Act and Events Leading to the American Revolution

Pontiac’s Rebellion: Indian Revolts against British forts and American settlers in response to settlers claiming Native American lands.

Great Britain’s 2 main problems after the war: maintain peace with the Indians and war debt. He decided to tax the colonists.

Proclamation of 1763: colonists (forbade) could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act: placed tax on sugar, molasses and other products

Quartering Act: colonists were to provide food and shelter for the British colonists.

Stamp Act: placed taxes on all legal documents (wills, contracts) newspaper, playing cards, dice

Stamp Act of Congress 1765: the first colonists meeting to discuss protest of the Stamp Act. Colonists decided to boycott British goods.

Sons of Liberty: headed by Samuel Adams - a group of men who formed secretly to oppose British policies.

King George III: King of Britain prior and during the American Revolution.

James Otis: a lawyer who believed that the colonists should not be taxed because they were not represented in Parliament. Is famous quote “ No taxation without representation”

Samuel Adams: leader of the Sons of Liberty who urged colonists to resist British control.

Townshend Acts: placed import taxes on glass, paper, paint and tea.

Writs of Assistance: search warrants to look for smuggled goods

Committees of Correspondence: 1772: A committee in which its members often

wrote letters or pamphlets reporting to other colonies on events

Boston Massacre: a conflict between the colonists and British soldiers which led to the killing of 5 colonists

Crispus Attucks: African American killed by the British in the Boston Massacre

Tea Act: gave the British East India Tea Company the ability to sell tea at a lower price than those paid for smuggled goods.

Boston Tea Party: a group of colonists that disguised themselves as Indians and dumped 342 chests of tea in the ocean.

Intolerable Acts: -closed the ports of Boston -British officers would be tried in Britain-Colonists could not hold town meetings -Quartering Act was enforced

Patrick Henry: inspired colonists to take action against the British. His famous quote, “Give me Liberty, or give me Death!”

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Before the American Revolution:

American Revolution: a war between the 13 colonies and Britain (1776-1783) in which the colonists won their independence from Great Britain.

Causes of the American Revolution: England’s neglect of the colonies, taxation, limitations of individual rights, and trade restrictions.

Paul Revere and William Dawes 1775: Revere and Dawes rode to Lexington by different routes waking up minute men letting them know that the British were coming.

Battle of Lexington and Concord 1775: 1st battles of the American Revolution

Second Continental Congress 1775 a meeting of colonial delegates in which it was decided to set up a Continental Army (army of the colonies) and named George Washington as its leader.

Olive Branch Petition: colonists asked the king to restore harmony between Britain and the colonies. It was the last attempt at peace. King rejected the petition.

Thomas Paine: wrote “Common Sense” a pamphlet which urged colonists to fight for independence. He also wrote “The Crisis” which urged the colonial soldiers not to give up and continue fighting for independence.

Abigail Adams: wife of John Adams and mother of Samuel Adams; she was a pioneer of women’s rights

Declaration of Independence: a document adopted on July 4, 1776 establishing the 13 colonies as a nation independent from Great Britain.

Unalienable Rights: Rights that Thomas Jefferson named in the Declaration of Independence; they are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These rights cannot be taken away by the government.

Loyalists: colonists who ARE loyal to the King

Patriots: colonists who want to fight for their freedom

Thomas Jefferson: author of the Declaration of Independence************************************************************************************

American Revolutionary War Battles

Battle of Lexington and Concord 1775: 1st battles of the American Revolution. It is also known as the “Shot Heard around the World”

Battle of Saratoga: 1777: This battle was a turning point in the war, in which the Patriots won. France and Spain realized that the colonist could win the war and decided to aid or help them in defeating Britain.

Valley Forge: 1777-78: the lowest point of the Revolutionary War Thousands of soldiers died from starvation and disease

Battle of Yorktown: 1781; the battle that ended the Revolutionary War in which Cornwallis surrendered and the Americans won the war.

John Paul Jones: a naval hero who won the most famous sea battle of the war. His famous quote was “I have not yet begun to fight”

George Washington: the commander of the Continental Army who later became the 1st President of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin: helped convinced France to help in the American Revolution.

Thomas Paine: wrote “The Crisis” which urged the colonial soldiers not to give up and continue fighting for independence.

General Cornwallis: British General who surrendered at Yorktown

Treaty of Paris 1783: officially ended the America Revolution. 1. Americans were independent 2. Americans gained all land west of the Mississippi River except Florida.

(British delegation representing King George III refused to show and so painting was never completed)

The Americans’ Advantages: - had better leadership- received help from foreign countries (France, Spain)- fought on American soil and they knew the land better than the British - they were motivated to fight for their freedom