The Revolutionary Times
The Latest Updates to Our Independence
The Proclamtion of 1763
As we ended the French and Indian War, our "king'" decided that what we caused for him will cost us what we came to do, settle. The Proclamation of 1763 states that us colonists are not allowed to cross the line along the Appalachian Mountains for any reason. This is also a way for the Indians to be happy and for their protection from us. Although many of us obeyed this rule for a long time, the Revolution began and all thought about the Proclamation Line were lost.
The Boston Massacre
On March 5, 1770, townspeople in Boston in the square in front of the Old House began to throw snowballs at the British soldiers on duty. The Redcoats started to respond with gun shots. Five people were killed that day, including Crispus Attucks. He was the first black man to be killed in the Revolution. Patriot leaders called this killing a "massacre". This event was used as propaganda onto us so that we would join the movement. And for many of us who responded, it worked.
The Boston Tea Party
On the night of December 16, 1773, we, in Boston, demonstrated that we had had enough of Britain's taxes. The Sons of Liberty, with their triumphant leader John Adams, went onto three British Ships and dumped all the tea into the Boston Harbor. We were clever to dress as Indians so that no one could directly identify us. We did this act of protest in response to the Tea Act issued by the king. We showed the king that we will no longer tolerate his foolish and absurd taxes.
The Intolerable Acts
After the Boston Tea Party, the king wanted to punish us for costing him a lot of money. Issued in 1774, he began the acts in a series of four. The first was the Boston Port Act that closed the ports of Boston so we could not trade. The second was the Massachusetts Government Act that limited the power of our governor. The third was Administration of Justice Act, making British soldiers eligible to punish us for crimes. The last act was the Quartering Act that enabled those Redcoats to come stay in our homes. The king believed that this would make the other colonies distance away from us and make us weak. All colonies helped Boston, sending al supplies that were needed.
Event Information
Lexington and Concord
This is the battle that started our war to independence from England. As the 700 British troops marched into Lexington, they ran into our 77 militiamen waiting for them. To this day, we still don't know who fired the first shot but that is when fighting began. The militiamen or minutemen, in numbers of 2,000, began to take out Redcoats on their way to Concord. We didn't necessarily kill a lot of them, but this showed that we, not even a full country, could take on the best army in the world.
When?
Wednesday, Apr 19, 1775, 12:00 PM
Where?
Lexington, VA, United States to Concord, MA, United States
The Battle of Yorktown
On September 28, 1781, we were led to our freedom from Great Britain. Our General, George Washington, led us to Yorktown to end the war. We had convinced the French in the Battle of Saratoga that we could beat the British so they joined us to take them down. Us Americans blocked General Cornwallis and his troops from escaping by land, and the French navy blockaded them by sea at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Finally, on October 17, 1781, Cornwallis surrenders in Yorktown! Although it took a long time for a treaty to be made, one was constructed about 2 years later. The Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, officially making us a free country that would call ourselves the United States of America.
Editorial of George Washington
During the American Revolution, George Washington played numerous roles that effected the outcome for our country. When he was younger, he fought in the French and Indian War. He was the commander-in-chief for the Continental Army. His bravery and his leadership led us to a victory in the Revolutionary War, that lasted from 1775 to 1783. He was known as a national hero. After the war, he was elected the President of the Convention to make a new constitution after we realized that the Articles of Confederation were not working. Although he did not participate in debates, he convinced everyone that it had to be ratified.
Editorial of Thomas Jefferson
He part in the American Revolution was very important to the structure of our government. He created the Declaration of Independence that stated that we were no longer colonies of Britain, but our own country that had just as many rights as England did. He did not fight in the Revolutionary War. Instead he served in the Virginia Legistlature. He attended the First Continental Congress. He also helped write the Constitution of the United States of America. He later became the governor of Virginia.