Unit 1 Notes

1. Events Leading to the American Revolution
a. The Proclamation of 1763: King George III angers the colonists when he forbids them moving west of the Appalachian Mountains
b. Sugar Act of 1764: England tries to tax colonists
c. Stamp Act of 1765: after repealing the Sugar Act, England starts a tax on printed materials.
d. The Quartering Act of 1766: Britain says colonists must house and supply British soldiers
e. The Townshend Act of 1767: new taxes on tea, glass, lead, paint, and paper.
f. Boston Massacre of 1770: English soldiers kill five colonial protesters.
g. Committees of Correspondence: colonists start exchanging news among colonies.
h. Boston Tea Party of 1773: colonists throw tea into Boston Harbor.
i. The Intolerable Acts of 1774: laws to punish people of Boston and force them into obedience.
j. First Continental Congress: representatives of the 13 colonies meet to protest the Intolerable Acts (they still wanted peace with Britain).
k. Lexington and Concord (1775): British and colonists fight and start war.
l. Declaration of Independence (1776): colonies say they will rule themselves.

2. The Great Awakening
a. religious movement that went through the colonies in the 1730's.
b. encouraged people to question authority.

3. The Declaration of Independence
a. written by Thomas Jefferson.
b. inspired by Enlightenment ideas and Thomas Paine's Common Sense
c. had three main parts
i. First Part: describes natural rights of people.
ii. Second Part: outlines the wrongs done by the king.
iii. Third Part: declares the independence of the colonies.
d. led to all 13 colonies declaring independence.

4. Inspiration for other Nations
a. Britain surrenders at Yorktown.
b. leads to other people (like French and Haitians) wanting change