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The French and Indian War Begins
Battle of Jumonville and GlenThe opening battle of the French and Indian war, The Battle of Jumonville Glen was fought on this day in what is present- day Uniontown in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The colonial militia was led by none other than George Washington, and they ambushed 35 Canadians who were under the command of Joseph Colon de Villiers de Jumonville. The battle forced Washington to surrender. -
Treaty of Paris
1963This, also known as the Peace of Paris, ended the Seven Year's War. It was signed by Great Britain, France and Spain, and Portugal was in agreement. After Britain was victorious over France and Spain, the Treaty became possible. The treaty gave up all of France's territory in mainland North America, which ended any foreign threat to the British military. -
Royal Proclamation (1763)
Royal ProclamationThe Royal Proclamation was made after Britain's defeat over France and Spain. It was to assure the native americans that the expension westward by the colonists would halt and also to improve the fur trade. -
Sugar Act
Sugar ActThe Sugar Act forced all the colonists to pay a 3 cents tax on sugar, along with indigo, coffee, and wine. The Parliament passed the act without asking the colonists permission, and the colonists were furious. -
Stamp Act
Stamp ActThe British Parliament passed an act on all American colonists that placed a tax on every piece of paper they used. Some paper products included playing cards, newspapers, any legal paper, and licenses. The money collected was intended to pay for the costs of defending and protecting the American Frontier by the Appalacian Mountains. The colonists were upset because the Stamp Act was a direct attempt by the British to raise money for themselves. -
Stamp Act Congress First Meets
Stamp Act Congress The Stamp Act Congress, or the First Congress of the American Colonies, was the first time elected representatives from multiple American colonies gathered to come up with a way to protest the British taxation and other policies. The congress met in a building now known as Federal Hall in New York City. The result of the meetings of the congress was a Declaration of Rights and Grievances. -
Townshend Acts
Townshend ActsThis is the day where the Townshend Acts were officially passed. These acts were the result of Britain wanting more power over the American colonists by putting taxes on products imported to the Americans, such as lead, paper, paint, glass, and tea. The Townshend Act outraged the colonists and it gave birth to the chant, "No taxation without Representation." The money raised from the taxes went to British funding, and to pay the salaries of government officials. -
Boston Massacre
Boston MassacreOn the afternoon of March 5, a group of British soldiers were guarding the Custom House in Boston. A mob of angry Bostonians crowded around the soldiers and commenced to throw snowballs, rocks, sticks, and even broken glass at them. One soldier was hit and shot his gun as an instinct. Even though there was no command to, other soldiers joined in on the shooting. Five colonists were shot and killed, and six more wounded, on that night. -
The Boston Tea Party
Boston Tea PartyAmerican colonists waited for the cover of the night to put on Indian disguises and board vessels from the East Indian Company located in the Boston Harbor. There, they dumped more than 10,000 pounds of tea overboard. This was a reaction to the Tea Act which was supposed to save the East India Company from bankruptcy, but the colonists decided to reject the tea and the act. -
First Continental Congress
First Continental Congress The First Continental Congress met at Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The meeting was a respose to the Coercive Acts, which were acts passed by the British to punish the Bostonians for the Boston Tea Party. 55 members attended the meeting, form all the colonies excepting the province of Georgia. The delegates discussed boycotting British goods and also petitioning against King George III. -
Patrick Henry "Give Me Liberty" Speech
Give me liberty or give me death!Inside St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia on the 23rd of March, 1775, history was made. The speech given by Patrick Henry is considered to be the speech that convinced the Virgina House of Burgesses to send Virgina troops out to help in the Revolutionary War. Today, the phrase is widely known and used. -
Midnight Ride of Paul Revere
Midnight Ride of Paul ReverePaul Revere was instructed by Dr. Joseph Warren to ride to Lexington to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British soldiers were coming to arrest them. He stopped at houses along the way in the countryside to tell people what the British were coming by sea, and he finally reached Lexington around midnight. Before the end of his ride, Revere was arrested and let go without a horse. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
