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Stamp Act Repealed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March 1766- Parliament repealed the Stamp Act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