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Iron Act
The Iron Act, passed by the British parliament, was a tax on the colonists that required them to export pig iron into England to provide them with power over the trade (decrease forced reliability with other countries for the material). Due to this high demand, the colonists were prohibited from manufacturing finished iron-based goods within the colonies-a law that was often disregarded, and it is seen as a contributing factor to the revolution. -
French and Idian War begins
After a multitude of disputes regarding the French expansion into the Ohio Valley, England eventually declared war in 1756. The war debt-as well as the establishment of the troops within the colonies brought a great deal of violent disputes and social unrest-largely due to taxation and social differences. The war ended with the treaty of Paris in 1763. -
Battle of Fort Necessity
The Battle of Fort Necessity-a battle of the French and Indian war, took place in current day Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Colonel George Washington following the murder of Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, he built a makeshift Fort Necessity in order to defend himself and his troops. This was a strong defeat for the unprepared Washington and his troops. -
Proposal of the Albany Plan of Union
Benjamin Frankling propsoed a method of a unified government amongst the colonies. Although not accepted by all colonies at the time, it would lay the foundation for colonial unity. When there was a meeting held at the Albany Congress, seven of the colonies accepted the plan-although throughout the course of the revolution, all colonies felt a need for a unified colonial government. -
British troops are situated in the colonies
British troops were situated in the colonies during the Seven Years war, which led to a great deal of social unrest due to conflicting social standings. -
England declares war on France
Due to land disputes over what was perceived as British land in the New World, England ultimately declared war on France-leading to social and political unrest as future consequences. This was notably over feared intrusions of the Ohio Valley-the land west of the Appalachian Mountains that France and Britain were competing for control of. -
England establishes a policy of unlimited warfare
When William Pitt came into office as prime minister, he become immediately involved in the war, and established a policy of unlimited warfare -
British colonial population exceeds 1.5m
Less of an event than a milestone, the colonial population had come to exceed 1.5 million-which led to an increasing need for colonial unity and identity. -
George III comes into power
George III was a major political figure during the revolutionary war, making strong attempts at ending threats to royal control of the colonies. He was noted for his refusal to accept American independence. -
George Grenville comes into office
George Grenville established a series of taxes and restriction of the colonies to assist in covering war debts from the French and Indian war. His tax plan's intent was to receive as much financial feedback as possible from the colonies to support war debts-he was in part responsible for passing the Townshend Acts. -
Proclomation of 1763
The Proclomation of 1763, by George Grenville, forbid colonists to move west of the appalachian mountains, and instead provided this land to the Native populations. This law was often disregarded. -
Grenville tax plan
In response to the heavy debts following the war, George Grenville attempted to maximize profits from the colonies by issuing a tax plan-which was accepted poorly amongst the colonists. -
Currency Act
Due to the seemingly perpetual complexity, fluctuation, and inconsistency invovled with paper currency printed by the colonies, the British Parliament assumed control of all currency circulating throughout colonial economies -
Colonists adopt the slogan: "no taxation without representation"
In 1765, Jonathan Mayhew coined the slogan "no taxation without representation"-and was adopted throughout the colonies as a protest against the heavy British taxes -
Stamp Act
The extremely distasteful Stamp Act was a law that required all printed paper to be taxed, but it was later removed due to the severity of the protests agaisnt it. -
Patrick Henry speech
Patrick Henry became an influential figure for the revolution, most noted for his "Give me Liberty or Give Me Death" speech-announcing all colonies to be in a state of rebellion, and stresses the importance of liberty over tyranny -
Parliament passes Quartering Acts
The Quartering Acts were passed to force all colonies to open their homes to house arriving British troops. Failure to comply would result in legal consequences, and often these soldiers overstayed their welcome in regards to treatment of their hosts. This act increased hostilities with Britain, and led to social unrest due to conflicting social standings -
Sons of Liberty formed
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Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting of colonial representitives (from British colonies) in New York in response to the Stamp Act. Its purpose was to organize a unified protest against the tax. -
Colonists begin boycotting British goods
The colonists began boyotting a multitude of British goods in resposne to the Townshend act throughout 1766-1767. -
Decalatory Act
The Decalatro Act, while it removed the Stamp Act, placed the colonists under the same control as direct British subjects-removing much of the colonies independence. -
Townshend Revenue Acts
The Townshend Revenue Acts were a series of taxes proposed by Charles Townshend. These included the Indeminity Act (passed June 29th), which reduced tax collection for the colonists when exporting tea, the Commissioners of Customs Act,which headquartered law-enforcing boards into the colonies, the Vice Admirality Court Act-which involved Britian in colonial legal affairs, and the New York restraining act (included on timeline) -
New York Suspending Act
The New York Suspending Act (a Townshend act) put a halt to the power of the New York assembly until it agreed to comply with the quartering act-which they had previously refused. -
Samuel Adams begins spreading political propoganda
Samuel Adams was seen a brilliant political figure during his time-and was a leading role in many political organizations (such as the Boston Sons of Liberty) that supported American independence. He also began to generate political propoganda in order to gain support for American independence. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre- an event that was much exagerated during colonial times, was a street fight occuring between the British redcoats and a patriot group opposed to the Stamp Act-there were several fatalities among the colonists. When they began throwing objects at the British, the soldiers ultimately felt obligated to open fire at the crowd -
Thomas Hutchinson becomes governor
Thomas Hutchinson became governer in Massachusettes-and was the last governer loyal to Britian, and because of this lost virtually all popularity-and was replaced by Thomas Gage. -
