The Sugar Act of 1764, also known as the American Revenue Act or the Plantation Act, was a piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament on April 5, 1764.
The Stamp Act of 1765 was an unfortunate piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament that significantly strained relations between Britain and its American colonies, setting the stage for the American Revolution.
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1767, aimed at raising revenue from the American colonies and tightening control over colonial trade.
The Boston Massacre was an instrumental event that took place on March 5, 1770, in Boston, Massachusetts, during the lead-up to the American Revolution.
The Tea Act of 1773 was a significant piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament that played a key role in escalating tensions leading up to the American Revolution.
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the American colonists against British taxation policies, specifically the Tea Act of 1773, which they viewed as a violation of their rights.
The Boston Port Act, passed by the British Parliament on March 31, 1774, was one of the Coercive Acts (known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies) aimed at punishing Boston and the Massachusetts colony for the Boston Tea Party.
The Massachusetts Government Act, passed by the British Parliament on May 20, 1774, was one of the so-called Intolerable Acts (or Coercive Acts) aimed at punishing the American colonies—particularly Massachusetts—for acts of defiance like the Boston Tea Party in December 1773.
The stated intent of the Administration of Justice Act was to ensure "the impartial administration of justice" for British officials accused of capital offenses while enforcing the law or suppressing unrest in Massachusetts.
The Quartering Act, part of the Coercive Acts (known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies), refers to a series of laws passed by the British Parliament that required American colonists to provide housing, food, and other provisions to British troops stationed in the colonies.
The First Continental Congress was a critical gathering of colonial leaders that took place from September 5 to October 26, 1774, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Patrick Henry, a lawyer and fiery orator known for his opposition to British tyranny (he’d earlier argued against the Stamp Act in 1765), rose to speak in the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775.
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, marked the opening shots of the American Revolutionary War.
The Siege of Boston began after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, lasting from April 19, 1775 to March 17, 1776.
The Second Continental Congress was a momentous gathering of delegates from the Thirteen American Colonies that convened on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shortly after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War.
On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress officially voted to establish the Continental Army, marking the first step toward a unified colonial military.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was a significant early engagement of the American Revolutionary War, fought on June 17, 1775, primarily on and around Breed's Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, near Boston.
The Olive Branch Petition as adopted by the Second Congress on July 5, 1775 as a final attempt to avoid a full-scale war with Great Britain.
The Proclamation of Rebellion, formally titled "A Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition," was issued by King George III of Great Britain on August 23, 1775.
Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, was first published on January 10, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the early stages of the American Revolution.
The fortification of Dorchester Heights was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution, occurring during the Siege of Boston in early March 1776.
The British evacuation of Boston, which occurred on March 17, 1776, was a significant event during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War.
The Resolution for Independence, also known as the Lee Resolution, was a decisive moment in American history, marking the formal decision by the Second Continental Congress to declare independence from British rule.
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most pivotal documents in American history, adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution.
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn, was a significant engagement in the American Revolutionary War.
Washington's crossing of the Delaware River is one of the most iconic moments of the American Revolutionary War.
The Battle of Trenton was fought on December 26, 1776. It took place in Trenton, New Jersey, where the British stationed a garrison of about 1,500 Hessian mercenaries (German troops hired by the British).
The Battle of Princeton, fought on January 3, 1777, was a pivotal engagement during the American Revolutionary War.
The Marquis de Lafayette, whose real name was Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, was granted a commission as a major general by the Continental Congress on July 31, 1777.
The Battle of Saratoga was a pivotal engagement during the American Revolutionary War, fought in 1777 in upstate New York.
The Articles of Confederation were essentially the first attempt at a national government for the United States, drafted during the American Revolution to unify the thirteen colonies in their fight against British rule.
George Washington’s army’s stay at Valley Forge from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778, was a defining chapter in the Revolutionary War, marked by struggle, resilience, and transformation.
France officially entered the war after the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777.
The Battle of Monmouth, fought on June 28, 1778, was a significant engagement during the American Revolutionary War.
In 1780, King Louis XVI appointed Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, as commander of the Expédition Particulière—a force of approximately 5,500 to 7,000 French troops.
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval engagement during the American Revolutionary War.
The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, was a decisive engagement of the American Revolutionary War.
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 was an agreement that formally ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States, along with its allies, France and Spain.
George Washington's resignation of his military commission was an instrumental moment in American history, often celebrated as an act of selfless leadership and a foundational step in establishing civilian control over the military.
Shay's Rebellion was an armed uprising in Western Massachusetts that took place from 1786 to 1787, led primarily by Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran.
The Annapolis Convention, held from September 11-14, 1786, in Annapolis, Maryland, was an important yet often overlooked event in early American history.
