Stamp Act 1765
0 Primarily put in place to raise money for the
military defenses of the colonies.
0 It required the purchase of a stamp to be put on
most paper items, from legal documents to playing
cards.
0 It was required to be paid in silver or gold, not the
more common paper money.
0 After fierce colonial resistance the act was
repealed in 1766
0 Resistance was based around the idea that there
should be “no taxation without representation” for
the colonies in British Parliament
Townshend Acts 1767
0 A series of taxes on glass, paint, oil, lead,
paper, and tea.
0 These acts reignited the hostilities created
by the Stamp Act
Battle of Bunker Hill June, 1775
0 Occurs during the British Siege of Boston in which
British forces are attempting to reassert control in
the colonies.
0 While ultimately a military defeat this battle proves
to be a confidence boost for the Americans.
0 Not firing “until they see the whites of their eyes” the
colonists were able to inflict heavy casualties on the
British forces until their ammunition stores run dry.
0 Over 1000 British killed or wounded, around 450
colonists killed or wounded
Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”
1776
0 Written to the “common man” in the colonies
Common Sense was written to inspire
colonists to request independence.
0 Paine is heavily influenced by Enlightenment
thinkers like John Locke and Voltaire
0 This book had a tremendous impact on the
average person’s willingness to declare
independence.
Boston Massacre 1770
0 The Boston Massacre was the tragic result of an
unruly protest.
0 Protestors were unhappy with the presence of
British troops in their city.
0 After several British troops were attacked with
thrown items like rocks and oyster shells the
British troops opened fire on the crowd
0 In total 5 colonists were killed and the event was
sensationalized by men like Paul Revere to foster
further anti-British sentiment in the colonies
Declaration of Independence
1776
0 Written and issued by the 2nd Continental
Congress
0 It articulates the fundamental ideas that form
the American nation, including: “All men are
created free and equal and possess the same
inherent, natural rights.
0 It officially announces the decision of the 13
colonies to separate from Great Britain.
Tea Act/Boston Tea Party 1773
0 The Tea Act was put in place to raise revenue for the
East India Company.
0 It was not an additional tax and the tea would have
been sold at a discounted price.
0 Some felt the act was meant to support the
Townshend Act taxes.
0 Ultimately a refusal by colonists to unload the tea led
to the Boston Tea Party
0 Sons of Liberty dressed up as Native Americans and
dumped over 18,000 pounds of tea into Boston
Harbor
Battle of Saratoga 1777
0 A much needed American victory against the British.
0 After several retreats from Britain’s advance from
Canada into New England the American’s stop the
British advance.
0 Thousands of British troops and Hessian
mercenaries were captured.
0 Victory was made possible in large part due to the
breakdown of the British battle plan and a failure of
their supply lines.
0 This victory is key in gaining France as an ally, they
see that the Americans are serious and can win
Intolerable/Coercive Acts 1774
0 British response to the Boston Tea Party and
other acts of colonial unruliness
0 The British desired to regain control and
restore order in Massachusetts.
0 The Acts included provisions for the
following:
0 closing down the port of Boston
0 restricted the local governments of Massachusetts
0 made British officials immune to prosecution in
Mass.
0 required colonists to house British troops if asked
Winter at Valley Forge 1777-78
0 The low point in the struggle for Independence
0 Following two defeats and the loss of Philadelphia
Washington had to Winter at Valley Forge
0 A lack of clothing and food caused widespread
demoralization and nearly 2000 soldiers fell to
disease
0 Under Washington’s leadership however the army
made it through the winter and came out something
greater than it was.
0 Training during the winter gave them back their
pride and confidence and their mutual struggle gave
them the beginnings of an “American” identity
1st Continental Congress 1774
0 Met to show a combined authority to Great
Britain
0 They did not have a unified goal, some
wanted reconciliation and reform with
Britain, others wanted full separation.
0 All they could agree upon were the issues
they had with Britain, written in the
Declaration and Resolves, and that they
would meet again in a year if the issues
remained
Battle of Yorktown 1781
0 Taking place in Yorktown, VA this was the last
major engagement of the Revolutionary War
and effectively sealed the American’s victory
0 Using French Naval and Ground support
Washington was able to trap British General
Cornwallis
0 After a short siege during which Cornwallis
was denied escape or resupply he was forced
to surrender himself and his force of over
7000 British troops.
Battles of Lexington and Concord April, 1775
0 In response to tensions in the colonies the British decided
to seize arms caches.
0 Finding out about this Paul Revere warns militiamen in
Lexington and Concord.
0 Most of the arms had been moved before the British
arrived.
0 At Lexington 77 militiamen gathered against the 700
British troops. When ordered to surrender somebody,
nobody knows which side, fired a shot. Many shots
followed leading to the death of eight militiamen
0 When the arrived at Concord the British found hundreds
of militiamen that forced them to retreat. Thousands of
militiamen would join them and harass the British all the
way back to Charlestown Mass.
Treaty of Paris, 1783
0This document formally ended the War
for Independence and gained the
recognition of Britain that America was
independent.
0It granted America territory from the
Atlantic to the Mississippi. From the
Great Lakes to the southern border of
Georgia
nd
2
Continental Congress1775-76
0 The situation had changed for American’s since the
1st Continental Congress
0 The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle
of Bunker Hill showed British resolve and how they
would deal with the “rebels”
0 Initially the Congress is not willing to declare
independence and they issue the Olive Branch
Petition, which is ignored by King George
0 Further, after ignoring the petition George hires
Hessian mercenaries to control the colonists
0 Finally in the summer of 1776 the Congress formally
declares independence