American Revolution Timeline Project

American Revolution Timeline Project

The Stamp Act

The Countryside Rises Up

The Second Continental Congress

Patrick Henry's Speech

Second Continental Congress Organization for War

The future of the urban-led Patriot movement depended on the country population. Many farmers were not interested in imperial fairs. They were too focused on farming and the most important thing to them was family and community. However, imperial policies took their sons for the army and raised their taxes. Farmers on Long Island and New York generally paid 10 shillings a year, starting in 1754. Although by 1756, the taxes were raised to 30 shillings. Peace didn’t bring relief, The Quartering Act made the taxes high and kept them at an average of 20 shillings a year. Committees were created in 1774, when The First Continental Congress called for a boycott.

In May 1775 John Adams strongly encouraged the congress to defend the freedom of Americans and create a continental army. George Washington was nominated to be the leader and the proposal was approved.

In May 1775, the Second Continental Congress met to discuss relations with Britain. Previously, Britain had destroyed American troops near Boston. Despite this, the majority of Congress still hoped for peace. Congress also deployed soldiers to Canada in hopes of obtaining a 14th colony, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Parliament responded to this event by banning trade with other countries or colonies besides the united states. As such, the Continental Congress finally determined to support independence against Britain.

In 1763, the British government introduced the stamp act to help pay for the British troops. The stamp act introduced heavy taxes on legal documents and shipping. This frustrated the Americans because they didn't want to pay large taxes on shipments and legal documents.

In May 1765, Patrick Henry had made an attack towards George III for supporting Grenville's Legislation. Henry was attempting to create a new republican Revolution. Although the assembly could have taken his argument as treason, they decided to condemn the Stamp Act as "a manifest Tendency to Destroy American Freedom".

1776

1763

Parliament Compromises

Compromised Ignorance

Compromise Falls

Imperial Reform

Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense'

In late 1772, Samuel Adams and other Patriots persuaded the town meeting to set up a committee. Eighty Massachusetts towns made committees too. The Virginia House of Burgesses created its own committee of correspondence when the British government threatened them. In mid-1773, committees were conducted in New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Connecticut. In May 1773, Lord North passed the Tea Act causing these committees to get involved.The East India Company was in debt because of military expeditions to enlarge Britain’s impact in India. The Tea Act canceled the English import responsibility on its tea. It also gave the company a government loan and most colonists drank Dutch tea.

After the French and Indian war, the British were in debt. In order to get out of debt, they put new taxes on American possessions. The French and Indian war also made Britain enforce strict regulations rather than allow for salutary neglect.

General Thomas Gage fought to keep the imperial government intact. In September 1774 he attempted to overthrow the patriots but his efforts failed. He led a fight where he tried to capture patriot leaders and many people ended up dying. The violence made it impossible for another compromise to be created.

In 1766, when the news of the Stamp Act riots and the boycott had reached Britain the Parliament was already having issues which led to Grenville's removal from being Prime Minister. After that, three Parliament factions pushed for a repeal of the Stamp Act, and eventually to compromise with everyone they repealed the Stamp Act, reduced the Sugar Act and gave the Parliament full power and authority to make laws and statues.

"Common Sense" was a pamphlet put out to inspire American soldiers. The author of the pamphlet, Thomas Paine, was a bureaucrat in England who was fired from his workplace for protesting low wages. The piece of literature used strong language to communicate the necessity of revolution, saying such things as, “...the hard hearted sullen Pharaoh of England" and, famously, "'tis time to part."