The Revolutionary

WarBy Stirling

Stamp Act1765

The Stamp Act was a bad thing. The King of England wanted to tax the colonists’ paper playing cards , letter paper, newspapers. It was called the Stamp act because stamps were put on the papers. The colonists had to pay for the stamps.

Boston Massacre1770

The Boston Massacre was a horrible thing. A few colonists are arguing with a British soldier. The guard calls for backup. Snowballs are thrown. Shots ring out. Blood is everywhere. Crispus Attucks is first to die. Three more people die. The next morning, one more person dies.

Boston Tea PartyDecember 16,1773

The King of England was taxing the colonists’ tea. They didn’t like this. So the Sons of Liberty devised a plan. There were three tea ships coming into the harbor. The Sons of Liberty rowed out to the tea ships. They boarded the ships in the dead of night. They took the crew below deck and threw the tea overboard. The King was angry. He closed the port of Boston. This really hurt the people.

First Continental CongressSeptember 5 – October 26,1774

The first Continental Congress was right after the Boston Tea Party. Representatives from every colony met in Philadelphia to talk about their problems with England. Our representatives were Samuel Adams and Paul Revere.

Paul Revere’s Midnight RideApril 18, 1775

Paul Revere is mainly known for his famous midnight ride. Paul rode to warn the colonists that, “The Regulars are out!” Dr. Warren sent Paul to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams that the Regulars were coming. He did not shout, “The British are coming!” because they were all British. William Dawes and Dr. Samuel Prescott also rode with Paul Revere that night.

The Battle of Lexington was where the “shot heard ‘round the world” was really heard. The British soldiers advanced on the colonists. The colonists’ leader said, “Do not fire unless fired upon.” Suddenly, a shot rang out. We do not know which side fired the first shot. This first shot in Lexington was the one that really started the Revolutionary War.

Battle of LexingtonApril 19, 1775

Battle of ConcordApril 19, 1775

The Battle of Concord got most of the credit for the “shot heard ‘round the world.” The colonists and the British soldiers met on Old South Bridge. The British fired many shots and the colonists had to retreat.

Battle of Bunker HillJune 16, 1775

The Battle of Bunker Hill was not actually on Bunker Hill; it was on Breeds Hill. The colonists did fight at Bunker Hill, though. At Bunker Hill, they dug trenches and hid in them. The colonists had a redoubt, which is an earthen structure that is high off the ground, to protect them. The colonists had limited ammunition, so their leader told them not to shoot until they could see the whites of the British soldiers’ eyes. This battle was important because it showed the British soldiers that the colonists were going to fight well.

Declaration of IndependenceJuly 2, 1776

The Declaration of Independence was what really set our country free from England. It basically said that all men were created equal and that no man should be able to rule over those who wanted to be free. The Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was read for the first time from the balcony of the Old State House.

The American FlagJune 14, 1777

Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag, but the Continental Congress adopted it on this date.

Articles of ConfederationMarch 2, 1781

The Articles of Confederation were formally approved and accepted by the states. The Articles of Confederation said that each state would have its own powers and keep its independence.

Treaty of ParisSeptember 3, 1783

The signing of the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War. It recognized that the United States were a free nation. The Treaty of Paris was named for where it was signed.