-
Proclamation of 1763
Prevented colonists from moving past the Appalachian Mountains unless allowed by the king. Allowed the British government to control expansion. Soldiers were put in the colonies to keep said proclamation in place. Colonists felt both these things were limitation on their rights. -
Period: to
The chain of events that caused the Revolution
-
The Stamp Act
Parliament passed another law to try to raise money. The law, the Stamp Act, put a tax on nearly every printed material. The Stamp Act made colonists convinced action was needed. They retaliated through burning effigies and raiding royal officials, this being done by people in groups called "Sons of Liberty". -
Townshend Acts
Townshend Acts replaced Stamp Act to calm colonists. Townshend Acts were put into effect at the ports and were placed on simple trading goods, like glass. Colonists were outraged by the Townshend Acts. Sons of Liberty resurfaced, now with Daughters of liberty too. -
Trouble in Boston
Protests like the Liberty affair scared British officials that were in the colonies. Customs officers sent word to Britain that the colonies were ready to rebel. Parliament sent 2 regiments of troops to Boston. The soldiers were very rude in the fact that they would steal goods from local shops or fought with kids that taunted them in the streets. -
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was caused by colonist hatred towards British soldiers. Colonists used any weapons able to be found to attack the customs house. Soldiers shot the colonists, and killed 5. Colonists used this opportunity to claim the British killed innocent people. -
The Boston Tea Party
Tea Act passed earlier in the year angered colonists. when 3 tea ships arrived in Boston Harbor, the royal governor refused to allow the ships to turn back. At night, the Sons of Liberty in Boston went on the ships and threw 342 chests of tea in the water. Britain passed the Coercive acts as retaliation. Colonists ignore the acts. -
The Intolerable Acts
Parilament passed the Coercive Acts to punish the people of Massachusetts for resisting. It closed Boston Harbor until Massachusetts paid for the ruined tea from the Boston Tea Party. Colonists also had to shelter soldiers in their own homes. Colonies sent supplies to Boston to ignore this issue. The Quebec Act gave permission for a permanent government in Quebec for the French and religious freedom to French Catholics as well. -
The Continental Congress is Formed
55 men from all colonies except Georgia arrived in the town of Philadelphia, forming the Continental Congress, to get more freedom for colonists, such as repealing 13 acts of Parliament passed since 1763. They approved the Suffolk Resolves, which meant people of Suffolk County were armed. This led to war against the British. -
Britain Sends Troops
King George told Parliament that the colonies were rebelling and that a fight had to ensue to decide who would control America. Sir Thomas Gage sent several thousand soldiers under his command around Boston, with even more on the way. Gage was to take the weapons of the Massachusetts militia. He learned that they were in Concord, thus leading to the battles of Lexington and Concord. -
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The redcoats approached Lexington at dawn, and when they reached the town center, 70 minutemen were waiting for them. After the leading redcoat told the minutemen to "throw down your arms, ye villains, ye rebels.", there were many shots fired, in which 8 minutemen were killed. At Concord little supplies were left, but remaining supplies were destroyed. As the redcoats left Concord to march to Boston, 174 were wounded and 73 were killed by colonists.