Colonists burn Gaspee- a British ship
John Brown-a colonial merchant, led a group of men to burn a British customs ship-Gaspee, as an act of defiance against British actions. They never faced any punishment for their actions. -
Committee of Correspondence meets
The purpose of the Committee of Correspondence was to establish communications amongst the colonies prior to and during the revolutionary war to discuess political affairs. The first was founded in Boston in 1764, in 1772 was a meeting in NY in resposne to the Stamp Act. It encouraged protest of British actions. -
Tea Act is passed
The Tea Act, often viewed as the "powder keg" for the American revolution.It granted the East India Tea Company a monopoly over the tea trade in the colonies-its purpose was to sell the millions of unsold tea to the colonies at a cheaper price, although this was viewed as another method of taking advantage over the colonies, and resulted in the Boston Tea Party -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party, in response to the Tea Act, was a political protest bu the Sons of Liberty. They went disguised as Native Americans, and proceeded to destroy a whole shipment of tea-throwing them into the Boston Harbor -
Boston Port Act
In response to the Boston Tea Party, parliament issued the Boston Port Act that would close off the Boston port until compensation was provided for the $1 million worth of tea destroyed during the Boston Tea Party. This limmited the amount of supplies that could come into the colonies. -
Thomas Gage becomes governor
George III made Thomas Gage the royal governer over the Massachusettes colony in order to enforce laws previously disregarded by the colonists. He reverted their government systems back to their previous forms. He began situating British troops within the colonies to maintain royal control. -
Massachusttes Government Act
The Massachusetts Government Act removed its charter and gave a royal governer maximum control over the colony. This was among the intolerable acts, and was perceived as a further threat to American political self-sufficiency- it removed it in its entirety. -
Massachusetts Government Act
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Administration of Justice act
This act came to be known as the "murder act" amongst the colonists. This allowed the governerof Massachusettes to move trials for royal officials who comitted capitol crimes to other colonies or to Great Britian. The colonists feared that this would allow them to escape justice, and this was often the case. -
Quebec Act
The Quebec Act's primary purpose was to avoid future conflicts with the French Canadians. It granted them freedom to practice catholicism, and increased the amount of land contained within its borders-that of which was a particular offense due to much of it being land previously promised by parliament to the colonists. -
New England Restraining Act
The New England Restraining Act required colonists to trade only with Britian in order to receive the greatest financial feedback from the colonies, as well as placing a ban on fishing in the North Atlantic -
First Coninental Congress
The First Continental congress was a meeting of delegated from all colonies excluding Georgie to discuss affairs with Britain, and agreed on the significance of continuing communications with Britian to ensure that their needs could be expressed-as well as to maintain regulation over political protests. -
Articles of Association
The Articles of Association were proposed in response to the Intolerable acts. It claimed that unless these were repealed, a boycott on British goods would begin. It prohibitted trade, import, consumption, etc. of British goods. -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
Among the earlist battles and a British victory, British General Howe sent his army up Breeds Hill, where the contiental army had built a fort. It was intially an American victory, although eventually they ran out of ammunition and it was captured by the British. -
Lexington and Concord
The battle of Lexington and Concord took place at the village of Lexington in Middlesex County. This was the result of an order by the secretary of state, William Legge, to capture patriot leaders. Troops were sent to Lexington to capture these individuals, and additional troops were sent to Concord to seize arms and ammunitions. -
George Washington becomes commander in chief of the continental army
On June 15th, 1775, the Continental Congress commissioned George Washington as the commander in Chief of the continental army.This was the result of previous military experience and military accomplishments made prior. -
Second Continental Congress
In response to British actions of violence against the colonists, the Second Continental congress met to discuss potential actions. It was decided that an army-the continental army, would be formed. Additionally, it permitted the printing of paper currency to purchase supplies. This laid the foundation for the victories during the revolution. George Washington was placed into the postion of Supreme Commander. -
Decleration of Independence written
The Decleration of Independence was the most direct act of revolution. It established an American government and declared on Britian, It addressed the series of intolerable acts taken against the colonies. It explained the rights and liberties of all men, and that a government must not violate these indidivdual rights, and that the Britsh government had indeed violated these rights. Ultimately, it severed all connections with Britain and its government. -
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" is published
Thomas Paine's common sense projected the need for independence of America, and explained the numerous advantages of such independence. This became an influential factor in revolutionary thought, -
Virginia Decleration of the Rights of Men
The Virginia Decleration of the Righs of Men was intended to display what was percieved as the proper liberties that should be awarded to male colonists, and it granted them the right to abolosh improper/unjust government. -
Second Continental Congress votes for independence
On July 2nd, 1776, the second continental congress voted for indpendence-adopting Richard Henry Lee's (a Virginia statesman) resolutions for independence. -
Decleration of Independence signed
On July 4th, the Decleration of Independence was signed and became the first direct act of war agaisnt the British. John Hancock was the first to sign the decleration. -
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island occured following the American retreat after the seige of Newport, whilst they were retreating, they were attacked by British forces. This left the Aquidneck Island under British control. -
Battle of Trenton
With the element of surprise and miscommunications amongst the Hessians soldiers, George Washington leading the continental army managed to secure a victory, and managed to gain supplies. This occured following the crossing of the Delaware river the previous night, the attack occured at about 8:00 am.