The U.S. Constitution was drafted during the Constitution Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May 25 to September 17, 1787.
The Constitution wasn’t effective until it was ratified by the states. Article VII of the Constitution specified that it would take effect once nine of the thirteen states approved it through special ratifying conventions, rather than state legislatures.
George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, in New York City, which was then the nation's capital.
The Bill of Rights refers to the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791.
April 5, 1764
The Sugar Act of 1764, also known as the American Revenue Act or the Plantation Act, was a piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament on April 5, 1764. It was designed to raise revenue from the American colonies and regulate trade, reflecting Britain’s efforts to tighten control over its colonial economy after the expensive Seven Years’ War (1756–1763). The act amended the earlier Molasses Act of 1733, which had imposed a tax on molasses but was widely evaded through smuggling.
March 22, 1765
The Stamp Act of 1765 was an unfortunate piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament that significantly strained relations between Britain and its American colonies, setting the stage for the American Revolution. It required American colonists to pay a tax on the use of printed materials—legal documents, licenses, newspapers, and even playing cards and dice—by mandating that these items bear a tax stamp. This was a direct tax, meaning it was imposed explicitly on the colonists rather than being hidden in trade duties.
June 29, 1767
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1767, aimed at raising revenue from the American colonies and tightening control over colonial trade. They were named after Charles Townshend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who proposed them. These acts came in the wake of growing tensions between Britain and the colonies, particularly after the repeal of the Stamp Act in 1766, which had sparked widespread protests.
March 5, 1770
The Boston Massacre was an instrumental event that took place on March 5, 1770, in Boston, Massachusetts, during the lead-up to the American Revolution. It was a violent confrontation between British soldiers and a colonial crowd that resulted in the deaths of five civilians, amplifying tensions between the American colonies and British authorities.
May 10, 1773
The Tea Act of 1773 was a significant piece of legislation passed by the British Parliament that played a key role in escalating tensions leading up to the American Revolution. It wasn’t a tax in the traditional sense, but rather a measure designed to rescue the financially troubled British East India Company and reinforce British control over colonial trade.
December 16, 1773
The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the American colonists against British taxation policies, specifically the Tea Act of 1773, which they viewed as a violation of their rights. On the night of December 16, 1773, a group of colonists, organized by the Sons of Liberty—a secret revolutionary group—took action. Led by figures like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, about 60 men (some disguised as Mohawk Indians to hide their identities and symbolize American liberty) boarded three British ships docked in Boston Harbor: the Dartmouth, the Eleanor, and the Beaver. Over the course of three hours, they dumped 342 chests of tea—roughly 92,000 pounds, worth about £10,000 (millions in today’s dollars)—into the harbor. The tea was destroyed to send a clear message: the colonists would not accept Britain’s taxation policies or economic manipulation.
March 31, 1774
The Boston Port Act, passed by the British Parliament on March 31, 1774, was one of the Coercive Acts (known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies) aimed at punishing Boston and the Massachusetts colony for the Boston Tea Party. This event, which occurred on December 16, 1773, saw American colonists, protesting British taxation policies, dump 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor, an act of defiance against the Tea Act of 1773.
May 20, 1774
The Massachusetts Government Act, passed by the British Parliament on May 20, 1774, was one of the so-called Intolerable Acts (or Coercive Acts) aimed at punishing the American colonies—particularly Massachusetts—for acts of defiance like the Boston Tea Party in December 1773. It fundamentally altered the colonial government of Massachusetts, aiming to tighten British control.
May 20, 1774
The stated intent of the Administration of Justice Act was to ensure \"the impartial administration of justice\" for British officials accused of capital offenses while enforcing the law or suppressing unrest in Massachusetts. This is was one of the Coercive Acts (known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies), and was passed the same day as the Massachussets Government Act.
June 2, 1774
The Quartering Act, part of the Coercive Acts (known as the Intolerable Acts in the American colonies), refers to a series of laws passed by the British Parliament that required American colonists to provide housing, food, and other provisions to British troops stationed in the colonies. There were two significant Quartering Acts during the period leading up to and during the American Revolution: one in 1765 and another in 1774. These acts played a key role in escalating tensions between the colonists and the British government, contributing to the revolutionary sentiment.
September 5, 1774
The First Continental Congress was a critical gathering of colonial leaders that took place from September 5 to October 26, 1774, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was convened in response to escalating tensions between the American colonies and the British government, particularly following the passage of the Coercive Acts (also known as the Intolerable Acts) earlier that year.
March 23, 1775
Patrick Henry, a lawyer and fiery orator known for his opposition to British tyranny (he’d earlier argued against the Stamp Act in 1765), rose to speak in the Second Virginia Convention on March 23, 1775. His audience included future giants like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and the stakes were high—many still hoped for reconciliation with Britain, while others, like Henry, saw war as inevitable.
