The French and Indian War

The Albany Congress

Proclamation of 1763

The Sugar Act

The Currency Act

The Stamp Act

The Quartering Act of 1765

Patrick Henry's 'If this be treason, make the most of it!' speech

The Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions

The Stamp Act Congress

The Declaratory Act

The Townshend Revenue Act

Boston Non-Importation Agreement

The Boston Massacre

The Gaspee Affair

The Tea Act

The Boston Tea Party

Boston Port Act, one of the 'Intolerable Acts'

Administration of Justice Act, one of the 'Intolerable Acts'

Massachusetts Government Act, one of the 'Intolerable Acts'

Quartering Act of 1774, one of the 'Intolerable Acts'

Quebec Act, one of the 'Intolerable Acts'

The First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia and issues Declaration and Resolves

Battle of Point Pleasant, Virginia (disputed as to whether it was a battle of the American Revolution or the culmination of Lord Dunmore's War)

The Association (prohibition of trade with Great Britain)

Galloway's Plan rejected

Patrick Henry's 'Give me liberty or give me death' speech

The Rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes

Minutemen and redcoats clash at Lexington and Concord 'The shot heard 'round the world.'

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys seize Fort Ticonderoga

The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia

George Washington named Commander in Chief

Battle of Bunker Hill: The British drive the Americans from Breed's Hill

Washington assumes command of the Continental Army

Ninety Six, SC, Patriots sieged

The patriots under Montgomery occupy Montreal in Canada

Virginia and NC patriots rout Loyalist troops and burn Norfolk

Col. Thomson with 1,500 rangers and militia capture Loyalists at Great Canebrake, SC

Snow Campaign, in SC, so-called because patriots are impeded by 15' of snow

American forces under Benedict Arnold fail to seize Quebec

Daniel Morgan taken prisoner in attempt to take Quebec City

Paine's 'Common Sense' published

The patriots drive the Loyalists from Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina

The Continental fleet captures New Providence Island in the Bahamas

The British evacuate Boston; British Navy moves to Halifax, Canada

Patriots fail to take Three Rivers, Quebec

The Virginia Declaration of Rights

Sullivan's Island, SC, failed British naval attack

The First Virginia Constitution

Patriots decisively defeat the British Navy at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina

At the instigation of British agents, the Cherokee attack along the entire southern frontier

Congress debates and revises the Declaration of Independence. See Chronology of the Declaration

Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence; it's sent to the printer

The Declaration of Independence is read publicly

Lyndley's Fort, SC, Patriots fend off attack by Indians and Tories dressed as Indians

Ambushed by Cherokees, Patriots are saved by a mounted charge at Seneca, SC

Delegates begin to sign The Declaration of Independence

Tugaloo River, SC, Andrew Pickens defeats Cherokees

Andrew Pickens' detachment surrounded by 185 Cherokee Indians, forms a ring and fires outward. It is known as the 'Ring Fight.'

Col. Williamson and Andrew Pickens defeat Cherokee Indians and burn Tamassy, an Indian town

Redcoats defeat George Washington's army in the Battle of Long Island. Washington's army escapes at night

The British occupy New York City

Generals George Washington, Nathanael Greene, and Israel Putnam triumphantly hold their ground at the Battle of Harlem Heights

Col. Williamson's patriots attacked by Cherokees at Coweecho River, NC

Benedict Arnold defeated at the Battle of Valcour Island (Lake Champlain), but delayed British advance

The Americans retreat from White Plains, New York. British casualties (300) higher than American (200)

The Hessians capture Fort Washington, NY

Lord Cornwallis captures Fort Lee from Nathanael Greene

Washington crosses the Delaware and captures Trenton from Hessians

Washington victorious at Princeton

Washington winters in Morristown, NJ

Benedict Arnold's troops force a British retreat at Ridgefield, Connecticut

Treaty of DeWitt's Corner, SC: Cherokees lose most of their land east of the mountains

Flag Resolution

St. Clair surrenders Fort Ticonderoga to the British

Lafayette arrives in Philadelphia

The Redcoats, with Iroquois support, force the patriots back at Oriskany, NY, but then have to evacuate

American Militia under General Stark victorious at the Battle of Bennington, VT (actually fought in Walloomsac, New York, several miles to the west)

British withdraw from Fort Stanwix, NY, upon hearing of Benedict Arnold's approach

British General Howe lands at Head of Elk, Maryland

The British win the Battle of Brandywine, Pennsylvania

Rain-out at the Battle of the Clouds, Pennsylvania

Burgoyne checked by Americans under Gates at Freeman's Farm, NY. This is part of the 'Battles of Saratoga.'

