Road to Revolution Timeline

1776

Battle of Trenton

1774

The Intolerable Acts

1773

1770

Boston Massacre

1767

Townshend Acts

1765

The Stamp Act

Sugar Act

The Proclamation of 1763

Road To Revolution Timeline

By Phoebe Toney

1764

1763

The Boston Tea Party

Battles of Lexington and Concord

The First Continental Congress

1775

1774

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The Proclamation of 1763

When?

The Proclamation of 1763 was issued on October 7th, 1763.

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What?

The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by the British government after the French and Indian War. It aimed to stablize relations with Native Americans tribes by preventing settlers from encroaching on their land. It forbade settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains, and designated that territory for Natives.

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Proclamation fueled resentment among colonists toward British rule as settlers were restricted on expansion to the west. This restriction was seen as an overreach of British authority and added to the feeling of control without representation. This feeling of anger and discontent led to the revolution as colonists sought expansion at their own will.

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Sugar Act

When?

The Sugar Act took effect on September 29, 1764.

What?

The Sugar Act was a British law that imposed taxes on sugar and other goods imported into the American colonies. It's aim was to raise revenue to help cover costs of the British military presence in North America. It also strengthened enforcement of customs regulations, reducing smuggling and increasing British control over colonial trade.

How did this lead to the Revolution?

Colonists viewed the Sugar Act as an infringement on their economic freedoms and as another example of taxation without representation. It contributed to rising tensions between the colonists and the British that led to the revolution as colonists wanted to be able to control their own economy and trade.

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The Stamp Act

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Stamp Act was passed by British Parliament on March 22, 1765 and took effect on November 1, 1765.

The Stamp Act was a tax on printed materials in the colonies, newspapers, cards and dice, calendars, and licenses, and was called the Stamp Act because a stamp would be put on packages and documents to show the tax had been paid. Its purpose was to help pay for the British army that was stationed in the colonies.

The Stamp Act led to the Revolution because it enraged the colonists. Delegates agreed that Parliament did not have the power to impose the tax, and this led many colonists to refuse to pay. It was seen as highly unjust, as colonists had to buy the stamps from London to prove they had paid the tax, giving the British tons of money. The Stamp Act led to hightened tensions between the British and the colonists that eventually turned into a spark for the Revolution.

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Townshend Acts

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Townshend Acts were passed by British Parliament on June 29th, 1767.

The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by British Parliament that taxed imported goods such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea. The money earned from this tax paid British officials in the colonies making them independent of colonial government. The Townshend Acts replaced lost income from the colonies when the Stamp Act was repealed the previous year.

The Townshend Acts led to the Revolution because it was yet another example of British taxation without representation. Having more goods being taxed to fund the British led the colonists to boycott the taxed items. Then, the British sent troops to America to enforce the Acts which further heightened tensions between the colonists and the British.

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Boston Massacre

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Boston Massacre occured on March 5, 1770.

The Boston Massacre happened in Massachusetts when nine British soldiers opened fire on a crowd of several hundred American colonists who had been harrassing them. It started with a group of protestors insulting and throwing things at the soldiers, causing it to escalate which led to the soldiers shooting and killing five colonists.

The Massacre was publicized by colonial leaders like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, who used it as propaganda to fuel anti-British feelings among the colonists which united the colonies against British rule and led to their sense of unity which inspired confidence to start the Revolution.

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The Boston Tea Party

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Boston Tea Party happened on December 16, 1773

The Boston Tea Party was when American colonists, mad at British taxes on tea, protested colonial British rule by dumping 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor. Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Indians to hide their identities and led the Boston Tea Party as a protest against the monopoly on tea sales in the colonies. The tea thrown in the harbor was worth over a million dollars in todays terms.

In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts which paved the way for further resistance. Additionally, the British shut down the Boston Harbor until all of the tea was paid for, which angered the colonists and created more feelings of resentment.

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The Intolerable Acts

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

This was four laws passed by the British to punish the colonies for the Boston Tea Party. The first was the Boston Port Act which closed Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for. The second was the Massachusetts Government Act which replaced elected government with appointed ones. The third was the Administration of Justice Act which allowed British officials charged with capital offenses to be tried in other colonies or England. The last was the Quartering Act which allowed unoccupied buildings to house British troops.

The Intolerable Acts were passed from March 31st through June 2nd of 1774.

These laws outraged colonists and were viewed as a severe overreach of British authority as it got rid of self governance in the colonies. The harshness of these acts spurred the colonies to unite in opposition, increasing the drive toward rebellion and ultimately contributing to the start of the American Revolution.

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The First Continental Congress

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The First Continental Congress took place from September 5 to October 26, 1774.

