1. Britain’s Series of Unfortunate Events How England Slowly Lost Control of the American Colonies

2. 1600s Britain allows American colonies to make legislatures & laws in House of Burgesses… …Results in colonies governing themselves and feeling free.

3. Mid-1600s England passes Navigation Acts to limit colonies from trading with other nations… …As a result, Americans feel used and cheated by English government.

4. 1689 English Bill of Rights takes power from king & gives it to people… …As a result, Americans feel more entitled to rights of citizenship.

5. 1700s “Enlightenment”: Science and logic use reason to fix problems of society… …Results in Americans learning about ideas of Montesquieu and especially Locke’s Natural Rights of “life, liberty, and property”.

6. 1730s -1740s Great Awakening spreads in colonies: Speaks of equality and spirituality… …Americans learn to question authority & fairness in church & government.

7. 1756 -1763 Expensive French & Indian War is a big win for England but creates problems, too… …New lands gained could not be taken from natives because Proclamation of 1763 forbids it. Colonists upset!

8. 1764 -1765 Sugar Act and Stamp Act passed by Parliament to help pay war debts… …New taxes on common items with no representation in Parliament? Angry colonists form boycotts, Committees of Correspondence, then Congress.

9. 1766 -1767 England repeals Stamp Act in 1766 but in 1767 passes Townshend Acts: A new set of taxes on common items… …For next three years, colonists are active in Sons of Liberty, Committees of Correspondence, and boycotts. Tensions rise.

10. March 5, 1770 Boston Massacre leaves 5 colonists dead, killed by British Redcoats. By luck, Parliament repeals Townshend Acts on the same day!... …Colonial bitterness increases.

11. 1773 Tea Act passed. Townshend tea tax remained & colonies could only buy it under strict rules… …On December 16 th, Boston Tea Party results. Sons of Liberty dump three shiploads of tea into harbor to protest. Both sides very angry.

12. 1774 Intolerable Acts: Massachusetts colonists punished with closed harbor, restricted meetings, British trials, military governor, & troops in homes (called quartering)… …Continental Congress meets about trouble. To help, it makes Declaration of Rights & sets up state militias. Colonists fighting mad!

13. April 18 -19, 1775 British march to take patriot militia weapons. On Paul Revere’s warning, troops are ready. Fighting at Lexington and Concord (outside Boston) left 8 minutemen and 73 redcoats dead. The war had begun with the ‘Shot heard around the world’.

14. 1776 To be continued…Colonists begin to move closer toward Independence.