Queen Anne's War
1701-1713
This war was between France and England and was caused by Louis XIV when he attempted to place his grandson on the Spanish throne. It
resulted in English control over the Hudson Bay, Newfoundland, and
Acadia.
War of Jenkin's Ear
1739
This war was between Spain and England and was caused by Jenkin's presentation of his ear to Parliament. His ear had been cut off by a
Spanish captain.
King George's War
1744-1748
This was an indecisive war between France and England that was caused by the Prussian seizure of Silesia. It resulterestoration of conquests.
French and Indian War (7 Years War)
1754-1763
This war was a war between France and England for North America and Europe. It was known as the Seven Years war on the European Continent. The British ended the war by capturing Quebec and kicking the French out of North America. With the French defeat, E
Albany Congress 1754, Albany Plan of Union
This congress met in an attempt to bring the Iroquois into the Seven years War and to deal with other military affairs. The congress came up with the Albany Plan, which was drafted by Benjamin Franklin. It proposed that colonial defense problems be handle
William Braddock Massacre
1755
During the French and Indian War the colonists attempted to defeat the French in Pennsylvania. When General Braddock came through with two
regiments, he was ambushed. Only George Washington and thirty other
colonists survived.
Samuel De Champlain
Called the "Father of New France," Champlain explored the St.
Lawrence River Valley region in 1603, establishing Quebec as the ?rst
permanent settlement in New France in 1608.
General George Washington
He led an expedition to Pennsylvania to defeat the French. In 1753 he
was captured, but then released when he promised not to ?ght the French
again.
William Pitt
He was a brilliant English general who was victorious in North America. Pittsburgh was named in his behalf after England won the
French and Indian War.
James Wolfe
He was an English general in North America who led the siege of Quebec in 1759. During the siege he was killed, but his forces captured
Quebec.
Battle of Quebec 1759
It was a battle between the English and the French for control of North America. During the night, half of Wolfe's men climbed a cliff
protecting Quebec. In the morning, Wolfe's men had surrounded Quebec.
Treaty of Paris 1763
Ended the French and Indian War and gave England all of the
French territory of North America.
Pontiac's Rebellion 1763
Pontiac was the Indian chief who fought the settlers moving into the
Mississippi Valley. He believed that all white men were his enemies.
Smallpox disease ?nally defeated his warriors.
Proclamation of 1763
This proclamation was an attempt to appease the Indians and to prevent further clashes on the frontier. It prohibited settlement in the area beyond the Appalachians. Didn't have much effect except that it angered settlers by restricting their ability to g
The Enlightenment
a philosophical movement of the 18
th century that was marked by a rejection of traditional, social, religious, and political ideas with an emphasis on rationalism and human ability to solve its own problems. Such philosophers as John Locke stated that go
Salutary Neglect
It referred to the neglect by England of her colonies in America. The
colonists did not enforce Parliament's Acts and began to believe that Parliament had no authority over them.
Grenville Acts 1764-1765
These acts included the Stamp, Sugar, and Currency Acts. They were designed to control trade and raise revenue. There was great opposition to these acts in the colonies, and the enforcement of these acts began a
chain of events that eventually led to the
Sugar Act 1764
It lowered the duty on molasses by half, levied a tax on sugar, and forbade the importation of rum. Its enforcement threatened the
triangular trade.
Currency Acts
1751, 1764
The ?rst currency act forbade Massachusetts from printing currency, while the second forbade all colonies from issuing currency. These acts made money scarce in the colonies.
Stamp Act
1765
This act declared that all printed materials must have a revenue stamp. It attempted to raise 1/3 of the defense cost in America from
these revenues, but it aroused great opposition and was repealed. Britain felt that since the French and Indian war had b
Declaratory Act 1766
This measure made virtual representation legal (it allowed Parliament to make any laws for colonies without representation from colonists). It was an assertion of the right for parental authority in the colonies.
