What caused the American Revolution?

The American Revolution was mainly caused by the implementation of several policies by the British Parliament - primarily related to taxation - that the American colonists felt violated their natural and constitutional rights.

Who were some leaders of the American Revolution?

Some important leaders of the American Revolution include George Washington, who led the Continental Army; Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence; Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, who helped secure support from France and other nations; John Hancock as the first President of the Continental Congress; among many others.

When was the American Revolution?

The American Revolution can generally be said to span from the resistance to the Stamp Act in August 1765 to the implementation of the US Constitution in March 1789. However, some definitions only cover the years of the war for independence (1775-1783), while others use different starting and stopping points.

American Revolution Timeline

Definition

The American Revolution (1765-1789) was a period of political upheaval in the Thirteen Colonies of British North America. Initially a protest over parliamentary taxes, it blossomed into a rebellion and led, ultimately, to the birth of the United States. Rooted in the ideas of the Enlightenment, the Revolution played an important role in the emergence of modern Western democracies.

More about: American Revolution

Timeline

7 Oct 1763
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 restricts the westward expansion of American colonists beyond the Appalachian Mountains.
1 Dec 1763
Patrick Henry argues the Parson's Cause in the Hanover County Courthouse, arguing that the king has no authority to interfere with Virginia's taxation laws.
22 Mar 1765
The Stamp Act of 1765 is approved by Parliament and King George III, sparking protest in the American colonies.
31 May 1765
The Virginia House of Burgesses passes the Virginia Resolves, asserting the colonists' rights as Englishmen and denying Parliament's authority to tax them.
14 Aug 1765
In Boston, Massachusetts, a mob attacks the home of stamp distributor Andrew Oliver in protest of the Stamp Act; this marks the birth of the Sons of Liberty.
7 Oct 1765 - 25 Oct 1765
The Stamp Act Congress meets in New York City to protest the Stamp Act; a Declaration of Rights and Grievances is issued.
18 Mar 1766
The unpopular Stamp Act is repealed by an act of Parliament .
Jun 1767 - Mar 1768
The Parliament of Great Britain passes the Townshend Acts to tax and regulate the thirteen American colonies.
10 Jun 1768
The Liberty, a sloop owned by Boston merchant John Hancock, is seized by British officials leading to widespread riots in Boston.
1 Oct 1768
British soldiers arrive in Boston in the wake of several riots.
5 Mar 1770
The Boston Massacre occurs; nine British soldiers fire into a crowd of American colonists, killing five and wounding six others.
Apr 1770
The Townshend Acts are repealed except for a tax on tea.
16 Dec 1773
A party of colonial Bostonians, some dressed as Mohawks, dump 342 crates of tea into Boston Harbor, in the Boston Tea Party.
Mar 1774 - Jun 1774
British Parliament passes the Intolerable Acts to punish the Thirteen Colonies for the Boston Tea Party.
5 Sep 1774 - 26 Oct 1774
The First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to coordinate a response to the Intolerable Acts.
19 Apr 1775
The Battles of Lexington and Concord kick off the American War of Independence.
10 May 1775
The Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
5 Jun 1775
The Second Continental Congress adopts the Olive Branch Petition in a final attempt at reconciliation with Great Britain.
15 Jun 1775
The Second Continental Congress adopts the Continental Army, names George Washington as commander-in-chief.
22 Jun 1775
The Continental Congress issues $2 million in a new paper currency, called 'Continentals', to fund the Revolution.
13 Oct 1775
The Second Continental Congress votes to establish the Continental Navy.
1776
Thomas Paine publishes his revolutionary pamphlet Common Sense.
2 Jul 1776
The Continental Congress votes for independence; the United States is born.
4 Jul 1776
The Second Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence; the United States of America is established.
9 Jul 1776
Gen. George Washington reads the Declaration of Independence aloud to his troops in NYC; a statue of King George III on Bowling Green is torn down and melted into bullets.
27 Aug 1776
Battle of Long Island; the Continental Army is defeated by British troops and German auxiliaries.
Dec 1776
The Second Continental Congress is forced to evacuate Philadelphia at the approach of the British army; Washington is granted near dictatorial powers.
26 Dec 1776
After recrossing the Delaware River, Gen. George Washington surprises and defeats a Hessian garrison at the Battle of Trenton.
26 Sep 1777
Philadelphia is captured by a British army; Congress flees to York, Pennsylvania.
Nov 1777 - Apr 1778
The Conway Cabal threatens to remove George Washington from his role as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army but is ultimately thwarted.
15 Nov 1777
The Second Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation, which are sent to the states for ratification.
19 Dec 1777 - 18 Jun 1778
The Continental Army spends a grueling winter at Valley Forge. The supply department is reformed and the soldiers are trained, creating a more effective fighting force.
1778
France enters into a military alliance with the thirteen colonies, declares war on Britain.
23 Mar 1779
Benjamin Franklin is named ambassador to France.
24 Jun 1779 - 7 Feb 1783
The Great Siege of Gibraltar is fought. A combined Franco-Spanish army fails to seize the fortress from Great Britain.
1780
Catherine the Great establishes the League of Armed Neutrality seeking to protect shipments during the American Revolution.
23 Sep 1780
British Major John André is captured, exposing the treason of Benedict Arnold.
1781
Jacques Necker, French Director of Finance, publishes the Compte rendu au roi, the first record of royal finances ever made public.
1 Mar 1781
The Articles of Confederation take effect.
19 Oct 1781
Gen. George Washington accepts the surrender of Lord Cornwallis following the Siege of Yorktown.
30 Nov 1782
The first draft of the Treaty of Paris is finished.
3 Sep 1783
The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolutionary War. The treaty acknowledges the United States as a sovereign and independent nation.
29 Aug 1786 - 27 Feb 1787
Shays' Rebellion threatens to topple the state government of Massachusetts, leading American political figures to rethink central government under the Articles of Confederation.
4 Feb 1789
In the first US presidential election, George Washington wins all 69 electoral votes; John Adams is elected vice president.
30 Apr 1789
George Washington is inaugurated as president of the United States at Federal Hall in New York City.