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King George's War
This war was fought in the Northern Colonies and New France. The British took the massive fortress at Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. However, three years later under the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle Britain relinquished control of the fort back to the French. The Colonists were upset by this because they lost numerous lives seizing the fortress from the French just to have the British give it right back. OpenStax U.S. History. "Wars for Empire". -
French and Indian War
This war began in 1754 over territory in Western Pennsylvania. At the beginning of the War the French were winning. The War turned to the British due to the financial support of William PItt in 1758. The war continued for several years until 1763 when the French signed the Treaty of Paris thus ending the French presence in North America. At the end of this war there was "great rejoicing in the fort and on the vessels". "The Life of Captain David Perry" 1741-1826 -
Acts of Oppression
After the end of the French and Indian War, the British Empire tried to recover some of the money spent on the War by imposing Acts on the Colonies as a repayment for protecting them according to King George's Parliament. The Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Quartering Act, Townsend Act were some of the Acts imposed over the next few years. An Act of Parliament, passed in the Fourth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King GEORGE the Third. 1764. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred when citizens started throwing objects at British soldiers. The Bostonians insulted the soldiers which resulted in a man named Crispus Attucks being killed along with 4 others. This act by the soldiers resulted in the Sons of Liberty calling British soldiers murderers. The Boston Gazette circulated this as a "planned massacre" on March 12, 1770. "The Boston Gazette" Openstax "The Townshend Acts" fig. 2 -
The Boston Tea Party
In 1773, Britain instituted the Tea Act, this was a straightforward order of economic protectionism for a British tea firm which was on the verge of bankruptcy. The Colonies didn't like this Act because it gave the company a monopoly on all tea sold. It upset the folks so much it result in the Boston Tea Party. The Patriots dressed up like Indians and dumped tea into the Boston Harbor. OpenStax U.S. History “The Destruction of the Tea and Coercive Acts”. -
Philadelphia Convention
In 1787, the forefathers realized that the Articles of Confederation were an unsuccessful means of government. They decided to act and created the framework for the Constitution. It was done in secret for fear of the misunderstandings that the new government might mimic the old tyrannical regime of the British. It took 55 men days to think and orchestrate this marvel. OpenStax U.S. History "The Constitutional Convention and Federal Constitution" -
The Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights were used to ease the tension between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. The Anti-Federalists only voted to instate the Constitution if they guaranteed certain rights to the States and their people. The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech, religion, right to assemble among other rights. The Bill of Rights signifies the Country finally coming together as a whole and a new Nation being born. U.S Bill of Rights. archives.gov
