U.S. History Unit 1: Road to Revolution Timeline

Study Notes

French and Indian War (1754 - 1763)

Conflict between France and Great Britain for dominance in North America.
Concluded with the Treaty of Paris in 1763, establishing Great Britain as the primary power in the region.
Resulted in significant territorial losses for Native Americans and Spain, which lost Florida.
The financial burden of the war was imposed on colonists, escalating tensions.

Proclamation of 1763

Established a boundary line preventing colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Aimed to appease Native American tribes; however, this angered colonists, causing feelings of neglect from Great Britain.
Great Britain failed to enforce the Proclamation effectively.

Stamp Act (1765)

Imposed direct taxes on all paper goods and services in the colonies.
Sparked significant colonial backlash due to "taxation without representation."
Led to boycotts of British goods and the formation of the Sons of Liberty as a resistance movement.

Sons of Liberty Formation (1765)

Composed of shopkeepers, artisans, and laborers opposing British taxation policies.
Organized protests that contributed to the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Townshend Acts (1767)

Imposed duties on imports, including tea, entering the colonies.
Triggered major boycotts and civil unrest; resulted in the dispatch of 4,000 British troops to Boston to maintain order.

Boston Massacre (1770)

An incident where British soldiers fired into a crowd, killing five colonists.
This event was publicized as a massacre, fueling anti-British sentiment.

Tea Act (1773)

Provided the East India Company with exclusive privileges in the colonial tea market, lowering tea prices but undermining colonial merchants.
Provoked the Boston Tea Party as a direct response.

Boston Tea Party (1774)

A protest where colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped 15,000 pounds of tea into Boston Harbor.
This act of defiance led to the implementation of the Intolerable Acts.

Intolerable Acts (1775)

A series of punitive measures by King George III aimed at Massachusetts, including martial law and the closure of Boston Harbor.
Required colonists to house British troops, escalating tensions further.
Marked a catalyst for convening the First Continental Congress.

First Continental Congress (1775)

56 delegates gathered to address colonial rights, drafting the Declaration of Colonial Rights.
As tensions mounted, there was an increase in colonial military preparations.

Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775)

British troops attempted to confiscate colonial weapons at Concord, escalating to armed conflict at Lexington.
The battles marked the beginning of open hostilities between Great Britain and the colonies.

Second Continental Congress (1775)

Delegates convened to deliberate between seeking reconciliation or declaring independence.
George Washington was appointed as commander of the Continental Army.

Battle of Bunker Hill (1775)

Took place primarily at Breed's Hill; British victory at a significant cost with heavy casualties.
Resulted in a blockade of the American coastline by British forces.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense (1776)

A persuasive pamphlet that rallied colonists to support independence and the creation of the Declaration of Independence.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

The formal assertion of the colonies' separation from Great Britain.
Marked the official beginning of the Revolutionary War.

Description

This quiz covers key events from 1754 to 1763, including the French and Indian War and its impacts on American colonists. Use the flashcards to understand the timeline leading up to the American Revolution. Perfect for students studying U.S. History Unit 1.