Here’s a timeline of important events leading to the American Revolution, from the French and Indian War to the Battles of Lexington and Concord:
Timeline of Events Leading to the American Revolution
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French and Indian War (1754 - 1763)
- A conflict between Britain and France in North America that ultimately led to British dominance in the region but increased debt and tensions with the colonies.
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Proclamation of 1763 (October 7, 1763)
- Issued by King George III, this proclamation forbade American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to reduce conflicts with Native Americans.
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Sugar Act (April 5, 1764)
- This act imposed duties on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies and aimed to curb smuggling and raise revenue for Britain.
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Quartering Act (March 24, 1765)
- Required colonial assemblies to provide housing and supplies for British troops stationed in the colonies, contributing to colonial resentment.
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Stamp Act (March 22, 1765)
- This act required colonists to purchase special stamped paper for legal documents, newspapers, and other publications, leading to widespread protests.
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Townshend Acts (June - July 1767)
- A series of laws that imposed taxes on imported goods such as glass, paint, and tea, which further inflamed colonial discontent.
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Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770)
- A violent confrontation in which British soldiers killed five colonists, becoming a pivotal event in colonial agitation against British rule.
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Tea Act (May 10, 1773)
- Designed to aid the struggling British East India Company by granting it a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies, which angered colonists who saw it as an extension of taxation without representation.
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Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773)
- In protest of the Tea Act, colonists, dressed as Mohawk Indians, dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor, escalating tensions between Britain and the colonies.
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Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts) (Spring 1774)
- A series of punitive laws enacted by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor and revoking Massachusetts' charter, which united the colonies against British rule.
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First Continental Congress (September 5 - October 26, 1774)
- Delegates from twelve colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss colonial responses to British policies; they ultimately decided to boycott British goods.
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Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775)
- The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War; marked the outbreak of open armed conflict between Britain and the American colonies.
This timeline encapsulates crucial events that contributed to the growing divide between the American colonies and British authorities, ultimately leading to the fight for independence.