The Road to Independence: Major Events Before the American Revolution.
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Declaration of Independence
- The Declaration of Independence was adopted by the 2nd Continental Congress, declaring the colonies' independence from Britain. It outlined the justification for independence, including the ideas of natural rights and the social contract.
- The document also listed grievances against King George III, marking the formal break from British rule and the birth of the United States.
- These facts provide an overview of the key events that led to the American Revolution. Let me know if you'd like more details or additional context for any event!
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Bunker Hill
- The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the first major battles of the American Revolution, fought on Breed’s Hill outside Boston.
- Although the British won the battle, they suffered heavy casualties, which boosted colonial morale and proved they could stand up to British forces.
- The phrase "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" is famously associated with this battle, emphasizing the colonists' strategy of conserving ammunition.
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2nd Continental Congress
- The Second Continental Congress convened after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, with delegates from all 13 colonies.
- It managed the war effort against Britain, established the Continental Army, and appointed George Washington as its commander.
- The Congress ultimately adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, formally breaking ties with Britain.
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Lexington and Concord
- Start of the American Revolutionary War: The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, marking the official start of open conflict between Britain and the American colonies.
- "The Shot Heard 'Round the World": The confrontation at Lexington began when British troops, aiming to seize colonial military supplies, were met by colonial militia. A shot was fired (no one knows from which side), leading to open combat, famously referred to as “the shot heard 'round the world.”
- Colonial Militia Success: Although the British troops were initially successful in Lexington, the colonial militias (Minutemen) rallied and forced the British to retreat at Concord, inflicting heavy casualties and demonstrating that the colonies could challenge British military might.
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1st Continental Congress
- The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia to coordinate a colonial response to the Intolerable Acts.
- Representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies (excluding Georgia) attended, and they agreed to boycott British goods and form militias.
- It marked a significant step toward colonial unity, setting the stage for the Revolutionary War.
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Intolerable Acts
- The Intolerable Acts (also called the Coercive Acts) were a series of punitive measures passed by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party.
- They included the Boston Port Act, which closed Boston Harbor, and the Massachusetts Government Act, which reduced colonial self-government.
- These acts united the colonies against Britain and led to the convening of the First Continental Congress.
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Boston Tea Party
- The Boston Tea Party was a protest in which members of the Sons of Liberty, disguised as Mohawk Indians, dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor.
- It was a response to the Tea Act of 1773, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies.
- The event led directly to the passage of the Intolerable Acts, designed to punish the colonies for their defiance.
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Boston Massacre
- The Boston Massacre was a confrontation between British soldiers and colonists in which five colonists were killed.
- The incident escalated from a street protest against British occupation and the Townshend Duties.
- It was used as a powerful propaganda tool by Patriots like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams to fuel anti-British sentiment.
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Townshend Duties
- The Townshend Acts imposed taxes on imported goods like paper, glass, lead, paint, and tea.
- The revenue generated was used to pay British officials in the colonies, removing colonial control over their salaries.
- Resistance to these duties led to boycotts of British goods, and heightened tensions contributed to events like the Boston Massacre in 1770.
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Declaratory Act
- The Declaratory Act was passed the same day the Stamp Act was repealed, asserting that Parliament had the authority to legislate for the colonies "in all cases whatsoever."
- It reaffirmed British control over the colonies and their right to tax, which angered many colonists who were pushing for more autonomy.
- While the Stamp Act repeal was celebrated, the Declaratory Act set the stage for future conflicts over taxation and governance.
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Sons of Liberty
- The Sons of Liberty were a secret organization formed to protest British policies, particularly the Stamp Act.
- They used civil disobedience, boycotts, and at times, violence (like tar-and-feathering tax collectors) to oppose British rule.
- Members included prominent figures like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, and their activism helped unify colonial resistance to British taxation.
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Stamp Act
- The Stamp Act required all legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards in the American colonies to carry a tax stamp.
- It was the first direct tax imposed on the colonies, and it ignited widespread resistance, including the formation of the Sons of Liberty.
- Colonial opposition led to the Stamp Act Congress, which petitioned the British government, eventually resulting in the act's repeal in 1766.
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Sugar Act
- The Sugar Act reduced the tax on imported molasses but strengthened enforcement, aiming to curb smuggling.
- It expanded taxation to other goods, such as wine, coffee, and textiles, and heightened British control over colonial trade.
- The act led to widespread protest in the colonies as they saw it as an infringement on their economic rights.
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Proclamation of 1763
- Issued after the French and Indian War, it prohibited American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.
- The British government hoped to stabilize relations with Native American tribes by halting colonial expansion into their lands.
- Many colonists ignored the proclamation, and it heightened tensions between Britain and the colonies, who felt their freedom to expand was being restricted.
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Molasses Act
- The Molasses Act imposed a tax on molasses, sugar, and rum imported into the American colonies from non-British territories.
- It was intended to protect British West Indian planters by discouraging trade with the French West Indies.
- The act was largely ineffective due to widespread smuggling, and its enforcement led to resentment among colonial merchants.
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Navigation Acts
- The Navigation Acts were a series of British laws that restricted colonial trade to benefit England’s economy.
- They required goods imported to England or its colonies to be carried on English ships, primarily to control trade and limit colonial commerce with other nations.
- These laws were a major factor contributing to growing colonial dissatisfaction, as they stifled economic freedom and were often evaded through smuggling.
Declaration of Independence
Jul 4, 1776
Bunker Hill
Jun 17, 1775
2nd Continental Congress
May 10, 1775
Lexington and Concord
Apr 19, 1775
1st Continental Congress
Sep 5, 1774
Intolerable Acts
Mar 31, 1774
Boston Tea Party
Dec 16, 1773
Boston Massacre
Mar 5, 1770
Townshend Duties
Jun 29, 1767
Declaratory Act
Mar 18, 1766
Sons of Liberty
Aug 14, 1765
Stamp Act
Mar 22, 1765
Sugar Act
Apr 5, 1764
Proclamation of 1763
Oct 7, 1763
Molasses Act
Dec 25, 1733
Navigation Acts
Oct 9, 1651:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/boston-harbor-at-sunset-by-fitz-hugh-lane-593279108-5bd7ab1a46e0fb005147c85a.jpg)