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French and Indian War
It was a series of colonial wars that were fought between the colonies of British America and those of New France. Some causes of this war were land competition in the new world, control of trade routes, alliances with natives, other wars being fought in Europe and traditional enemies. This was also called the seven years war, but it spanned from 1754-1763.
Effects
1.) Ben Franklin proposed the "Albany Plan Of Union." which was rejected.
2.) The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the War. -
1st Quartering Act
The Quartering Act of 1765 required American colonists to house British soldiers in barracks provided by the colonies. If they could not all stay in the barracks, colonists were required to house and feed the British soldiers.
Effects
1.) Americans resented the Quartering Act, not just because they had to house and feed the British soldiers, but also because they had to pay taxes for provisions and barracks for the British Army. -
Townshend Acts
A series of Acts passed in 1767 by the British Parliament that taxed goods imported to the American colonies. They placed new taxes and took away some freedoms of the colonists such as, taxes on imports of paper, paint, lead, glass and tea. Charles Townshend believed they would accept the indirect taxes.
Effects
1.) Early taxation attempts were protested in the colonies because of a in-just process called, "Taxation without representation." These new taxes just further angered the colonists. -
Boston Massacre
It was a confrontation between the Patriots and British troops in which 5 colonists died. The Patriots were protesting the occupation of their city by the British troops, whom were sent to Boston to enforce the taxation measures the British Parliament passed without American representation.
Effects
1.) The British soldiers cause chaos by firing at the colonists, citizens were brawling in the streets of Boston.
2.) The colonists are even angrier than before, they are now determined to be free. -
Tea Act
This was a tax on tea imported to the colonies. The British East India Company was in danger of Bankruptcy due to fierce competition with the Dutch. In an effort to save the company, they passed the Tea Act, granting them the sole right to sell tea to the colonies, or a "Monopoly."
Effects
1.) The Sons of Liberty Assemble to react.
2.) The Boston Tea Party occurs, 342 chests of tea are dumped in the Boston harbor, causes $1-3 million damage.
3.) The King is angry, wants to punish those involved. -
The Continental Association
The First Continental Congress adopted The Articles of Association in 1774, The Continental Association was the prohibition of trade with Britain. Even though it made a handful of exceptions to this prohibition, it prohibited import, consumption, and export of goods with the British. It established citizen committees to enforce the act throughout the colonies.
Effects
1.) A Boycott of all British goods, economically sanctioning them.
2.) This would hurt Britain and the colonies economically. -
Intolerable Acts
The 5 Acts were the Boston Port Act: closing the Boston Harbor, the MA. Government Act: For better regulating the MA. government, the Justice Act: Allowing trials of MA. government members to be moved to GB., the Quebec Act: Expanding Quebec south of the Ohio Valley, and the 2nd Quartering Act.
Effects
1.) The colonists felt these acts took away some of their basic freedoms. In many ways, these acts helped to unite the colonies and pushed them one step closer to revolution.
2.) Cont. Congress! -
Lexington and Concord
The British heard of a Militia called the, "Minutemen" being formed in MA. The King reacted by sending the British Army from Boston to capture leaders Sam Adams and John Hancock in Lexington and seize munitions and weapons in Concord. The colonists knew they were coming due to a spy network warning them the British were coming. The first shots of the war are fired, or the, "shot heard 'round the world."
Effects
1.) United states gains morale boost.
2.) 2nd Cont. Congress! -
The Battle of Bunker Hill
This was a famous battle fought during the siege of Boston in the beginning of the Revolutionary War. The battle was actually mainly fought on nearby Breed's Hill. The British defeated the Americans, but despite their loss, the Minutemen lead by Cl. William Prescott inflicted significant casualties against the British, here Prescott said the famous phrase, "Don’t fire until you see the whites of their eyes!”
Effects
1.) The colonists got a big morale boost due to the # of deaths they inflicted. -
Declaration of Independence
The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 4, 1776. Authored by Thomas Jefferson, the main purpose of the Declaration of Independence was to explain to foreign nations the American mind and why the colonies had chosen to separate themselves from Great Britain. Everyone signed this except John Dickinson.
Effects
1.) This granted the colonies independence from Great Britain.
