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French-Indian War (1756-1763)
The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a conflict between Britain and France in North America, with both sides supported by various Native American tribes. The war was mainly fought over control of land and resources in the Ohio River Valley. Britain won the war, but the victory came at a high cost, leading to heavy taxes on the American colonies, which eventually contributed to the American Revolution. -
Navigation Acts (1763)
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws passed by the British government in the 17th and 18th centuries, with the 1763 version tightening control over colonial trade. These laws required that goods shipped to and from the American colonies had to be carried on British ships and pass through British ports. The Acts were intended to ensure that England benefited from the colonies' wealth, but they angered colonists. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was a law that required American colonists to provide housing and supplies to British soldiers stationed in the colonies. Colonists were angered, seeing it as another form of unfair control and invasion of their privacy. -
Stamp Act
This was a tax on paper products including newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, and even a deck of cards. Colonists strongly protested the tax, arguing that they shouldn't be taxed without representation in Parliament, which eventually led to the law being repealed in 1766. -
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the British government that placed taxes on imported goods like tea, glass, paper, and paint in the American colonies. The revenue was used to pay British officials in the colonies, which reduced the colonies' power over local governance. The acts led to widespread protests and boycotts. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770 when British soldiers killed five colonists during a confrontation in Boston. Tensions had been rising due to British taxes and troops stationed in the city. The event fueled anti-British sentiment and helped start the American Revolution. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party in 1773 was when colonists protested the Tea Act by dumping tea into Boston Harbor. This act increased tensions between the colonies and Britain, leading to harsher British laws. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were four harsh laws passed by Britain in 1774 to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, limiting self-government and increasing British control. These acts fueled colonial anger and pushed them closer to revolution. -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was a final attempt by the American colonies in 1775 to avoid war with Britain. It expressed loyalty to King George III and asked him to address colonial grievances, seeking a peaceful resolution, but it was rejected, leading to the escalation of the conflict. -
Battle of Lexington & Concord
The Battle of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, marked the beginning of the American Revolutionary War. British troops attempted to seize colonial arms in Concord, but were met by armed militia in Lexington and then pushed back to Boston. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was a meeting of colonial representatives that acted as the de facto government of the American colonies during the Revolutionary War. It managed the war effort, formed the Continental Army with George Washington as its commander, and declared independence from Britain with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776, formally declared the American colonies' separation from Britain. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it outlined the colonies' grievances against King George III and asserted the inherent right of the people to self-government and liberty. -
Common Sense
Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 that argued for American independence from Britain. It criticized monarchy and hereditary rule, making a compelling case for self-government and democracy, and it played a key role in persuading colonists to support independence. -
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation, adopted in 1781, were the first constitution of the United States. They established a weak central government with limited powers, giving most authority to the individual states. The Articles ultimately proved ineffective, leading to the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. -
Daniel Shays’ Rebellion
Shays' Rebellion (1786-1787) was an armed uprising in Massachusetts led by farmer Daniel Shays. It was sparked by economic hardships and high taxes, and the rebellion highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, especially the inability of the federal government to maintain order, leading to calls for a stronger central government. -
Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention, held in Philadelphia in 1787, was a meeting of delegates from twelve states to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. The result was the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, which established a stronger federal government and replaced the Articles with a more effective system of governance.