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events leading to the revolutionary war
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French and Indian War
This war was between the French and the British, the british colonists wanted to move to the Ohio River Valley which was the border between the French and British. When Colonists moved to the Ohio River Valley the French got angry because the colonists started trade with the indians. Britain started the war because the french wanted to be alone and the colonists just wanted to live on the valley. The colonists were fighting proudly because they thought that they would be able live on the valley. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian war. It also showed in writing that Britain got all land east of the Mississippi River, and Spain got all of the land west of the Mississippi River. The land that Spain got was France's land, but when Spain helped fight, France gave them the land that they won.The colonists were now upset because Britain would't let them live on the Ohio River without paying for protection from soldiers but nobody wanted to pay for the protection. -
Proclamation of 1763
The proclamation of 1763 prohibited colonists from moving west of the Applachin Mountains. Great Britain did this because it was to dangerous for the colonists to live west of them because there were indians and there was spanish land, and they did not want for the colonists to go into the spanish land. The colonists were very unhappy about this because they wanted to move to the Ohio River Valley, but it is west of the Appalachins so they couldn't. -
The Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was when Britain put a tax on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to the colonies, they did this because Britain needed money to help pay for the French and Iadian war because it was very expensive. Most of the colonists were okay with this because the only people that it affected was the merchants and so many of the colonists had different professions so they did not have to worry about it. -
The Writs of Assistance
This law made it to where and customs official could search any ship at any time that they wanted. Britain saw this as necessary because they wanted to make sure that there were no smuggled goods coming in and that there were taxes being paid on everything, The colonists were unhappy and saw it as an invasion of privacy. -
The Stamp Act
The Stamp Act required for all papers and or official documents to carry a stamp stating that there had been a tax paid on the paper. Britain used this tax money to once again pay for the French and Indian war, and they used it to help improve Britains Government. The colonists formed a boycott to not buy any paper because they thought that the law was outrageous and soon after the boycott the act was repealed. -
The Townshed Act
The townshed act placed a tax on all household items including bedding, sugars, spices, paper, etc. This act was created to help Britain get more money to pay off debts and to pay for other much needed things. To get the act repealed the colonists held a boycott to the stuff they didn't need like newer bedding and paper, but they had to buy sugars and spices. -
Quartering Act
Britain made a law to say that the colonists must house and supply all of the British soldiers. It saved Britain the money because not they dont have to built houses, feed, clothe, etc., so they cut costs for that.Colonists did not like the fact that the "red coats" could come in at any time and sleep in their bed, wear their clothing, eat their food, and take anything they want to take. -
The Boston Massacre
Some angry colonists confronted some British soldiers, when tensions rose shots were fired and 5 colonists were killed. British soldiers didn't know how to deal with the rioting mob, so some of the soldiers fired to get the crowd back. Samuel Adams used this event to make and anti-British feeling by calling it a massacre. It ended up to where there were two soldiers were found guilty of man slaughter and 6 soldiers were found not guilty. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts placed a law on the colonists saying that they could't hold town meetings and it closed the Port of Boston, so they could no longer trade anything. Great Britain didn't want to have to deal with anymore rebellious acts, so they prevented any town meetings, so now they would hope that all of the "rediculus" thing in their eyes would stop. The First Continental congress met, while it was against the laws, and the colonies finally began to unify. -
The Tea Act
British East India Company made the cost of tea so high that some of the colonists could not afford it, and since the colonists loved tea, they could not stand the outrageous prices. Britain put higher prices on tea because they wanted to get more money from the colonists and so they added taxes. The colonists did not like this act and resulted with the Boston Tea Party. -
The Boston Tea Party
The tea party was when The Sons Of Liberty went on to some of the trading ships and dumped over 90,000 gallons of tea into the Boston Harbor. After this event Great Britain placed more rules on the colonists including the intolerable acts. -
1st Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in the year of 1774. They met to discuss the ban of any trade to or from Britain until all of the acts were repealed. Although the colonists were not yet ready to break away and go independent, because none of them knew the lease bit of how to run a whole country. So they didn't try to be mean about it, they simply just stopped all contact/ trade with Britain. -
