American Revolution

Date	Event
1765
	Stamp Act crisis. Following the imposition of taxes on American colonists by the British Parliament (Stamp Acts) riots broke out. At the Stamp Act Congress, New York, Oct 7-25, nine colonies asopted the Declaration of Rights opposing taxation without representation in Parliament. Acts withdrawn Mar 17, 1766.
1767
	Townshend Act inposed taxes on five categories of goods (glass, lead, paper, paint and tea) imported into the American colonies. Repeal of all taxes, except that on tea, in 1770.
1770
Mar 5	Boston massacre. First bloodshed of the American Revolution when British troops fired on rioting crowd at Boston customs house, killing five.
1773
Dec 16	Boston Tea Party. Valuable cargo of tea thrown overboard by rebellious American colonists protesting British Parliament's 'Tea Act' (Apr 1773).
1774
	The 'Intolerable Acts' are passed by the British Parliament in order to punish Massachussetts, considered the leader of the rebels, for the Boston Tea Party. Involved the curtailing of self-rule and barred the use of Boston Harbour until the destroyed cargo of tea had been paid for.
Sep 5- Oct 26	First Continental Congress (a body of delegates from the thirteen colonies which assumed the duties of a national government), held in Philadelphia, protested British measures and called for civil disobedience.
1775
Apr 18	Advance of British on Concord to destroy military stores of rebel American patriots.
Apr 19	Beginning of fighting at Lexington and Concord
Jun 17	Battle of Bunker Hill, Massachussetts; technically an American defeat though British suffered high casualties.
1776
Jun 6	Proposal in Continental Congress to declare independence from Britain.
Jul 2	Resolution adopted
Jul 4	Approval of Declaration of Independence.
Aug 27	British defeat Washington in Battle of Long Island
Sep 15	British occupation of New York City
1777
Jan 3	Defeat of Lord Cornwallis by Washington at Battle of Princeton. Continental Congress adopted Stars and Stripes as flag of the United States.
Sep 11	Battle of Brandywine. American retreat enabled British to occupy Philadelphia.
Oct 17	Battle of Saratoga. British, under General John Burgoyne, forced to surrender.
Nov 15	Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union adopted by Continental Congress.
1778
Feb 6	Assistance of the American patriots by French fleet after France and US sign treaty of aid.
Jun 18	British evacuation from Philadelphia.
1781
Sep 26	Arrival of joint American and French forces in Williamsburg near Yorktown where British forces, under Cornwallis, had retreated.
Oct 6-19	Battle of Yorktown. Beginning of siege of Yorktown, Virginia. British troops heavily outnumbered by joint American and French forces. Eventual surrender of Cornwallis on Oct 19.
1782
March	Agreement by new British cabinet to recognize independence of United States of America.
Nov 30	Preliminary agreement signed in Paris.

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Last updated: 2005-01-17