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The Enlightenment emphasized reason, science, and individual rights, inspiring revolutions in America and France. Thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau challenged monarchy and promoted ideas like liberty, democracy, and separation of powers -
The Enlightenment was a sweeping intellectual and cultural movement that emphasized reason, science, and individual liberty. Thinkers like John Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau challenged traditional authority and promoted ideas such as religious tolerance, separation of church and state, and democratic governance. These principles directly influenced the American Revolution and the founding documents of the United States, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
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This conflict between Britain and France in North America set the stage for colonial unrest. Britain’s victory expanded its territory but left it deeply in debt, prompting new taxes on the colonies. The war also strained relations with Native Americans and sowed seeds of colonial resistance.
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The French Indian War was the North American front of the global Seven Years’ War, fought between Britain and France with Native American allies on both sides. It began when a young George Washington ambushed a French scouting party, unintentionally sparking a war before either nation had officially declared it. The war reshaped the map of North America and laid the financial and political groundwork for the American Revolution.. -
British soldiers killed five colonists during a confrontation, fueling anti-British sentiment. Paul Revere’s engraving helped spread propaganda and unify colonial resistance. -
The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were a series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party. These acts aimed to reassert British authority over the American colonies, particularly Massachusetts, but instead, they fueled colonial anger and resentment, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the American Revolution
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The First Continental Congress convened on September 5, 1774, in Philadelphia. This meeting brought together delegates from twelve of the thirteen American colonies (Georgia did not send representatives) to discuss their grievances with the British government and to decide on a unified course of action. The Congress aimed to address the Intolerable Acts, a series of punitive measures imposed by the British Parliament following the Boston Tea Party. -
The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by Congress on July 5, 1775, to be sent to the King as a last attempt to prevent formal war from being declared. The Petition emphasized their loyalty to the British crown and emphasized their rights as British citizens. -
First major battle of the American Revolution; British won but suffered heavy casualties. Boosted American morale and proved colonial forces could stand up to British regulars. -
Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" was published on January 10, 1776. This 47-page pamphlet played a crucial role in swaying public opinion towards American independence from British rule during the Revolutionary War -
Declared the colonies independent from Britain and listed grievances against King George III. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 56 delegates. -
The Battle of Trenton, a pivotal moment in the American Revolutionary War, took place on December 26, 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey. General George Washington led the Continental Army in a surprise attack against Hessian (German mercenary) forces garrisoned there, achieving a crucial victory that boosted American morale. -
Created a loose confederation of sovereign states with a weak central government. Achievements included settling western land claims and passing the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 -
Final major battle of the Revolutionary War; British General Cornwallis surrendered -
The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, officially ending the American Revolutionary War. It recognized the United States as a free and independent nation. The treaty was signed in Paris by representatives of the United States and Great Britain. -
Officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized U.S. independence. Granted the U.S. territory east of the Mississippi Rive -
Counted three-fifths of enslaved people for representation and taxation purposes -
Established a bicameral legislature: House of Representatives (population-based) and Senate (equal representation). Resolved a major dispute between large and small states during the Constitutional Convention.