Events Leading to the American Revolution

French and Indian War

British and Colonists vs French and Native Americans; 1754-1763

Fought over land west of Appalachian Mountains

British won- but were in huge debtFighting with Native Americans over land

continued after the war (led by Pontiac)

Proclamation of 1763

Trying to fix the problems between the Native Americans and colonists

Said that colonists could not move West of the Appalachian Mountains

Angered the colonists and the Native AmericansColonists continue to believethe British don’t care about their needs

Stamp Act

March 1765The first British tax ever on colonists, taxed

all printed materials (newspapers, bills, legal papers, licenses, dice, playing cards)

An attempt to earn back the money spent on the French and Indian War

Colonists were violently opposed to the act- said “No Taxation without

Representation”

Sons of Liberty

July 1765An underground protest group formed by

Sam AdamsUse violence, intimidation, boycotts, etc. to

protest the Stamp Act

Stamp Act Repealed

Protests led to a Stamp Act CongressCreated a “Declaration of Rights and

Grievances” that said the colonists couldn’t be taxed without representation

March 1766- Parliament repealed the Stamp Act

Townshend Acts

Passed in 1767Taxes on materials like glass, lead, paint,

fabric and paper3 penny tax on teaProtests and anger ensued- especially in BostonBritish sent 2000 troops to Boston to keep the peace

Quartering Act

March 1765 and ongoingA law that said colonists had to provide

shelter for British troops (food, bed, supplies, etc.)

The King had to have troops there to protect from Native Americans and to squash rebellion- said it was their responsibility to take care of them

Colonists resented the act and the troops

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Boston Massacre

March 5, 1770Mob harasses British soldiers and the

soldiers fire on them- 5 are killedHuge shock in the colonies- people had been

murdered

Tea Act

May 1773A 3 cent per pound tax on teaSaid only tea from British East India company

could be soldHuge boycott on tea- many refuse to pay

Boston Tea Party

December 17, 1773British military is not letting any ships in or

out of Boston Harbor until they pay the tea tax

Group of men from Sons of Liberty dress up as Mohawk Indians, climb aboard the ships and dump 342 containers of tea into the harbor

Intolerable Acts

March 1774English King and Parliament are ANGRY

about the colonists’ rebellionThese laws are meant to punish Boston- say

no business can be done with or out of Boston until all the money is paid back from the Tea Party and taxes

First Continental Congress

Sept. 5, 1774- Oct. 26, 1774Met in Philadelphia; 56 delegates from every colony except GeorgiaTrying to figure out what they should do

about situation with EnglandDecide not to obey intolerable acts and to

start setting up state militias “just in case”

Battles of Lexington and Concord

April 18-19, 1775General Gage (leader of British army in

Boston) finds out about the militia and their weapons, plans to destroy them

The Minute Men are warned (“The British are Coming!”) and they meet the troops and battle; at Lexington the British win, keep marching to Concord- they destroy the weapons, but on the way back have to run from Minutemen fire- the colonists win in the end (250 British dead)

Second Continental Congress

May 10, 1775Met in Philadelphia againAll colonies present- officially prepare for war with England, choose George Washington as commander-in- chief of the Continental ArmyWrite the “Olive Branch Petition” a letter to King George asking for a peaceful resolution

Common Sense

Jan 9, 1776A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine; attacks

the King and persuades people to support Independence. Written in a language the common people can understand

Gathers a lot of support in the colonies

Declaration of Independence

June 11, 1776- Aug. 2, 1776A group is formed after Richard Henry Lee

calls for American IndependenceGroup includes Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin

Franklin, John Adams, Roger Livingston and Roger Sherman

Write the Declaration of IndependenceJuly 4, vote to officially support it- copy and

send out to the public (Independence Day!)August 2- they actually sign it