The First Continental Congress was a gathering of delegates from 12 of the 13 American colonies (excluding Georgia) in response to British Parliament's imposition of the Intolerable Acts. The Congress aimed to address colonial grievances and restore rights. Delegates decided to impose a boycott on British goods and agreed to meet again if their demands were not met.

The Congress's decisions led to the Revolution by increasing tensions between the colonies and Britain. By formally stating colonial rights and challenging British authority, it marked a big step toward collective resistance and the eventual declaration of independence and an all out Revolution.

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Battles of Lexington and Concord

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord took place on April 19, 1775.

The Battle of Lexington and Concord was the first military engagement of the Revolutionary War. British troops were sent to take away colonial weapons and arrest leaders in Massachusetts, but colonials resisted. The battle began in Lexington and spread to Concord, with the colonial forces forcing the British to retreat to Boston. This battle marked the official start of armed conflict between Britain and its American colonies.

The Battle of Lexington and Concord turned tensions into war between Britain and the colonies, marking the start of the Revolutionary War. The resistance to British troops inspired rebellion and rallied colonists to the cause of independence.

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Battle of Trenton

When?

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What?

How did this lead to the Revolution?

The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776.

The battle took place after the British captured New York City and Washington's army retreated to Pennsylvania. Washington led his army across the icy Delaware River on Christmas night and marched into Trenton. The American forces defeated the Hessians, killing 22, wounding 83, and capturing over 890 while suffering minimal losses.

The victory was the first in a while, so it boosted morale and inspired men to re-enlist in the American forces which ensured the Revolutions survival after a string of bad losses. It helped restore the Continental Army's belief in itself and gain back crucial support.

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Sources

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https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/stamp-act-1765https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/proclamation-line-of-1763https://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/sugaract.htmlhttps://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/battles-of-lexington-and-concordhttps://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-battle-of-trenton-the-american-revolutionary-war.htmlhttps://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/the-coercive-intolerable-acts-of-1774#:~:text=The%20Coercive%20Acts%20of%201774,assent%20on%20May%2020th.https://history.state.gov/milestones/1776-1783/continental-congress#:~:text=The%20Congress%20first%20met%20in,behind%20the%20recent%20Intolerable%20Acts.

Why is The Proclamation of 1763 important?

The Proclamation of 1763 was important to the Revolution because it created tensions between the British and the colonists. The Colonists came to America for freedom, and they still were being blocked from what they really wanted to do by people living on another continent. It added to significant tensions that eventually boiled over.

Why is the Sugar Act important?

The Sugar Act was important to the American Revolution because it marked one of the first instances where the British government imposed direct taxes on the American colonies to raise revenue. The colonists felt this was a massive overreach of power and those feelings only got worse when the taxes increased. The Sugar Act led to the implementation of more and more taxes for the colonists, which led to more and more feelings of resentment.

Why is the Stamp Act important?

The Stamp Act was important to the revolution because it was yet another instance of British overreach. The tensions created by taxes like these were the driving factor of what sparked the Revolution, as colonists wanted true freedom from British control.

Why is the Townshend Acts important?

The Townshend Acts were important to the Revolution because it was the third instance of taxation without representation for the colonists. This act really pushed them over the edge, as the British wouldn't stop taxing the colonists for their own expenses. The Townshend Acts was one of the final straw before the start of the Revolution.

Why is the Boston Massacre important?

The Boston Massacre was one of the most important events leading up to the Revolution, because it was outright violence against the colonists. British soldiers killing several people outraged the colonists more than any previous event because it was a direct showing of how little the colonists were valued and respected.

Why is The Boston Tea Party important?

The Boston Tea Party was one of the most important events leading up to the Revolution because it was one of the first demonstrations of true protest against British rule. The Boston Tea Party was when the colonists could truly unite with one another and start showing the British how much they wanted freedom, and the lengths they would go to to get it.

Why is The Intolerable Acts important?

The Intolerable Acts were vital in sparking the Revolution because it was viewed as a severe overstretch of British rule. The Intolerable Acts outraged the colonists more than a lot of other events because they were again being punished and controlled by the British for rebelling.

Why is The First Continental Congress important?

The First Continental Congress was important to the Revolution because it was one of the first instances when the colonists took it upon themselves to make their own decisions. It laid the groundwork for future democracy but also garnered support by highlighting how serious people were about freedom.

Why is The Battles of Lexington and Concord important?

The Battles of Lexington and Concord were super important to the Revolution because it was the first instance of actual war. It is probably more important than any other event because it was when the actual war started.

Why is The Battle of Trenton important?

The Battle of Trenton was extremely important to the Revolution because it revitalized the energy of the colonists and supporters, and kept the battle for freedom going. Without the victory, the revolution likely would have fallen apart and the struggle would have ended from lack of supoprt.