Townsend Acts 1767
These acts placed a light duty on glass, white lead, paper, and tea. This was an indirect tax that was paid at American ports. The salaries for royal governors and judges would be paid with the revenue raised.
Samuel Adams
He was a political agitator and a leader of the American Revolution. He led the Boston Tea Party and attended the First Continental Congress for Massachusetts. He also signed the Declaration of independence.
Sons of Liberty
They were a group of radicals that tarred, feathered, hanged, and
ransacked the houses of unpopular of?cials and stamp agents. They
also boycotted English goods.
Boston Massacre 1770
On March 5, 1770, sixty townspeople came up to a squad of British
troops. The mob threw rocks at the troops and taunted them to ?ght. The
leader of the mob was a black man named Crispus Attucks who was
killed in the incident. The event was widely publiciz
Massachusetts Circular Letter 1770
This letter, drafted by the Massachusetts legislatures, was distributed among coastal merchants, and urged all colonies to support the Non importation Agreements. These agreements supported John Dickinson's arguments against the Townsend Acts.
Boston Tea Party 1773
A midnight raid against British tea ships in Boston Harbor. A group
of colonists, organized by Sam Adams, disguised themselves as Mohawk
Indians and raided ships belonging to Britain's East India Tea Company.
They dumped the tea overboard to protest a Bri
Intolerable Acts Coercive Acts 1774
Laws passed by the British Parliament in response to the colonial de?ance of the tea tax and the Boston Tea Party. The acts closed the
Boston port, tried British soldiers in England rather than the colonies; reduced the power of the colony's local governm
Lexington and Concord 1775
There was a skirmish at Lexington when English soldiers (Redcoats), on a march to Concord to seize colonial armaments, met colonial
resistance. Eight colonial soldiers (minutemen) died while only one Redcoat was wounded. Upon arriving at Concord, the Redc
Second Continental Congress 1775
Thirteen colonies came together in Philadelphia to raise money and to create an army and a navy. The most important action of the Congress was to select George Washington as the head of the army.
Bunker Hill
1775
They are two hills in the town of Charleston, Massachusetts. During the night, the colonial army reached the top of both hills and entrenched themselves. After three British charges and many casualties, "Breed's
Hill" ?nally fell into the hands of the Bri
Declaration of Independence 1776
This declaration was the document written by Thomas Jefferson that formally cut the British-American tie. Its list of grievances was
directed at King George III. It had universal appeal because of on "natural rights" for all mankind.
Thomas Paine's Common Sense 1776
Paine used this passionate protest to persuade the masses into joining the patriot's cause. This publication called for separation from England and was written in a simple and understandable way.
Loyalists (Tories)
They were people in America who supported King George III during
the revolution. They made up about one-fourth of the population and
were mainly from the aristocracy.
Patriots (Whigs)
American colonists who fought for independence against the English.
Saratoga 1777
In this battle, British General Burgoyne marched down from Canada to meet General Howe and General St. Legers in order to cut New England
off from the other colonies. During the harsh winter Burgoyne's men were surrounded by American militiamen. This surr
French Alliance 1778
After the Battle of Saratoga, the French formed an alliance with America. The French promised the colonists independence and supplies, and gave the U.S. commercial privileges in French ports to avenge the British for the French defeat in the French and In
Benedict Arnold
He was one of the best colonial generals. In 1780, he turned traitor and plotted the surrender of West Point to the British for 6,300 pounds and an of?cer's commission.
Yorktown 1781
The British plan to defeat the colonists consisted of conquering the colonies from the south all the way to the North. When Cornwallis arrived at Yorktown, the French blocked the waterways while Washington's men surrounded his troops. This marked the end
Robert Morris
He became the Superintendent of Finance in 1781 and helped borrow money from Europe for the U.S. government to repay its loans.
Treaty of Paris 1783
In this treaty, the British formally recognized the independence of the U.S. and granted them lands west of the Mississippi, along with lands in the Great Lakes region. The U.S. also received the right to ?sh in Canadian waters as long as England could na