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Albany Congress
The purposes of the Albany Congress were twofold; to try to secure the support and cooperation of the Iroquois in fighting the French, and to form a colonial alliance based on a design by Benjamin Franklin. The plan of union was passed unanimously. But when the delegates returned to their colonies with the plan, not a single provincial legislature would ratify it. -
The Proclamation of 1763
The proclamation, in effect, closed off the frontier to colonial expansion. The King and his council presented the proclamation as a measure to calm the fears of the Indians, who felt that the colonists would drive them from their lands as they expanded westward. -
Sugar Act
merchants had been required to pay a tax of six pence per gallon on the importation of foreign molasses. But because of corruption, they mostly evaded the taxes and undercut the intention of the tax that the English product would be cheaper than that from the French West Indies. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act was Parliament's first serious attempt to assert governmental authority over the colonies. Great Britain was faced with a massive national debt following the Seven Years War. English citizens in Britain were taxed at a rate that created a serious threat of revolt. -
Patrick Henery's speech " If this be treason make the most of it!"
Henry's reputation as a passionate and fiery orator exceeded even that of Samuel Adams. His Stamp Act Resolutions were, arguably, the first shot fired in the Revolutionary War. -
Townshend Revenue Act
Taxes on glass, paint, oil, lead, paper, and tea were applied with the design of raising $40,000 for the administration of the colonies. The result was the resurrection of colonial hostilities created by the Stamp Act. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a street fight that occurred on March 5, 1770, between a "patriot" mob, throwing snowballs, stones, and sticks, and a squad of British soldiers. The Boston Massacre was a signal event leading to the Revolutionary War. It led directly to the Royal Governor evacuating the occupying army from the town of Boston. It would soon bring the revolution to armed rebellion throughout the colonies. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act, passed by Parliament on May 10, 1773, would launch the final spark to the revolutionary movement in Boston.This tea was to be shipped directly to the colonies, and sold at a bargain price. The Townshend Duties were still in place, however, and the radical leaders in America found reason to believe that this act was a maneuver to buy popular support for the taxes already in force. The act was not intended to raise revenue in the American colonies, and in fact imposed no new taxes. -
Boston Tea Party
Governor Thomas Hutchinson allowed three ships carrying tea to enter Boston Harbor. Before the tax could be collected, Bostonians took action. On a cold December night, radical townspeople stormed the ships and tossed 342 chests of tea into the water. Disguised as Native Americans, the offenders could not be identified. -
First Continental Congress meets
The first Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, from September 5, to October 26, 1774. These were elected by the people, by the colonial legislatures, or by the committees of correspondence of the respective colonies. On the Declaration and Resolves established the course of the congress, as a statement of principles common to all of the colonies. Congress voted to meet again the following year if the grievances were not attended to by England. -
Articles of Association
The Association was a universal prohibition of trade with Great Britain. Though it made a handful of exceptions, it prohibited import, consumption, and export of goods with England. Unlike most of the individual associations, it established citizen committees to enforce the act throughout the colonies. -
Shots heard around the world
Sure enough, when the advance guard of nearly 240 British soldiers arrived in Lexington, they found about 70 minutemen formed on the LEXINGTON GREEN awaiting them. Both sides eyed each other warily, not knowing what to expect. Suddenly, a bullet buzzed through the morning air.It was "the shot heard round the world." -
Second Continental Congress meets
In May 1775, with Redcoats once again storming Boston, the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia. Before the leaves had turned, Congress had even appointed a standing committee to conduct relations with foreign governments, should the need ever arise to ask for help. No longer was the Congress dealing with mere grievances. It was a full-fledged governing body. -
Washington Named Commander in Chief
George Washington was named commander in chief of the Continental Army. -
Bunker Hill
From this hill, the rebels could bombard the town and British ships in Boston Harbor. But Ward's men misunderstood his orders. They went to Breed's HILL by mistake and entrenched themselves there — closer to the British position. -
Paine's "Common Sense" published
Thomas Paine's pamphlet, Common Sense was published anonymously. The pamphlet was a success, arguing in simple language the benefits of freedom and liberty. -
Congress debates and revises Decleration of Independence
The Declaration is drafted and revised. -
Decleration of Independence read publicly
The Declaration of Independence was read to the people of the colonies, declaring to them that they had recently been declared independent of the British Empire. -
Washington crosses the Delaware and captures Trenton
The Crossing and the Trenton/Princeton campaign have become known as the Ten Crucial Days — a campaign that saved Washington's army from defeat, allowing them to fight another day and achieve ultimate victory. -
Paoli Massacre
The British surprised a camp full of sleeping Americans in Pennsylvania after the American defeat at the Battle of Brandywine. -
Battle of Germantown
On October 2nd, Washington conceived a bold plan of attack on Howe's 9,000 troop garrison stationed in Germantown. The morning started well for the Americans who had the British retreating. But Washington's plan went astray when one of his four columns lost its bearings in a dense fog and thick smoke. In the end, bad luck and poor timing forced Washington to retreat to Whitemarsh with the British in pursuit. -
United States and France sign the French Alliance
The Treaty of Alliance between France and the United States was concluded at Paris, February 6, 1778 and ratified by Congress May 4, 1778. The treaty provided for a defensive alliance to aid France should England attack, and that neither France nor the United States would make peace with England until the independence of the United States was recognized -
Washington's army leaves Valley Forge
The two armies clashed on June 28 at Monmouth Courthouse. The battle was almost single-handedly lost by an inept but always arrogant Gen. Charles Lee. When Washington learned that Lee was retreating instead of advancing, the seemingly stoic commander flew into fury and galloped out to turn the men around and lead the attack. The battle at Monmouth was inconclusive, but it was the British who retreated this time. -
Articles of Confederation adopted
The Articles of Confederation served as the first constitution for the United States after the American Revolution, and was later replaced by the Constitution of the United States of America. -
Lord North resigns as British Prime Minister
Lord North was forced out of office after a vote of no confidence was held against him, due to the British defeat at Yorktown in 1781. He was the first of his kind to be forced out of office as such. -
British and Americans sign preliminary Articles of Peace
Benjamin Franklin and company's preliminary circumstances for peace between the colonies and Britain. -
British leave Charleston, SC
The British pulled their troops out of Charleston, South Carolina. -
The United States and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris is the treaty signed by the British and the United States and its allies that ended the war between both sides. -
U.S. Constitution signed
The Constitution of the United States of America, the supreme law of the nation was signed.
