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Zenger Trial
John Zenger was publishing harsh articles criticizing the royal governor. These scathing pieces led to his arrest and trial. He was aquitted of charges of libel, reaffirming freedom of the press. -
Albany Congress
Representitives of some colonies and the crown met to discuss strategies to improve relationships The Crown thought it gave too much control to the colonists, and the colonists thought it gave too much control to the Crown -
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Seven Years War
The Seven Years War was a conflict between the England and the French with Indian allies.. They fought for control of the Ohio River Valley. Both parties wanted to control trade through the river. It started in the colonies and spread into Europe. -
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticondergoa was constructed during the French and Indian War by the French close to New York. It proved to be a pivotal point during the Seven Years War and the Revolutionary War. It was important because it was near Lake Champlain, the Hudson River, and the St.Lawrence River, all of which could be used as an advantage in war. The fort was the site of several battled during the two wars. The French and Indians managed to repeal British attacks of greater number in Fort Ticonderoga. -
Treaty of Paris
Also known as the Peace of Paris, this treaty ended the war between France, Spain, and Great Britain. After defeating France and Spain, Great britain became the greates undisputed power around the world. -
Pontiac' Rebellion
The Native Americans were angered by British general Jeffery Amherst, and subsenquntly attacked numerous British forts. The Native Americans were eventually put down, but not without its costs. Hundreds of colonists were killed. -
Sugar Act
Huge debts amounted from the French and Indian War put Great Britain in a big hole. They devised a program that could raise enough revenue to cover their losses. Because the act was passed in a time of economic downturn, many colonists and ports suffered. Figures like Samuel Adams led protests against the Sugar Act by not buying Britiish imports -
Sugar Act
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Stamp Act
This was an act passed by Parliament designed to tax all stamped documents and materials. Like the Sugar Act, it was meant to recoupe losses amounted in the French and Indian War. This act infuriated colonists, as it was a blatant case of taxation without representation. The Sons of Liberty led mass mobs against enforcers of the stamp act, who, out of terror, resigned their posistions. The Stamp Act was repealed the following year. -
Repeal of Stamp Act
Colonists were furious over the Stamp Act, leading to widespread mobs and riots. Americans often assaulted the enforcers of the Stamp Act, making it almost impossible to enforce. It failed to recoup debts accumulated in the French and Indian War. The following year, it was repealed and follwed by the Declaratory Act. -
Declaratory Act
After the Stamp Act was repealed, the Declaratory Act followed in its place. The Stamp Act was repealed because trade was hurt and it caused outrage among the colonists. The Declaratory Act gave the crown more authority over the colonists, because after debacles like the Boston Tea Party, Great Britina felt it needed to exert more control over the colonies -
Tea Act
This was part of the Townshend Acts endorsed by Charles Townshend. It placed a tax on tea, along with other goods like lead, paper, and glass. In response to the Boston Massacre, most of the new taxes went away. The tax on tea, however, remained, and this angered the colonists to the point where they threw the Boston Tea Party. -
Boston Masssacre
Growing tensions were developing between the colonists and the Crown due to the Crown's legislation. On March 5th, 1770, an off duty British officer was being heckled by several colonists. Eventually, mobs formed around the soldier, and he was forced to call additional backup soldiers. When some colonists made a move onto the officers, they panicked and opened fire on the mob, killing five. This incident would add fuel to the proverbial Revolution fire, waiting to ignite. -
Boston Tea Party
This was a protest staged by the Sons of Liberty in Boston against the British tax policies, especially tea taxes. Hundreds of colonists boarded tea ships in the Boston port and proceeded to dump $1,000,000 worth of tea into sea. The British then passed the Intolerable Acts, which further angered American colonists. -
First Contienental Congress
After the Intolerable Acts, delegates from 12 of the colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss the new taxes imposed on them and the actions that the colonies should take against them. Although their petition to the king was unsuccessful, they created the first national political community in America. -
Intolerable Acts
In response to the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed a series of laws to control the colonists. They passed the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, Quartering Act, and the Quebec Act. All of these laws qutraged the colonists and triggered resistence that would prove to be a pivtol role in starting the American Revolution. -
Lexington and Concord
These were the very first shots fired of the American Revolution. The British Army were given orders to destroy colonial milita weapons. The militia responded by firing the first shots upon the British. Soon enough, fighting soon spread from Lexington and Concord to all other parts of the thirteen colonies. Eventually, the patriots were able to flee to the safety of Charlestown. -
Second Continental Congress
Soon after the American Revolution had begun, delegates from the thirteen colonies gathered in Philidelphia and held the Second Continental Congress. It managed wartime strategies and began making stepd towards indepedance, most notable the Declaration of Independance, signed in 1776. The Congress kind of served as a prehistoric United States government, an outline for what America would become should it gain independance. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
