American History: Colonial Period to Revolution

Study Notes

1600-1763: Colonial Period and Early Conflicts

Iroquois established the Iroquois Confederacy (or League of Six Nations) around 1570.
They played a key role in colonial politics by allying with the British against the French during the colonial wars, notably the French and Indian War (1754-1763).

1763-1783: American Revolution and Its Consequences

In 1763, the Royal Proclamation by George III forbade settlers from moving west of the Appalachians to appease tensions with Native American tribes.
The 1764 Sugar Act imposed taxes on sugar and other goods imported into the colonies to increase revenue for the British crown.
The 1765 Stamp Act required all printed materials in the colonies to bear a tax stamp, affecting newspapers, legal documents, etc.
The 1765 Quartering Act required colonies to provide housing and supplies for British soldiers stationed in America.
The 1767 Townshend Acts imposed taxes on lead, paper, glass, and tea imported into the colonies, increasing colonial resistance.
The 1770 Boston Massacre was a violent confrontation between British soldiers and colonists in Boston, marking a major point of tension.
The 1772 Gaspée Affair involved colonists burning the British ship Gaspée, an act of rebellion against British trade control measures.
The 1773 Boston Tea Party was a rebellion by Boston colonists who dumped tea cargo into the harbor in protest of the tea tax imposed by the Townshend Acts.
The 1774 Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) were a series of punitive laws in response to the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor and reorganizing the Massachusetts government.
The First Continental Congress of the 13 colonies in Philadelphia in 1774 began organized rebellion against Great Britain.
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
The Treaty of Paris in 1783 recognized the independence of the United States.

1783-1860: Westward Expansion and Increasing Conflicts

The Western Confederacy was a coalition of Midwestern Native American tribes formed to resist American expansion into the Ohio region, including tribes such as the Shawnees, Delawares, Miamis, and Wyandots.
Following the American Revolution, the Iroquois were divided and lost significant land due to their alliance with the British.
The Sioux, led by Tecumseh and the Shawnees, resisted American expansion, supported by the British.
The 1803 Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States by acquiring the Louisiana Territory from France.
The 1819 Adams-Onís Treaty (Transcontinental Treaty) ceded Florida to the United States and set the boundary between U.S. territory and New Spain.
The 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the American West, increasing tensions with local tribes.
The 1813-1814 Creek War was one of the significant Indian wars in the Southeast.
The 1830 Indian Removal Act, initiated by President Andrew Jackson, led to the forced relocation of tribes from the East to Oklahoma (Trail of Tears, 1838-1839).
The 1835-1837 forced relocation of the Seminoles and other tribes occurred.
The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the Mexican-American War, with the United States acquiring vast territories including California, leading to the Gold Rush and increased pressure on Native American lands.
The 1851 Treaty of Fort Laramie aimed to establish clear boundaries between Native American territories and settlers, often not respected.
The 1853 Gadsden Purchase facilitated the construction of a transcontinental railroad by buying a portion of territory from Mexico (now part of Arizona and New Mexico).