural rights to life, liberty, and property. And also argued that revolution was not only a right but an obligation, which influenced the Founding Fathers.
  • John Locke Dies

    John Locke Dies
  • George Washington

    George Washington
    Was the commander in chief of the continental army, and led them to victory. Was the first elected president of the United States of America.
  • Paul Revere

    Paul Revere
    Best known for alerting the colonists in his "Midnight Ride" that the British were coming before the battles of Lexington and Concord. He served as a military officer in the revolutionary war.
  • John Adams

    John Adams
    Helpped convince the continentall congress to vote for independence. He also wrote the Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jeffreson and Benjamin Franklin.
  • Thomas Jefferson

    Thomas Jefferson
    Was elected to the continental congress representing Virginia. He also wrote the Declaration of Independence with the help of a few people.
  • Start of the French and Indian War

    Start of the French and Indian War
    This was a 7-year war between British colonies and French colonies. The war made Britain need to spend a lot of money on the military. This is why Britain started taxing the American colonies.
  • Alexander Hamilton

    Alexander Hamilton
    Fought in the revolutionary war, and was chief of staff to George Washington. He was a field commander in the battle of Yorktown.
  • End of the French and Indian War

    End of the French and Indian War
  • Quartering Act

    Quartering Act
    This act was passed by the British Parliament as part of the intolerable acts in response to the Boston Tea Party. The act stated that colonies had to pay for the food and shelter of British troops. The colonies thought of this as just a different way to tax them, and ended up revolting even more.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act
    This Act was passed by the Parliament and required a tax on the British colonies in America. Britain required that all printed materials be made on stamped paper produced by London. The colonies saw it as an abuse of power.
  • Townshend Acts

    Townshend Acts
    These four acts were by the British parliament and taxed goods imported to American colonies. It was for the purpose of making back money that Britain spent on the French and Indian war. The colonies saw it as an abuse of power because the had no parliamentary representation.
  • The Boston Massacre

    The Boston Massacre
    Reacting to the taxes imposed by the Townshend act, colonists and British soldiers fought, resulting in 5 dead colonists. A turning point in the American Revolutionary, the Boston Massacre united the colonies against Britain.
  • Boston Tea Party

    Boston Tea Party
    The Sons of Liberty dressed up as Native Americans and tossed all the tea from the British East India Company ship into the Boston Harbor. The event was a protest to the Tea Act, which restricted the supply of tea to the BEIC only. The colonists saw it as yet another rule to tax and rule over them.
  • First Continental Congress

    First Continental Congress
    The first continental congress included 12 of the 13 colonies. They met together in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania, starting on this date. They discussed boycotting British goods, as well as wrote The Petition to the King, which asked him to repeal the intolerable acts.
  • First Continental Congress Stops

    First Continental Congress Stops
  • "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!" Speech

    "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!" Speech
    Patrick Henery gave this speech at the Second Virginia conversion. It is said to have convinced the convention to deliver Virginia troops. for the Revolutionary War.
  • The battle of Lexington and Concord

    The battle of Lexington and Concord
    These battles were the first in the American Revolutionary war. The British tried to capture Sam Adams and John Hancock in the battle of Lexington. They were unsuccessful but continued to Concord to steal the colonists' weapons. The colonists were successful in defeating the British in Concord.
  • Second Continental Congress

    Second Continental Congress
    The second continental congress was included delegates of all 13 colonies. It acted as a government at the beginning of the revolutionary war. It raised armies, directed strategies, and appointed leaders. They also agreed for treatises like the Declaration of Causes, and the Declaration of Independence.
  • Declaration of Independance

    Declaration of Independance
    Written by Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, the Declaration of Independence severed the thirteen colonies from Great Britain. I was adopted by the second continental congress on this date.
  • Articles of Confederation

    Articles of Confederation
    Approved by the second continental congress and served as a first constitution. It detailed the organization of how all the states would be set up. This is the day it was ratified by all thirteen colonies.
  • Treaty of Paris

    Treaty of Paris
    This treaty functioned as a peace treaty between Great Britain and the American cause. It officially ended the American Revolutionary War and set the boundaries between the British Empire and the United States of America.
  • U.S. Constitution Signed

    U.S. Constitution Signed
    The U.S. Constitution defines the federal organization with a system of checks and balances. It originally consisted of seven articles. The first three describe the separation of power. The fourth through sixth describes the concepts of federalism. And the last article describes the procedure for states to ratify it. It also contained the Bill of Rights.
  • George Washington Dies

    George Washington Dies
  • Alexander Hamilton Dies

    Alexander Hamilton Dies
    Shot in a duel with Aaron Buur.
  • Paul Revere Dies

    Paul Revere Dies
  • John Adams Dies

    John Adams Dies
  • Thommas Jefferson Dies

    Thommas Jefferson Dies