History U.S. Revolution Documents

"Common Sense"

1/9/1776 Published anonymously, written by Thomas Paine, argued for independence from Britain. Emphasized European connections, over English connections, and tyranny of King. Sold over 500,000 copies. Paine gave the $$ to Congress to use for the revolution.

Proclamation of 1763

10/7/1763 Set the boundary of the British colonies at the Appalachian Mountains, preventing American colonists from moving west.

Declaration and Resolves

1st Continental Congress was a 1774 meeting of reps from every colony except GA, to discuss how to respond to Intolerable Acts. Decided to conduct boycotts, train militias, and meet in 1 yr, if situation not improved. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/related/decres.html

1763 Treaty of Paris

2/10/1763 End the French and Indian War. Great Britain received French lands east of the Mississippi River including the Ohio River Valley and Quebec and Canada. This resulted in France no longer having North American colonies.

Declaratory Act of 1766

3/18/1766 Created after the repeal of the Stamp Act. It stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the colonies in all matters.

Stamp Act of 1765

3/22/1765 Taxed almost all printed material in colonies--colonists had to buy stamps for legal docs, contracts, newspapers, etc. Boycotts were started in response; Samuel Adams & Sons of Liberty organized to support protests against this act.

Sugar Act of 1764

4/5/174 British tax placed on the American colonists use of of molasses and sugar.

Tea Act

5/10/1773 To support East India Company, Parliament cut price of its tea. Americans resented the subsidies given to a Brit company; also made smuggled Dutch tea more $$. This Increased tensions in colonies. Royal officials--under pressure from colonists--refused to accept tea in NY, Charleston, Philadelphia. In Boston, however, Gov. Hutchinson (also a tea merchant) refused to send ships back. Result: Boston Tea Party.

Quartering Act of 1765

5/15/1765 Created to provide housing and supplies for British troops stationed in the colonies. Colonists were required to house any troops who could not fit into government or public buildings.

Virginia Resolution

5/30/1765 Introduced by Patrick Henry into VA General Assembly, immediately after Stamp Act, but when many legislators were absent. Said colonists had same rights as British, couldn't be taxed w/out representation; it named VA Assembly (not Parliament) as representative body for Virginia. He said ""If this be treason, make the most of it!" Resolutions were passed and well publicized, though the 5th one was repealed.

VA Stamp Act Resolutions (or "Resolves"). "If this be treason, make the most of it!"

5/30/1765 Introduced by Patrick Henry into VA House of Burgesses, immediately after Stamp Act, but when many legislators were absent. Said colonists had same rights as British, no taxation w/out representation; it named VA Assembly (not Parliament) as representative body for Virginia. Resolutions were passed and well publicized, though the 5th one was repealed.

Magna Carta

6/15/1215 Limited the powers of the English King. Required King to protect certain rights, to follow certain procedures (due process) when punishing people for crimes. Influenced the idea that rulers should be bound by law, just like everyone other person. it was reissued in 1216, 1217, 1225, and 1297.

Townshend Acts of 1767

6/29/1767 Started a series of indirect taxes on items imported to the American colonies - such as glass, paint, tea, and lead. The colonists responded to these with another boycott. repealed 4/12/1770

Olive Branch Petition

7/5/1775 This document was sent to King George III by the Second Continental Congress as a last-ditch effort to bring about peace between the colonists and Britain. However, it was rejected by the king, who declared that colonies were in rebellion, and hired Hessians to fight. (Parliament in 2/1775 had already declared Mass. to be in state of rebellion.)

Non-Importation Agreement of 1768

8/1/1768: This was a formal decision made by most Boston merchants, traders to not trade w/Britain--that is, to boycott British products. Followed a similar agreement in Oct. 1767; the colonies together would sign such an agreement at the First Cont'l Congress in 1774. This was a very effective way for colonies to resist British rule.

Articles of Confederation

Adopted 3/2/1781, the nation's first government. Flawed b/c it did not have mechanism for nat'l govt to force states to pay revenue, did not adequately provide nat'l defense. Replaced by Const'n in 1789.

Writs of Assistance

Allowed Briti officials to search colonist's property / homes at any time and without a warrant. Used to prevent smuggling.

Albany Plan of Union (7/10/1754)

Ben Franklin's plan to unite the colonies under one government to defeat France, presented at Albany Congress in NY.

Treaty of Paris 9/3/1783

Ended Revolutionary War

Committees of Correspondence

Many colonies formed these committees in response to unpopular British actions. These helped communities to communicate w/each other. First formed in Boston in November 1772.

Coercive (Intolerable) Acts

May-June 1774 Parliament passed in response to the Boston Tea Party. Included Boston Port Act (closed port until tea repaid); Administration of Justice Act (limited colony control of courts); MA Governance Act (limited self-governance by colonies); Quartering Act of 1774; Quebec Act of 1774 (was seen by colonists as favoring enemy French)

Reaction to Townshend Acts of 1767

Summer 1768: customs officials impounded a boat owned by John Hancock, for violating trade laws. Crowds mobbed custom house; British officials had to hide in a warship in Boston Harbor. Bostonians eventually passed the Non-Importation agreement (8/1/1768).

Declaration of Independence

This document laid out the grievances the colonists had with Great Britain and King George III, and it explained why the Americans were declaring their independence from Britain.

English Bill of Rights (12/16/1689)

This listed the rights of English citizens. This greatly influenced Americans, who felt King George III was not recognizing their rights as British citizens. It would also influence the U.S. Bill of Rights.

Thomas Hutchinson

This person's house was attacked on 8/26/1765, in response to the Stamp Act. He also refused to turn away the tea that arrived after the Tea Act (even though other governors had done so), thus leading to the Tea Party. He loved Boston, but put the British interests first; he eventually fled to London on 6/1/1774.

Mayflower Compact

Written, signed by Pilgrims when they arrived at Plymouth, 11/11/1620. Form of "self-government" that provided laws for the "general good" of the Plymouth Colony. Influenced the idea of the social contract / Majoritarian rule where settlers followed the rules for their own survival and the colony's survival.

Thomas Hutchinson Letters

published July 1773 In these letters, Hutchinson, the Massachusetts governor, advocated a 'great restraint of natural liberty', convincing many colonists of a planned British clamp-down on their freedoms.

Letter from a Philadelphian Farmer

series of 12 essays published in 1767-1768 by PA lawyer, legislator John Dickenson (1732-1808). Helped to unite colonists against Townshend Acts. Argued that taxes to raise revenue were unconstitutional.