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Article Index

1770

Townshend Acts repealed except the tax on tea

End to Non-Importation

New York Riot over the Quartering Act compliance of New York Assembly.

5 March - The Boston Massacre. Crispus Attucks, the first Black American Patriot, is killed in this incident.

1771

May 16-- Battle of Alamance fought in Burlington, North Carolina

1772

Attack on the "Gaspee" - This was a British customs schooner that was burned by Rhode Island colonists off Namequoit Point. Known today as the Gaspee Affair.

Sam Adams pressures the Boston Town Meeting to set up the "Committee of Correspondence" to state the colonies’ rights and grievances.

John Sevier organizes independent Republic of Watauga in Tennessee

1773

To save the bankrupt British East India Company, Parliament passes the Tea Act.

5 November - The Boston Town Meeting Resolutions against the Tea Act

16 December - The Boston Tea Party: 342 chests of tea are dumped into Boston Harbor.

31 December - Samuel Adams gives an account of the Boston Tea Party in a letter to Arthur Lee.

1774

January - Benjamin Franklin is reprimanded and humiliated by the Privy Council for leaking the letters of the Massachusetts Governor, Thomas Hutchinson.

28 March - The Coercive Acts are passed by Parliament. These acts are known as The Boston Port Act,The Massachusetts Government Act, The Administration of Justice Act, The Quartering Act and the Quebec Act.

31 March - The Kingdom of Great Britain orders the port of Boston, Massachusetts closed pursuant to the Boston Port Act. It would remain closed until the destroyed tea was paid for by those responsible.

Virginia Conventions begin.

25 August - The first popular Assembly called by the people, anywhere in North America, convened in defiance of British rule in Tyron Palace at New Bern, North Carolina.

5 September - The First Continental Congress opens for business.

7 October - The Quebec Act. This act grants the French Catholics of Quebec the right to freedom of Religion among other assurances.

14 October - Declaration and Resolves by the First Continental Congress-

20 October - First Continental Congress creates the Continental Association, which calls for a complete ban on all trade between America and Great Britain of all goods, wares or merchandise.

25 October - Congress petitions English king to address grievances

1775

New England Restraining Act: Parliament passed an act banning trade between the New England colonies and any other country besides Great Britain.

23 March - Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death Speech by Patrick Henry

18 April - Paul Revere's Famous Midnight Ride (British advancement by sea begins; Paul Revere and other riders warn the countryside of the troop movements.)

19 April - The American Revolutionary War begins with the battles of Lexington and Concord.

20 April - The Siege of Boston Begins

5 May - The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia.

10 May - Fort Ticonderoga captured by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen.

10 May - The Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia with John Hancock as president of Congress.

15 May - The Congress votes to go to war with Britain, George Washington is appointed the Commander of the Continental Army.

10 June -- John Adams proposed that Congress consider the forces in Boston a Continental army, and suggested the need for a general. He recommended George Washington for the position.

12 June - British general Thomas Gage declares martial law in Massachusetts. The British offer a pardon to all colonists who lay down their arms. There would be only two exceptions to the amnesty: Samuel Adams and John Hancock, if captured, were to be hanged.

16 June - Washington accepts promotion to General & Commander In Chief

17 June - Charlestown Massachusetts was burned down by the British.

17 June - Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's)

22 June - The Continental Congress issues Continental Currency

30 June - Congress impugns Parliament and adopts Articles of War

1 July - Congress resolve to forge alliances with the Indians

3 July -- George Washington takes command of the Continental Army in Cambridge Massachusetts

5 July - Congress adopts The Olive Branch Petition

The Continental Congress searches for Foreign Aid

6 July - Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms

26 July - Postal system created. Benjamin Franklin is first Director.

August - The Invasion of Canada begins.

23 August - King George III issued the Proclamation of Rebellion.

13 October -The Continental Congress Creates the United States Navy

18 October  -  The Burning of Falmouth (now Portland, Maine) prompts the Continental Congress to establish the Continental Navy.

24 October - British naval fleet attacks Norfolk, Virginia

27 October - King George III speaks to Parliament of American rebellion

28 October - British proclamation forbids residents from leaving Boston

30 October - Naval committee established by Congress

November - Virginia Governor, Lord Dunmore offers freedom to all slaves who would fight for the British.

7 November - Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, declares Martial Law

22 December - Congress named Esek Hopkins commodore of the fledgling American navy. Soon after, Congress authorized privateering, and issued rules for dealing with enemy vessels and plunder.