Lexington and ConcordAt midnight, a group of British consisting of about 900, who were followed by the midnight rider Paul Revere among others, marched over the Charles River and into Concord, but the entire countryside was prepared with a militia, thanks to the midnight riders. The British retreated and moved on to Lexington green around dawn. There they were met with a militia once again, and after 8 colonists were killed and 10 wounded, they retreated into the woods to avoid more deaths. Thus begins the war. -
Second Continental Congress Meets
Second Continental CongressThe Second Continental Congress held delegates from all thirteen colonies. It was called soon after the commencement of the warare of the American Revolution began. It handled war efforts and also halped to move towards independence. After the ratification of the Articles of Confederation, the Congress became known as the Congress of the Confederation. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker HillBefore the battle at Bunker Hill, it was pbvious that Britain had the upper hand in the battle. There were many more British troops than colonial, as usual. With 2,300 men compared to the colonists' 1,200, it seemed obvious that it would be an easy victory for the Brits. They were surprised with hard retaliation by the colonists and it took 3 tries to capture the hills of the area. The Battle of Bunker Hill, despite the British victory, showed the Americans that the war will not be so easily won -
"Common Sense" Published
Common SenseThe first time "Common Sense" was published, it was anonymous. The pamphlet held the biggest sales and circulation in history at that time. It gave light to many ideas that showed the colonists how important independence from Britain was. The pamphlet was written in common language that was easy for the majority of the people to read, which is why it appealed to so many. -
British Evacuate Boston
British Evacuate BostonAfter so much hard work through the winter, the colonists finally forced the British to evacuate Boston. Earlier in the war at the battle at Fort Ticonderoga, the colonists manage to steal a cannon from the British and eventually, through the winter, it reached the Bostonian rebels. Washington had it set up, among much more artillery, on the high advantages of the city, and the British were forced to evacuate. -
Declaration of Indepence Announced
Declaration of IndependenceOn this day, the statement called the Declaration of Independence was announced to the colonies and made public. The statement declared that the American colonies did not consider themselves a part of the British empire and that they were independent from any British ties. The actual approval of the Declaration of Independence occurred two days earlier, July 2. -
"The Crisis" Published
Thomas PaineThis pamphlet is one of a series of seven addressing the people of the colonies during the American Revolution. Thomas Paine is for independence from Britain and he wants all of America to be, too. The opening line of The Crisis, "These are the times that try men's souls," is well known today. -
Fort Tigonderoga
Fort TigonderogaIn New York at Fort Champlain, more than 7,000 combined troops of British, Hessian, and Brunswick went against almost 3,000 American troops with 150 Canadians and varying numbers of Native Americans. The Ameircans were forced to retreat and left the fort to the British. -
British Defeated at Saratoga
Battle of SaratogaMany historians consider the Battle at Saratoga to be the turning point of the Revolution, because of the American victory, France began to openly support them in their cause. The win at Saratoga proved to the world that America is a real fighting force, since they beat the British, one of the strongest armies in the world at the time. -
Winter at Valley Forge, PA
Valley ForgeThe Continental Army arrives at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania on this day in history. There, they were trained through the winter by a man named Baron von Steuben, a former part of the Prussian Military. The colonists learned the traditional European style of Warfare. -
John Paul Jones Defeats the Serapis
Defeat at SerapisOn this day, John Paul Jones and his band of 30 volunteers went in to Whitehaven, England to attempt a raid. After some difficulty and quick changes of plans, the troop managed to rapidly take the city, disable the cannon, and set an attack on one of the forts, which ended up burning the entire town down. -
Benedict Arnold Plans Found Out
Benedict ArnoldBendict Arnold became caught up in the American Revolution in all the wrong ways. After the colonists accused him of some terrible acts in America, Benidict Arnold started to detest the Americans and their cause and became a British spy. The British gave him large amounts of money, but never really trusted him. After his plans were found out, he escaped to England and became an officer -
Cornwallis Surrenders at Yorktown
Yorktown, VALord Cornwallis SurrendersGeneral Lord Cornwallis, commander of the British army, surrendered to the Continental Army. The combined army of French and Colonists surrounded Cornwallis' significantly smaller group of men. The battle marked the end of warfare in the American Revolution.