This battle was fought in the early stages of the Revolution on Breeds Hill. When the patriots learned that the British were planning to occupy cityside hills, they took it upon themselves to occupy Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill. The British were alerted to this plan, and promplty attacked the colonists. After two days of fighting, the British emerged victorious. However, the hills were not that important strategically, and the British sustained heavy casualties, including high rankinf officers. -
Olive Branch Petition
This was adopted by the Second Continetal Congress in 1775 in hopes of avoiding total war with Great Britain. The petition was led by John Dickinson, who hoped to reconcile with Britain. It did not recieve much support, however, because most in the Congress believed war was inevitable. The petion was rejected by the Crown. -
Common Sense
in 1776, Thomas Paine released the massivly successful Common Sense. This widelt circulated book listed reasons as to why Americans should strive for independace from Britain. He explained how cruel Britain was being to its "child" , America. These reasons fueled the colonists, and rallied them to take a fighting chance for their independance. Common Sense paved the way for colonists to begin their historic revolution. -
Declaration of Independance
One of the most famous documents of all time, it declared that the United States of America was now its own country, no longer tied to Great Britain. Signed by many historic figures like Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Hancock, it introduced the base for which America would be founded upon, most notably that all men are created equal, and have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. -
Battle of Long Island
Soon after the Declaration was signed, American forces engaged the British on Long Island, making it the first battle America fought as its own country. Landing on Long Island, the British flanked Americans headed for Manhatten in hopes of gaining control of its ports. After an intense battle in which several hundred were killed, Washington and his army were forced to flee from New York. -
Virginia Declaration of Rights
George Mason, the primary author of this document, drafted the Declaration of Rights with the purpose of establishing that the people have rights and have the right to rebel against unjust governments. It would prove influential to a number of later documents, notable the Declaration of Independance and the US Constitution. -
Valley Forge
George Washington neede to find a place where his army could refocuse his campaign against the British. He chose Valley Forge, in Pennsylvania. It was far enough away as to not get ambushed by British forces. When the cold winter set in, however, Washingtons men suffered. Few had suitable clothes and shoes for the winter, and many became malnourished and ill. This was a place where women exercsied their role on the field. They fed soldiers, gave them clothes, and took care of the sickly army. -
Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom
Thomas Jefferson drafted this bill for the purpose of establishing a system of free religion. He insists that people have a right to worship whoever they want, and not allowing it is an infringement of personal liberties. It was one of only three things Jefferson wished to be inscribed on his tombstone. -
Battle of Saratoga
This battle was the last stand for John Burgoyne's army, and is regarded as a huge turing point in the Revolution. Benedict Arnold was able to move around British stategies to flank the Americans, and rallied his troops to attack Burgoyne. Taken by suprise, the British lost over a thousand men in the battle, outnumbering American losses 3 to 1. When it became apparent he would lose, Burgoune surrendered. This victory boosted the morale of troops and enabled them to keep figthing until they won. -
Ratification of Articles of Confederation
After the Revolution was won, the Americans were left with no organized governing body. In an attempt to be unified, all 13 colonies needed to sign the Articles for it to be put into effect. Virginia was the first to sign while Maryland was the last. The ill-fated Articles had little powers, and could not govern the people, so it was replaced by the US Constitution only a few years later. -
Battle of Yorktown
This was the last major battle of the Revolution, and the aftermath resulted in the British surrendering the war. American and French forces defeated General Cornwallis' army and navy, and proceeded to barricade any possible escape he could've had. With defeat imminent, Cornwallis surrendered. When one of their highest officers suffered defeat, it was a devastating blow for the British, who promptly ended their long conflict with the Americans. -
Treaty of "Paris (1783)
This document ended the Revolutionary War between the United States and Great Britain. It recognized the US as a free country, and was free of all boundries and limitations levied by the British.Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay were among those that signed the agreement. -
Land Ordinance of 1785
Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress did not have the power to raise revenue by taxing the population of the US. The purpose of the ordinance was to raise money through the sale of land. It was able to provide a peaceful way of occupying unmapped land in the colonies. -
Northwest Ordiance of 1787
This created and named some Northwestern regions in the areas around the Great Lakes and the Ohio River. It established a blueprint for claiming land and expanding westward outside the comfort of the colonies. -
George Washington Inauguration
This marked the very first four year term for any president of the United States, in this case George Washington. The Senate and House of Representatives met in New York City, and together named Washington as the president and John Adams aas the vice president. This enabled Washington, for the first time, to carry out a duty Americans had envisioned since the beginning; he was able to lead a country with the principles of liberty and freedom the colonists always wanted.