Virginians defeat British at Great Bridge; British bombard Norfolk

1776

2 January - The Continental Congress publishes The Tory Act.

14 February - Common Sense written by Thomas Paine.

27 February - Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina.

17 March - Siege of Boston ends when the British pull out and sail for Halifax. The Continental Army is located on Dorchester Heights.

6 April - The Battle of Block Island: Ships of the Continental Navy fail in their attempt to capture a Royal Navy dispatch boat.

12 June - The Virginia Declaration of Rights adapted by the Virginia Convention. Drafted by George Mason

2 July - Declaration of Independence approved and signed by John Hancock, the other Delegates sign two days later.

4 July - The American Colonies declares Independence

8 July - The US Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time by Col. John Nixon in Philadelphia's Independence Square. The Liberty Bell in Independence Hall tolled after the reading. You Can Read The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America here.

July - British Troops land at New York harbor.

23 June - British Commodore Sir Peter Parker prepares a Naval strike on the Charleston, South Carolina coast.

28 June - Battle of Fort Moultrie

29 June - South Carolina's Edward Rutledge opposes Independence

27 August - Battle of Long Island, New York.

6 September - HMS Eagle attacked by David Bushnell's "Turtle". The Turtle was the first attack submarine in history. The pilot was Sgt. Ezra Lee.

15 September - The Battle of New York.

16 September - The Battle of Harlem Heights.

20 September - The Fire of New York.

11-13 October - The Battle of Valcour Island.

26 October - Benjamin Franklin sets sail for France,  he was to negotiate and secure a formal alliance and treaty.

28 October - The Battle of White Plains.

31 October - King speaks for first time since independence declared

14 December - Geary's Dragoons ambushed between the small villages of Flemings-Town (Flemington) and Ringoes.

23 December - The American Crisis written by Thomas Paine.

26 December - Battle of Trenton, New Jersey.

1777

Congress adopts the American flag with thirteen stars and stripes

3 January - The Battle of Princeton

20 January - The Battle of Millstone, near Somerset Courthouse, New Jersey.

27 February - Battle of Moores Creek Bridge.

25 April - Danbury, Connecticut destroyed by British forces led by General Tryon.

Burgoyne's invasion from Canada begins. It ended in failure at the Battle of Saratoga.

5 July - Burgoyne captures Fort Ticonderoga, The Marques De Lafayette arrives in America.

7 July - Battle of Hubbardton, Vermont

9 July - New York elects its first governor

10 July - British General Richard Prescott captured in Rhode Island

27 July - The Jane McCrea atrocity

2 - 22 August - Battle of Fort Stanwix 

6 August The Battle of Oriskany

16 August - Battle of Bennington, Vermont.

3 September - Battle of Cooch's Bridge.  The American Flag was flown for the first time during this battle.

11 September - Battle of Brandywine Creek

19 September - Battle of Freeman's Farm

20-21 September - The Paoli Massacre

26 September - British Occupy Philadelphia

4 October - Battle of Germantown

6 October - Sir Henry Clinton leads British forces in the capture of Continental Army Hudson River defenses in the Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery.

7 October - Battle of Bemis Heights

19 October - The Battle of Saratoga , where General Burgoyne surrenders to General Horatio Gates.

22 October - 15 November The Battle of Fort Mercer.

23 October - British fleet suffers defeat at Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania

29 October - Hancock resigns as president of Congress

15 November - The Articles of Confederation written.

Philadelphia is captured by the British

Washington's Army retreats to Valley Forge

Conway Cabal

1778

6 February - Treaty of Paris signed by France and the United States. This treaty turns the American Revolution into a World War.

Savannah Georgia is Captured by the British

18 March -  The Battle of Quinton's Bridge

21 March - Massacre at Hancock’s Bridge

12 May - General Benjamin Lincoln, surrenders Charlestown South Carolina to the British

28 June - Battle of Monmouth Courthouse.

30 September -- Battle of Edgar's Lane takes place near Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, a small village 20 miles north of Manhattan island.

1779

British surrender to Americans at Vincennes

John Paul Jones, in Bon Homme Richard, defeats Pearson, in the Battle of the Serapis

Spain joins the French to fight the British

16 July - Battle of Stony Point

18 October - American Revolutionary War: The Franco-American Siege of Savannah is lifted.

21 October - Henry Laurens named minister to Holland