The Struggle for North America An ABC Book of The Struggle for North America By : Aiden, Lane, and Colin

A is for Americans Soon a new, independent spirit developed among the Americans, as they called themselves. Victory in the French and Indian War set the stage for the American Revolution.

B is for Boston Massacre On March 6, 1770, colonists gathered at the Boston Customs House, where taxes on goods from Great Britain were paid. The group including Crispus Attucks, a person who had escaped from slavery. Historians are uncertain exactly what happened next.

C is for Continental Army The name given to the colonial force. Washington had served as an officer in the French and Indian War , and colonial soldiers trusted him.

D is for Declaration of Independence A document stating that the colonies were independent from Great Britain. The committee members were John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert Livingston of New York, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

E is for Early Defeat One of the earliest battles took place on Long Island, New York, on August 27 ,1776. Here the 10,000-man American army faced 20,000 British soldiers. The Patriots were badly beaten. In the following weeks, they lost several other battles around New York City. By October 1776 the British controlled New York City

F is for The French and Indian War In the war, the French and their Native American allies, the Wyandot, fought the British.

G is for George Washington Washington decided to cross the Delaware River from Pennsylvania and attack the Hessian soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey, on Christmas night. An icy storm blew in on December 25 and the Patriots finally reached New Jersey at 4 a.m. Washington’s plan worked.

H is for Hunger and Disease For the first two months of that winter, soldiers lived in ragged tents. Few had shoes or blankets, and they shared coats and gloves. Food was in short supply too. At Valley Forge the main food was fire cakes a paste of flour and water roasted on a stick over campfires. Weak from cold and hunger, soldiers lived close together.

I is for Inflation Inflation is a large and rapid rise in prices.

J is for John Hancock He is a Boston merchant who had escaped from Lexington, was elected president of the Second Continental Congress.

K is for King George III In July 1775 the Congress sent what they called the Olive Branch Petition to King George III

L is for Loyalists Colonists who supported Great Britain.

M is for Militia Militia are volunteer soldiers who fight only in an emergency.

N is for New Orleans New Orleans became the largest French settlement in Louisiana.

O is for Olive Branch Petition The petition asked the king to repeal his governing policies for the colonies.

P is for Proclamation of 1763 This official announcement set aside land west of the Appalachian Mountains for Native American groups.

Q is for Quebec The siege lasted for months. Finally, on September 13, the French surrendered Quebec.

R is for Repeal In 1766 Parliament voted to repeal, or end, the Stamp Act.

S is for Stamp Act In 1765 British government passed the Stamp Act. The Stamp Act included letters, wills, newspapers, and even playing cards.

T is for Treaty of Paris The Treaty of Paris is the ending of the French and Indian War.

U is for Unfair Practices Hoarding, or hiding away goods, such as flour, molasses, and manufactured items was a serious problem.

V is for Victory in New Jersey An icy storm blew in on December 25 and the Patriots finally reached New Jersey at 4 a.m. Washington’s plan worked.

W is for Writing Begins Jefferson worked on a draft for two weeks.

X is for Xavier Cathedral A place were soldiers are buried.

Y is for Yorktown Is where the British surrendered to Washington because he had them surrounded.

Z is for Peter Zenger He brought up the idea of freedom of the press.