American Revolution Overview

1760–1775: Prelude to Revolution

• Britain tightened control over American colonies, leading to growing discontent.
• French and Indian War (1754–1763) expanded British territory but created significant debt.
• Britain imposed taxes on colonies (e.g., Sugar Act, Stamp Act), provoking resentment due to lack of colonial representation in Parliament.
• Colonists responded with boycotts, pamphlets, and public demonstrations.
• Groups like the Sons of Liberty organized resistance against British policies.
• Boston Tea Party (1773) protested Tea Act through dumping British tea into Boston Harbor.
• Intolerable Acts (1774) punished Boston and led to the First Continental Congress to organize colonial resistance.

1775–1783: American Revolution

• Revolutionary war began at Lexington and Concord (April 1775).
• Continental Army, led by George Washington, was organized by the Second Continental Congress.
• Declaration of Independence (1776) declared colonies free from British rule. It championed natural rights (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness) and government by consent of the governed.
• Battle of Saratoga (1777) convinced France to ally with the colonies.
• Battle of Yorktown (1781) ended the war with the British surrender.
• Treaty of Paris (1783) recognized U.S. independence and ceded territory to the Mississippi River.

1783–1800: Early Republic

• Articles of Confederation (weak central government) created issues such as lack of taxation and trade regulation.
• Shays' Rebellion (1786–1787) highlighted weaknesses of the Articles.
• U.S. Constitution (1787) established a federal system with a separation of powers (executive, legislative, and judicial).
• Bill of Rights (1791) was added to the Constitution.
• First political parties emerged: Federalists (strong central government) and Democratic-Republicans (states' rights).

1800–1820: Expansion and Jeffersonian Era

• Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled U.S. territory by purchasing land from France.
• Lewis and Clark explored this newly acquired territory.
• Marbury v. Madison (1803) established judicial review.
• War of 1812 (1812–1815) stemmed from trade restrictions and impressment of U.S. sailors, ending with the Treaty of Ghent.
• Missouri Compromise (1820) admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining balance in Congress, and prohibiting slavery north of 36°30′ latitude.

1820–1840: Age of Jackson and Reform

• Andrew Jackson's presidency (1829–1837) championed "common man" interests, though his policies like the Indian Removal Act (1830) caused the Trail of Tears.
• Economic expansion, including growth in factories (North) and infrastructure (canals and railroads).
• Second Great Awakening promoted reform movements (abolition, temperance, women's rights).
• Seneca Falls Convention (1848) advocated for women's rights.

1840–1860: Manifest Destiny and Sectional Tensions

• Manifest Destiny fueled westward expansion.
• Acquisitions included Texas (1845), Oregon (1846), and territory from the Mexican-American War (1846–1848).
• Mexican-American War resulted in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo acquiring California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
• Compromise of 1850 addressed slavery in new territories. Fugitive Slave Act angered abolitionists.
• Bleeding Kansas (1854–1856) highlighted social conflict over slavery.
• Dred Scott Decision (1857) ruled African Americans were not citizens and Congress could not ban slavery in territories.
• John Brown's Raid (1859) was an attempt to incite a slave rebellion at Harpers Ferry.
• Election of Abraham Lincoln (1860) triggered secession of Southern states, leading to the American Civil War.

Key Themes

• Colonial foundations to nationhood: British policies and Enlightenment ideas led to independence.
• Territorial growth: U.S. became a continental power.
• Slavery and sectionalism: Differing viewpoints on slavery strained the nation.
• Reform movements: Advocated for social reforms.
• Industrial and transportation revolutions: Economic growth with sectional differences.

Explore the key events from 1760 to 1783 that led to the American Revolution. This quiz covers the tightening of British control, colonial resistance methods, and the significant battles and documents that shaped American independence. Test your knowledge on pivotal moments like the Boston Tea Party and the Declaration of Independence.