Events Leading Up To The Revolutionary War

French and Indian War

A 9-year conflict between Great Britain and its colonies, along with Native American allies, against France and its Native American allies.

Treaty of Paris

The treaty signed on February 10, 1763, that ended the French and Indian War, resulting in France losing all land in North America.

Proclamation Line of 1763

An imaginary line along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains forbidding colonists from moving west to protect Native Americans.

Stamp Act

A direct tax imposed on colonists for legal documents, newspapers, and other items requiring a stamp to show tax payment.

Boston Tea Party

A protest on December 16, 1773, where colonists, dressed as Mohawks, dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor.

Sons of Liberty

An organization of colonists that protested British taxation and other acts through boycotts and displays of effigies.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor and restricting town meetings.

First Continental Congress

A gathering of delegates from 12 colonies (excluding Georgia) in Philadelphia to discuss resistance against British policies.

Crispus Attucks

Known as the first casualty of the Revolutionary War, he was killed during the Boston Massacre.

Minutemen

Colonial militia members who were prepared to fight at a moment’s notice.

Townshend Act

A series of acts that taxed imports like glass, paper, and tea, leading to protests by colonists.

George Washington

The bold young leader who led Virginia colonial troops and had to surrender at Fort Necessity.

Effigy

A doll figure representing tax collectors or hated British officials, often used in protests.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British government during the American Revolution.

Propaganda

Information spread to influence public opinion and support a cause.

Albany Plan

Benjamin Franklin's proposal to unite the colonies under one government and create an alliance with Native Americans.

Boston Massacre

The event on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers shot into a crowd of colonists, killing five, including Crispus Attucks.

Quartering Act

An act that required colonial residents to provide housing for British soldiers.

Tea Act

An act that allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to colonists, undermining colonial tea merchants.

Rebellion

The rejection of British authority by the colonists, ultimately leading to the American Revolutionary War.

Effigy

A crudely made figure representing a hated person, often used for protest.

Revenue

Income, especially that generated by taxation.

Boycott

A refusal to buy or use certain goods and services as a form of protest.

Resolution

A formal expression of opinion or decision made by a group.

Writs of Assistance

Legal documents that gave British customs officials the authority to search for smuggled goods.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

The first military engagements of the Revolutionary War, marked by the phrase 'the shot heard 'round the world.'

Bunker Hill

The first major battle of the American Revolutionary War, fought on June 17, 1775, where colonial forces suffered heavy losses but proved they could stand up to the British army.

Treaty of Paris 1783

The treaty that formally ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized the independence of the United States.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine published in 1776 that argued for American independence from Britain.

Declaration of Independence

The document adopted on July 4, 1776, declaring the thirteen American colonies independent from British rule.

Lexington and Concord

The first battles of the American Revolutionary War, known for the phrase 'the shot heard 'round the world'.

Continental Army

The army formed by the colonies in 1775 to fight against British rule during the Revolutionary War.

Patriots

Colonists who fought for independence from Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War.

Saratoga

The turning point battle in 1777 that resulted in a major victory for the American forces and secured French support for the Revolution.

Valley Forge

The site where the Continental Army spent a harsh winter in 1777-1778, gaining resilience and training under George Washington.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781, which created a weak federal government.

Sugar Act

A law passed in 1764 that aimed to tax sugar and molasses imported into the colonies, leading to widespread resentment.

Declaratory Act

An act passed in 1766 affirming Parliament's authority to legislate for the colonies 'in all cases whatsoever'.

Gaspee Affair

An event in 1772 where colonists burned a British customs ship, the Gaspee, in protest against trade regulations.

First Continental Congress

The 1774 gathering of delegates from twelve colonies to discuss a response to the Intolerable Acts.

Second Continental Congress

The assembly of representatives from the colonies that convened in 1775, eventually leading to the Declaration of Independence.

Treaty of Alliance (1778)

The agreement between the United States and France, where France promised military support for American independence.

Shay's Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 by farmers in Massachusetts protesting economic injustices, leading to calls for a stronger federal government.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and explain its principles.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing individual freedoms and rights.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 protest against the federal government's tax on whiskey, demonstrating the challenges of the new government.