"Give Me Liberty" speech
Patrick Henry preformed his speech at the House of Burgesses and said "give me liberty or give me death", so he was saying that he is going to fight, and if he dies trying that is fine with him, cause he would much rather die fighting then have to live under the Britain control. In the end Britain declared war on the colonists in America. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
There were 700 british soldiers (red coats) to 70 Patroits (militiamen) that reached Lexington. This was the first battle of the Revolutionary war, and the famous world known saying for this was "shots were heard around the world" saying that about the fact that it was the first shots of the war. It also was stating that it is all going down right now, there is no going back and the things done and the things said can not be taken back now. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress met in 1775 to discuss and write the Olive Branch Petition. The Olive Branch Petition was a petition that was sent to Britain trying to get the King to repeal the intolerable acts. The start of the Revolutionary war was the result of that petition. -
Bunker Hill
The battle of Bunker Hill was fought between Britain and the Patroits. This battle was one of the battles of the Revolutionary War that was fought for American independence. They said "don't fire until you can see the whites of their eyeballs" theey said this so that they could make sure that it was an accurate shot and that they could kill as many people as possible. Though the Patroits put up a good fight the British out numbered them and won the battle, but they had over 1400 casualties. -
Common Sense Published
Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine in 1776. This pamphlet was written to inform colonists and to persuade colonists of why they need to break free from Birtain. It was also written to increase public support of American independence. -
Battle of New York
The Battle of New York was because the British wanted New York because it was like the central unit of the colonies, like it is today; everyone wants to go to New York nowdays, well so did Britain, but they wanted more than just to go, they wanted to own it. The British attacked General Washington's army, and inflicted lots of deaths, but he himself avoided being captured. After the British got New York they did not give it up, and they occupied it for the rest of the Revolutionary war. -
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, who had the rough draft written in just a couple of days. It was declaring American independence, and it was also written based on the phiosophy of John Locke which talked about unalienable rights. It was based on life, liberty, and the persuit of happieness for the colonists. -
The Bettle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton was when the colonists were upset because the British had pushed them out of New York so they retalliated by starting and winning the battle of Trenton. Washington had 2,400 troops, to where the hessians had 1,400 so Washington already had them beat.Washington and his men planned to cross the Deleware River at 3 different points, so that they could just go in and surround them, and then beat them right then and there. -
The Battle of Princeton
The Battle of PRinceton took place in New Jersey, and was won by the Colonists and Americans. George Washington and his troops went in and within 8 days he had defeated the whole British Army in that area with out loosing a single man. -
The Battle of Ticonderoga
The Ticonderoga Fort was a fort built by the French, and the Battle was by and partially over the fort, the fort was built during the French and Indian war. The battle was won by the British and the colonists lost the fort entirely. The British now had a place to keep their artillery and anything else, and the colonists had left a little bit of artillary there, in the fort when they surrendered. -
Battle of Saratoga
The Battle of Saratoga was won by the Patroits when general Burgoyne (british) lead his troops to try to cut off George Washington. This plan did not work and he ended up having to surrender his entire army when general George surrounded Burgoyne and his troops.the American Patroits had won the battle. This is also the battle of which France and Spain joined in to help the Patroits. -
Winter at Valley Forge
The Winter at Valley Forge was terrible for the Continental Army, because they didn't have much food, most people had very little of the clothing they started with, they had little supplies, and it was so cold that they couldn't do much. On top of this they didn't have very much gunpowder left over, so they didn't have the supplies for if someone came to attack. Also, they had people dying of disease and frostbite, and there was nothing that they could do about it and they were loosing troops le -
The Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown consisted of 8,800 Americans, and 7,800 Hessians and British, the battle was fought in Virginia, and won by the Americans/French/ Spanish. Cornwallis had lost the Carolinas, but did conquere Yorktown. Afterall, Cornwallis had still lost the war though, and the Americans had won -
The Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was a Treaty to end the whole Revolutionary war, it was signed in Paris, that is why it is the Treaty of Paris. The Treaty of Paris stated that Britain had to recognize the Colonies as their own country and the Patroits had to return the land that they conquered back to the loyalists, and the loyalists had to return the land they conquered to the Patroits.
