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George Grenville
Appointed prime minister under King George III, Grenville and his administration attempted to make peace with the Native Americans. He was part of the administration that imposed the Proclamation Line and the Stamp Act, causing the widespread anger of colonists. (ushistory.org) -
James Otis
February 5, 1725 - May 23, 1783
Otis was born in Massachusetts and quickly became a leader in the patriot revolution. He coined the phrase “taxation without representation is tyranny”, which soon became a motto for the revolution.
He was a main instigator of revolution because of his position as lawyer and fight for justice in the Americas. (wikipedia) -
Lord North
April 13, 1732 - August 15, 1792
Frederick North, or Lord North, was English Prime minister from 1770-1782. He was prime minister during the American Revolution and has been revered and condemned in history.
(wikipedia) -
End of the French & Indian War / Treaty of Paris 1763
A treaty signed in Paris between the English, French, Spanish, and Dutch settling territorial disputes and causing the end of the French and Indian War.
It is significant because it settled land disputes formed during the French and Indian war; also, it acknowledged British domination over North America. (wikipedia) -
Proclamation of 1763
The proclamation issued by King George III that forbid colonists from passing the crest of the Appalachian Mountains. This frustrated colonists who felt cramped in their spaces and wanted to make use of their natural resources. (ushistory.org) -
Sugar Acts
The Sugar and Molasses Act of 1764 placed a demanding revenue on the colonial purchase of all British-manufactured molasses and sugar. This act disrupted the colonial commercial exchanges with both Britain and its Caribbean colonies. Therefore, because colonists were unable to purchase cheaper French molasses, the Sugar acts were met with violent protests and revolts, as well as tarring and boycotts, which ultimately led to the act’s repeal. (ushistory.org) -
Currency Act
The Currency Act restricted the use of paper money manufactured in the colonies in private commercial relations to control the depreciated currency in the Americas. The colonial governments rejected the new legislation with fervor due to the decline in their commercial relations as a result of both the Navigation Acts of mercantilism and the demands of the British Parliament. (ushistory.org) -
Stamp Act
An act that placed a tax on stamped goods. Stamped goods ranged from cards to printed documents, angering the diverse population of the colonies. The riots eventually led to the repeal of this act.
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Quartering Act
An act that forced colonists to house soldiers. Furthered the tensions between the colonists and the British due to the drain on resources and the invasion of privacy.
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Virginia Resolves
A series of resolutions that stemmed from the Stamp Act of 1765. They led to public anger and were responsible for inciting the Stamp Act Riots. The resolutions increased tensions between the British throne and the colonies.
(ushistory.org) -
Sons / Daughters of Liberty
The Sons of Liberty was secret group and organization that was created in resistance to the British acts on the colonies; the men resisted the British legislation and rebelled against the imperial rule over America. Similarly, the Daughters of Liberty was a group of colonial women who came together to resist the British acts that placed revenues on their daily items and purchases. -
Declaration of Rights & Grievances
This was the precursor to the Declaration of Independence. Created by the Stamp Act Congress in 1765, the Declaration of Rights and Grievances emphasized that both the American colonists and the British peoples and government possessed the same and equal basic rights. Only the colonial governments had the authority to tax their own people (“no taxation without representation”).
(history.com) -
Stamp Act Congress
James Otis suggested that delegations from each colony convene to discuss colonists responses to the Stamp Act. Their meeting that met in New York was deemed the Stamp Act Congress, and was at first a complete failure. As it progressed, colonists demonstrated the ability to work between moderated and radicals, but eventually the congress had decided that parliament had the right to tax English colonists in North America. (ushistory.org) -
Declaratory Act
The Declaratory Act followed the repeal of the Sugar Acts that were met with colonial protest and resistance; although the acts were not completely eradicated, the Declaratory Act emphasized that the American colonies and plantations are to be subjugated and be under the political authority and control of the British crown and Parliament. The colonies complied to the new legislation in celebration for the repeal of the Stamp Act. Nonetheless, this act would eventually lead to the signing of th -
Townshend Acts
June 15-July 2, 1767
The Townshend Acts were passed at varying times in the 1760s with the purpose of raising revenue in the colonies to inspire loyalty of colonial officials to England.