Paoli Massacre, PA

British under Howe occupy Philadelphia

Americans driven off at the Battle of Germantown

Burgoyne loses second battle of Freeman's Farm, NY (at Bemis Heights). This is part of the 'Battles of Saratoga.'

Burgoyne surrenders to American General Gates at Saratoga, NY

Hessian attack on Fort Mercer, NJ repulsed

British capture Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania

Americans repulse British at Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania

Washington's army retires to winter quarters at Valley Forge

The United States and France sign the French Alliance

British General William Howe replaced by Henry Clinton

Battle of Barren Hill, Pennsylvania. Lafayette with 500 men and about 50 Oneida Indians successfully evade British onslaught

British abandon Philadelphia and return to New York

Washington's army leaves Valley Forge

The Battle of Monmouth Court House ends in a draw

George Rogers Clark captures Kaskaskia, a French village south of St. Louis

French and American forces besiege Newport, RI

The redcoats occupy Savannah

Maj. Gen. Moultrie defeats British detachment at Port Royal Island, SC

Patriots Andrew Pickens and Elijah Clarke beat Loyalists at Kettle Creek, GA

American George Rogers Clark captures Vincennes (in what is now Indiana) on the Wabash in the Western campaign

British Lt. Col. Jacques Marcus Prevost defeats Americans under Gen. John Ashe at Brier Creek, GA

Maj. General Augustin Prévost (brother of Jacques, see above) breaks his siege when American forces under Maj. Gen. Lincoln approaches

Stono River, SC, Maj. Gen. Lincoln inflicts extensive British casualties in indecisive battle

Spain declares war on Great Britain July 8: Fairfield, CT, burned by British July 11: Norwalk, CT, burned by British July 15-16: American 'Mad' Anthony Wayne captures Stony Point, NY

'Light Horse' Harry Lee attacks Paulus Hook, NJ

Newtown, NY, after two massacres, American forces burn Indian villages

John Paul Jones, aboard the Bonhomme Richard, captures British man-of-war Serapis near English coast September 28: The Tappan Massacre ('No Flint' Grey kills 30 Americans by bayonet)

American attempt to recapture Savannah, GA fails

Washington's 2nd winter at Morristown, NJ (the harshest winter of the 18th century)

British capture Charleston, SC

British crush Americans at Waxhaw Creek, SC

Patriots rout Tories at Ramseur's Mill, NC

French troops arrive at Newport, RI, to aid the American cause

Patriots defeat Tories at Hanging Rock, SC

British rout Americans at Camden, SC

John André arrested, leading to the exposure of Benedict Arnold's plans to cede West Point to the British

King's Mountain, SC: battle lasts 65 minutes. American troops led by Isaac Shelby and John Sevier defeat Maj. Patrick Ferguson and one-third of General Cornwallis's army

Washington names Nathanael Greene commander of the Southern Army

Mutiny of unpaid Pennsylvania soldiers

Patriot Morgan overwhelmingly defeats British Col. Tarleton at Cowpens, SC

The Battle of Cowan's Ford, Huntersville, NC

Articles of Confederation adopted

British win costly victory at Guilford Courthouse, NC

Greene defeated at Hobkirk's Hill, SC

British Major Andrew Maxwell cedes Fort Granby, SC to patriot Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee

Americans recapture Augusta, GA

British hold off Americans at Ninety Six, SC

'Mad' Anthony Wayne repulsed at Green Springs Farm, VA

Greene defeated at Eutaw Springs, SC

French fleet drives British naval force from Chesapeake Bay

Cornwallis surrounded on land and sea by Americans and French and surrenders at Yorktown, VA

Lord North resigns as British prime minister

British evacuate Savannah, GA

British and Americans sign preliminary Articles of Peace

British leave Charleston, SC

Congress ratifies preliminary peace treaty

The United States and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris

British troops leave New York City

Washington resigns as Commander

U.S. Constitution signed

U.S. Constitution adopted, when New Hampshire ratifies it