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Also known as the "Seven Years War'' the French Indian War was a Conflict between Great Britain and France. It resulted from ongoing frontier tensions in North America when both French and British imperial officials and colonist sought to extend their influence in frontier regions. In 1763, The Treaty of Paris was made and Great Britain secured significant territorial gains in North America but the War has been expensive and the British imposed taxes on Colonists which resulted in rebellion.
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The Treaty of Paris ended the French Indian War and was signed by the representatives of Great Britain, France, Spain, and Portugal. France renounced to Britain all the mainland of North America east of the Mississippi and Britain in return restored to France the West Indian Islands of Guadeloupe, Martinique, Marie-Galante, and Desirade. Spain recovered Havana and Manila and ceded East and West Florida and received Louisiana. -
The Sons of Liberty was a loosely, clandestine, and violent political organization founded to advance the rights of the colonists and fight taxation by the British Government. The group is known for participating in events like the Boston Tea Party. The notable member of the Sons of Liberty were known as Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere.
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The Stamp Act was passed by British law in 1765 - 1766. It requires the American Colonies to pay a direct tax on all printed materials represented by a stamp. The tax was made to maintain the cost of British Troops in the Colonies after the French and Indian War.
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On June 29, 1767 Parliament passes the Townshend Acts and created a new customs commission and punished New York for refusing the abide by the Quartering Act of 1765. The Second Act imposed revenue duties aimed at putting money in the British Treasury. The Third Act established strict and arbitrary machinery of customs collection in the American colonies. The Fourth Act was aimed at the East India Company to compete with the tea that was smuggled by the Dutch and lowered tea in England.
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A mob of American Colonists gathered at the Customs House in Boston and taunted the British soldiers guarding the building. Colonists threw snowballs and objects at the British regulars and Private Hugh Montgomery was hit causing him to fire his rifle and other soldiers began firing a moment later. Five Colonists Crispus Attucks, Patrick Carr, Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, and James Caldwell were killed and 3 others were injured. Two British soldiers had their thumbs branded "M" for murder. -
The Intolerable Acts were a series of four punitive laws passed by the British Parliament enacted in response to the Boston Tea Party. It represented an attempt to reimpose strict British control over the American Colonies. The Acts were not repealed but their impact were effectively ended when the American Revolution began. -
The first major battle of the American Revolution fought in Charlestown. Two months after the Battles of Lexington and Concord more than 15,000 troops assembled in the vicinity of Boston to present the 5,000 British troops stationed there. On June 17 the British defeated the American troops but despite a tactical defeat the American forces inflicted heavy casualties on the British proving they can stand their ground against a more experienced army. -
The Battle of Trenton was a pivotal moment in the American Revolutionary War. General George Washington led an surprise attack against the German mercenary troops and it resulted in a crucial American Victory. The Victory of the Battle of Trenton boosted the American morale after many defeats and revitalized the Continental Army. -
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British and devastating defeat for the Americans. The Americans suffered heavy casualties and a large number of soldiers were captured. The Battle of Camden is remembered for the bravery of the Continental soldiers who fought against overwhelming odds. -
The British occupy Yorktown where General Charles Lord Cornwallis plans to refit and resupply his 9,000 man army and he awaits supplies and reinforcements from they Royal Navy. George Washington and his Continental Army received word that the French is available for a Siege. With the help with the French, George Washington commences the first assault and on October 17 the British finally surrender.
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The 3/5 Compromise was an agreement during the 1887 Constitutional Convention where enslaved people were counted as three-fifths of a person for taxation purposes and representation in the U.S. Congress. -
The states were heavily divided over the representation in each branch of Congress. In order to resolve the concerns the Convention delegates approved a "compromise committee" to compromise the proposed plans for Congress. The plan proposed that each state would have one representative for every 40,000 inhabitants elected by the people. -
The Constitution became the official framework of the government of the United States of America when New Hampshire became the ninth of 13 states to ratify the Constitution. Before the Constitution was ratified the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. -
During the debates of the Constitution its opponents repeatedly charged that the Constitution would open the way to tyranny by the Central Government. The First Congress of the United States proposed to the state legislatures 12 amendments to the Constitution on September 25. In December 15, 1791 three-fourths of the state legislatures constitute the first 10 amendments of the Constitution known as the Bill of Rights.