April 19, 1775
The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought on April 19, 1775, marked the opening shots of the American Revolutionary War. These clashes between British troops and colonial militia in Massachusetts ignited a conflict that would ultimately lead to American independence.
April 19, 1775
The Siege of Boston began after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, lasting from April 19, 1775 to March 17, 1776. The colonial militia forces surrounded the city of Boston, effectively trapping the British army inside.
May 10, 1775
The Second Continental Congress was a momentous gathering of delegates from the Thirteen American Colonies that convened on May 10, 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shortly after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. It succeeded the First Continental Congress, which had met briefly in 1774 to address colonial grievances against British policies. The Second Congress functioned as the de facto national government of the colonies during the early stages of the war, managing the colonial war effort, raising armies, and eventually declaring independence from Britain.
June 14, 1775
On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress officially voted to establish the Continental Army, marking the first step toward a unified colonial military. The resolution called for raising ten companies of riflemen from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia to join the militia forces already gathered around Boston. This new army was to be funded and directed by the Congress, distinguishing it from the individual colonial militias.
June 17, 1775
The Battle of Bunker Hill was a significant early engagement of the American Revolutionary War, fought on June 17, 1775, primarily on and around Breed's Hill in Charlestown, Massachusetts, near Boston. Despite its name, most of the fighting occurred on Breed's Hill, though it’s historically referred to as Bunker Hill due to the original colonial plan of fortifiying Bunker Hill due to its higher elevation.
July 5, 1775
The Olive Branch Petition as adopted by the Second Congress on July 5, 1775 as a final attempt to avoid a full-scale war with Great Britain. It was direct appeal to King George III, professing loyalty to the Crown and requesting his intervention to halt the growing conflict. The petition asked the king to repeal the Coercive Acts (known as the Intolerable Acts in the colonies) and to negotiate a peaceful resolution.
August 23, 1775
The Proclamation of Rebellion, formally titled \"A Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition,\" was issued by King George III of Great Britain on August 23, 1775. It can be considered a direct response to the Olive Branch Petition sent by the Second Continental Congress.
January 10, 1776
Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, was first published on January 10, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the early stages of the American Revolution. It’s one of the most influential pamphlets in American history, credited with galvanizing public opinion toward independence from British rule.
March 4, 1776
The fortification of Dorchester Heights was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution, occurring during the Siege of Boston in early March 1776. On the night of March 4, the Americans clandestinely placed artillery and erected defenses that it forced the British to evacuate Boston.
March 17, 1776
The British evacuation of Boston, which occurred on March 17, 1776, was a significant event during the early stages of the American Revolutionary War. It marked the end of an 11-month siege by American colonial forces, led by George Washington, and forced the British army, under General William Howe, to abandon the city.
June 7, 1776
The Resolution for Independence, also known as the Lee Resolution, was a decisive moment in American history, marking the formal decision by the Second Continental Congress to declare independence from British rule.
July 4, 1776
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most pivotal documents in American history, adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution. It marked the formal assertion by the thirteen American colonies that they were no longer subject to British rule, establishing themselves as independent states united under a new nation—the United States of America.
August 27, 1776
The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn, was a significant engagement in the American Revolutionary War. It took place on August 27, 1776, in what is now Brooklyn, New York, and was the first major battle fought after the United States declared independence from Britain on July 4, 1776.
December 25, 1776
Washington's crossing of the Delaware River is one of the most iconic moments of the American Revolutionary War. It took place on the night of December 25–26, 1776, when General George Washington led a surprise attack against Hessian forces stationed in Trenton, New Jersey. This daring move came at a critical juncture in the war, when morale among the Continental Army was low, enlistments were dwindling, and the American cause seemed on the brink of collapse.
December 26, 1776
The Battle of Trenton was fought on December 26, 1776. It took place in Trenton, New Jersey, where the British stationed a garrison of about 1,500 Hessian mercenaries (German troops hired by the British). The battle began at around 8:00 am, after Washington and his army crossed the Delaware River from Pennsylvania to New Jersey.
January 3, 1777
The Battle of Princeton, fought on January 3, 1777, was a pivotal engagement during the American Revolutionary War. It followed George Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River and the victory at Trenton, marking a crucial moment in the campaign to regain momentum for the Continental Army after a series of setbacks.
July 31, 1777
The Marquis de Lafayette, whose real name was Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, was granted a commission as a major general by the Continental Congress on July 31, 1777. Lafayette, a young French nobleman, played a significant role in the American Revolution after receiving a commission as a major general in the Continental Army.