These acts were met with significant resistance sparking such events as the Boston Massacre, and the beginning of the revolution. (ushistory.org) -
Charles Townshend
Townshend was a wealthy English aristocrat and politician. He submitted the idea for a tax on all common place items in the colonies.
He is most well known for the creation of the Townshend Acts. (ushistory.org) -
Massachusetts “circular letter”
A letter written by Samuel Adams and passed through the Massachusetts House of Representatives. It caused increased tensions between the colonists and the British government. -
Boston Massacre
A street fight that escalated from thrown snowballs. The British troops shot back into the crowd killing five people. Paul Revere later embellished the brawl as an organized massacre of the colonists.
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Gaspee Incident
The Gaspee Incident was the grounding of the HMS Gaspee, a schooner that aided in anti-smuggling operations. It was raided by colonists, led by Abraham Whipple and John Brown, and torched. -
Committees of Correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence promoted the colonial communication in America prior to the Revolutionary War in resistance to the British opposition and revenues through the Stamp, Tea, and Currency Acts. The Committee was created by the House of Burgesses, where it proposed intercolonial communication through each colony’s political representative to inform others of its resistances against the British imposition of taxes
(history.com) -
Tea Act
The Tea Act of 1733, issued by the British Parliament, gave the British East India Company to directly sell their tea to the American colonies with a strict revenue on taxes. Because the Americans were forced to purchase the expensive tea, they held numerous boycotts, responded with violent resistances such as tarring of British soldiers, and refused to purchase the imported tea. Therefore, the Sons of Liberty hosted the Boston Tea Party in common resistance (ushistory.org) -
Boston Tea Party
Colonists dressed as Mohawk Indians systematically dumped tea, from the Indies, off of boats. The event was highly professional and political. ushistory.org -
Coercive (Intolerable) Acts
The Coercive Acts were passed by Parliament in order to inspire loyalty and reduce acts of revolution. They were a stimulated by the Boston Tea Party. It consisted of the Port Act (the closing of Boston Port until repayment for the destruction of tea), Massachusetts Government Act (the appointment of all leadership positions by the King and his officials),
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Quebec Act
Imposed Catholicism as the official religion of Quebec and removed the mention of Protestantism from the oath of allegiance. Those who lived in Canada objected to the removal of certain rights. (ushistory.org) -
First Continental Congress
Delegates from all colonies except Georgia gathered in Philadelphia to discuss their options after the taxation without representation. Unity in political action was a direct result of the Congress. The rights that were declared natural became the foundation of the Declaration of Independence. (textbook). -
Second Continental Congress
A second meeting that was held with all the thirteen colonies to proclaim independence. The Declaration of Independence was part of the Second Continental Congress calling for independence as well as equal rights to men. There was a continental army to be created and George Washington was the leader of it.
(ushistory.org) (textbook) -
Suffolk Resolves
A group of Massachusetts people gathered in a famous meeting called the Suffolk Resolves to discuss the Coercive Acts. Joseph Warren’s resolves were written and unanimously voted on by the delegations. While the resolves were fairly radical for the time and supported revolution, they were voted on by the congress of the colonies and became part of the pro-war sentiment. (ushistory.org) -
The Association
First called the Continental Association, this group tried to repeal the imposing trade taxes and also organized boycotts. In response to the Coercive and Quebec Acts the Association tried to force a ban on all English products and imports. They successfully accomplished their goal and repealed these acts. (ushistory.org) -
Lexington & Concord
English troops fought colonial militia in Concord for collecting arms. Famously, Paul Revere road to report troop movement and mobilize the militia. At this point, the tensions building all directed into a war, with Lexington as the first battle. (textbook). -
Battle of Bunker Hill
It was a battle in the Revolutionary War where the British defeated the Americans. Despite the Americans’ lost, it still gave them a confidence boost learning what they had done wrong. However, the losses of the Britishresulted in giving colonies encouragement.
(ushistory.org) -
Olive Branch Petition
Attempt to make peace with the British government by the American colonists. Many patriots protested against the proposed loyalty.
(ushistory.org) -
Lee’s Resolution
The decision to declare independence from the British history. It was later written as the Declaration of Independence. (ushistory.org)
