⚔️ The War for Independence

What is the Stamp Act?

A tax on the American colonies, imposed by the British Empire. It required a tax on all printed materials, which affected newspapers, legal documents, and pamphlets.

When was the Stamp Act?

1675

What was the reaction from the colonies?

They organized boycotts, protests, and formed groups like the Sons of Liberty to resist British policies.

How did the British Empire respond?

The British Parliament ignored the protests and continued to impose taxes, including a tea tax

What is the Boston Tea Party?

Colonists dumped the tea into the Boston Harbor

When was the Boston Tea Party?

1773

How did the British Parliament respond to the Boston Tea Party?

British Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts, limiting self-government in Massachusetts

What are the Intolerable Acts?

A series of four laws passed by the British Parliament to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party.

When was the Intolerable Acts?

1774

How did the colonies respond to the Intolerable Acts?

The Committees of Correspondence was formed as a shadow government, which set up the First Continental Congress to petition against the Intolerable Acts

What are the Committees of Correspondence?

A way for the American colonists to communicate to share ideas and discuss plans for gaining independence from Britain

When was the Committees of Correspondence establish?

1772

How did the British Parliament react to the Committees of Correspondence?

Declaring members of the congress to be traitors

When was the Second Continental Congress held? What did they do?

1775, organized an army, naming George Washington as commander

The main goal of the Second Continental Congress was to secure...

a redress of grievances

When did the colonies adopt the Declaration of Independence?

1776

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson

What was the Declaration of Independence about?

It listed grievances against King George III and asserted the natural and legal rights of the colonists

When was the American Revolutionary War?

1775-1783

What battle started the American Revolutionary War?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord

What countries supported the American colonies in the Battles of Lexington and Concord?

France, Spain, and the Netherlands

What country entered the war as an American ally in 1778?

France

Why was the French involvement considered a turning point in the war?

Because the French were victorious in the Battle of the Chesapeake and Battle of Yorktown in 1781, forcing the British into treaty talks and ending the war.

What two battles were the French involved in that forced the British into treaty talks?

The Battle of Chesapeake and Battle of Yorktown in 1781

Why was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the war?

The American victory convinced France that the Patriots had a real chance of winning, leading France to provide military and financial support.

What officially ended the war and declared the US to be a sovereign nation?

The Treaty of Paris 1783

When was the Treaty of Paris signed?

September 3, 1783

What is the Treaty of Paris and why was it important?

The Treaty of Paris was signed by U.S. and British, ending the War of the American Revolution.

Why was the Treaty of Paris important?

The agreement recognized U.S. independence and granted the U.S. significant western territory.

How did the war impact the economy and labor systems in the North and South?

The North moved toward paid labor

How did the war impact the economy and labor systems in the South?

The South continued to rely on slavery.