September 19, 1777
The Battle of Saratoga was a pivotal engagement during the American Revolutionary War, fought in 1777 in upstate New York. It’s often considered a turning point in the conflict because it convinced France to formally ally with the American colonies against Britain, significantly boosting the Patriot cause. Technically, it wasn’t a single battle but a series of clashes, primarily two key ones, known collectively as the Saratoga campaign.
November 15, 1777
The Articles of Confederation were essentially the first attempt at a national government for the United States, drafted during the American Revolution to unify the thirteen colonies in their fight against British rule. They were adopted by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, but didn’t fully take effect until March 1, 1781, after all states ratified them.
December 19, 1777
George Washington’s army’s stay at Valley Forge from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778, was a defining chapter in the Revolutionary War, marked by struggle, resilience, and transformation. After losing Philadelphia to the British under General William Howe in September 1777, Washington needed a winter base to keep his army intact while staying close enough to harass British foraging parties. Valley Forge, with its rolling hills and proximity to the Schuylkill River, offered a natural defensive position about 20 miles from Philadelphia.
February 6, 1778
France officially entered the war after the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777, which convinced King Louis XVI and his foreign minister, Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, that the Americans had a real chance of winning. On February 6, 1778, France and the United States signed two key treaties: Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and Treaty of Alliance.
June 28, 1778
The Battle of Monmouth, fought on June 28, 1778, was a significant engagement during the American Revolutionary War. It took place in Monmouth County, New Jersey, near the town of Freehold, and is notable for being one of the largest battles of the war in terms of troop numbers involved.
July 10, 1780
In 1780, King Louis XVI appointed Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, as commander of the Expédition Particulière—a force of approximately 5,500 to 7,000 French troops. King Louis dispatched Rochambeau to North America to support the Continental Army led by General George Washington. He arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, on July 10, 1780, after a lengthy transatlantic voyage.
September 5, 1781
The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as the Battle of the Virginia Capes or the Battle of the Capes, was a crucial naval engagement during the American Revolutionary War. It took place on September 5, 1781, near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, off the coast of Virginia. The battle was fought between a British fleet led by Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Graves and a French fleet under Rear Admiral François Joseph Paul de Grasse.
October 19, 1781
The Siege of Yorktown, also known as the Battle of Yorktown, was a decisive engagement of the American Revolutionary War. It took place from September 28 to October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia, and is widely regarded as the event that effectively ended major combat operations in North America, leading to British surrender and the eventual independence of the United States.
September 3, 1783
The Treaty of Paris of 1783 was an agreement that formally ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States, along with its allies, France and Spain. Signed on September 3, 1783, in Paris, it marked the recognition of American independence and established the boundaries of the newly formed nation.
December 23, 1783
George Washington's resignation of his military commission was an instrumental moment in American history, often celebrated as an act of selfless leadership and a foundational step in establishing civilian control over the military. This event took place on December 23, 1783, in Annapolis, Maryland, where the Continental Congress was then convened.
August 29, 1786
Shay's Rebellion was an armed uprising in Western Massachusetts that took place from 1786 to 1787, led primarily by Daniel Shays, a Revolutionary War veteran. It was sparked by economic grievances and dissatisfaction with the state government’s policies following the American Revolution.
September 11, 1786
The Annapolis Convention, held from September 11-14, 1786, in Annapolis, Maryland, was an important yet often overlooked event in early American history. Officially called \"A Meeting of Commissioners to Remedy Defects of the Federal Government,\" it was convened to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, the first governing framework of the United States, which had proven inadequate for managing interstate commerce and national unity.
September 17, 1787
The U.S. Constitution was drafted during the Constitution Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from May 25 to September 17, 1787. After months of debate and compromise, 39 of the 55 delegates present signed the final draft of the Constitution on September 17. It didn’t take effect immediately. It required ratification by at least nine of the thirteen states. This sparked intense debate between Federalists (who supported it) and Anti-Federalists (who feared centralized power).
June 21, 1788
The Constitution wasn’t effective until it was ratified by the states. Article VII of the Constitution specified that it would take effect once nine of the thirteen states approved it through special ratifying conventions, rather than state legislatures. This was a strategic choice, as state legislatures might resist ceding power to a stronger federal government.
April 30, 1789
George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, in New York City, which was then the nation's capital. The ceremony took place on the balcony of Federal Hall, the seat of the federal government at the time. Washington had been unanimously elected by the Electoral College earlier that year, reflecting his immense popularity and status as a Revolutionary War hero.
December 15, 1791
The Bill of Rights refers to the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, ratified on December 15, 1791. These amendments were introduced by James Madison to address the concerns of Anti-Federalists who feared a strong central government might infringe upon individual liberties. The Bill of Rights guarantees essential freedoms and protections for American citizens, shaping the foundation of U.S. law and governance.
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