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French and Indian War Begins
A dispute over who owned the Ohio River Valley led to a war between the French (with their Native American allies) and the British. The 13 colonies supplied troops for Britain. -
Albany Congress
This gathering marked the first time the 13 colonies worked together. Originally, the congress was just supposed to discuss the French and Indian War and plan ways to defend the colonies. However, Ben Franklin then proposed the Albany Plan of Union. This plan would unite the colonies under one leader - a President that was selected by the king. Although the Congress agreed to this plan, the individual colonies later rejected it. -
Stamp Act
The Stamp Act placed a tax on all paper goods. It was created to raise money to help pay off the debt from the French and Indian War. -
Stamp Act Congress
This was the second time the colonies came together to discuss a problem. Only 9 colonies attended - Virginia, New Hampshire, and Georgia did not go. The Stamp Act Congress signed petitions protesting the Stamp Act. This alarmed England. They were worried about the sudden cooperation between the colonies. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was a response to the Tea Act of 1773. Colonists were upset that they were only allowed to buy tea from the East India Company. They threw $1.5 million worth of tea in Boston Harbor in protest. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable ACts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were created to punish Boston for the Tea Party. The new laws cut Boston off from the rest of the colonies, disbanded their government, and ended town meetings. -
First Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress was formed in response to the Intolerable Acts. For a third time, the colonies came together to discuss a common problem - the British. Representatives from 12 colonies agreed to boycott (not buy) British goods and to send a list of their complaints to the king of England. Georgia did not attend. -
Battle of Lexington and Concord
This was the first military battle of the Revolutionary War. A small group of Patriots fought British soldiers in Massachusetts. The Patriots were trying to stop the BRitish from destroying the colonist's supply of guns and ammo. -
Second Continental Congress
Once fighting broke out between the Patriots (Colonists) and the British, all 13 colonies met in Philadelphia. They attempted to negotiate peace with Britain (The Olive Branch petition). When that didn't work, the 2nd Continental Congress created the Declaration of Independence and broke away from Britain. The 2nd Continental Congress served as the American government until the end of the Revolutionary War.
