1754

May 28 - The French and Indian War begins

July 10 - Albany Plan of Union—Benjamin Franklin proposes a single government for the colonies

1763

February 10 - The Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War. The English drive the French from North America, and the English national debt soars

October 7 - Proclamation of 1763—King George III banned colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian mountains

1764

April 5 - Sugar Act—Smugglers could be tried in Admiralty Courts, without the benefit of a jury

1765

March 22 - Stamp Act—Tax on paper goods and legal documents

March 24 - Quartering Act—Colonies must provide housing and food for British troops

March 29 - Virginia House of Burgesses passes the Virginia Resolves, 7 resolutions that challenge the legality of the Stamp Act

October 7-25 - Stamp Act Congress meets in Philadelphia to discuss the crisis

1766

March 18 - Parliament repeals the Stamp Act and passes the Declaratory Act, which reiterates Parliament's authority over the colonies

1768

February 11 - Massachusetts Assembly issues Massachusetts Circular Letter, denouncing Townsend Acts

August 1 - Boston Non-Importation Agreement—Boston merchants agree to not import British goods, or sell to Britain

1770

January 19 - Golden Hill Riot, NY

March 5 - Boston Massacre

1772

May 10 - Tea Act—An attempt by Parliament to undercut smugglers by reducing the price of tea to the colonies

June 9 - Gaspée Affair—A British ship patrolling for smugglers runs aground in Rhode Island and a local mob burns it; the mob is then accused of treason

1773

December 16 - Boston Tea Party

1774

March 31 - Boston Port Act— Parliament closes the city’s port in response to the Tea Party.

May 20 - Administration of Justice Act and Massachusetts Government Act, two of the so-called Intolerable Acts, further anger colonists

June 2 - Quartering Act is amended

September 5–October 26 - First Continental Congress—Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia

1775

March 23 - Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech, Richmond, VA

April 18 - Revere and Dawes Ride

April 19 - Battles of Lexington and Concord, MA

May 10 - Ethan Allen and Green Mountain Boys seize Fort Ticonderoga, Second Continental Congress meets

June 15 - George Washington appointed commander-in-chief

June 17 - Battle of Bunker Hill

July 3 - George Washington assumes command of the Army outside Boston

July 5 - Congress approves the Olive Branch Petition, a final attempt to avoid war with Britain

October 13 - The U.S. Navy is established

November 10-21 - Siege of Ninety Six, SC

November 13 - Americans take Montreal

December 9 - Battle of Great Bridge, VA

December 22 - Battle of Great Canebreak, SC

December 23-30 - Snow Campaign, SC

December 30-Jan 1 - Battle of Quebec

1776

January 15 - Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense

February 27 - Battle of Moore's Creek, NC

March 3 - Continental Navy captures New Providence Island, Bahamas

March 17 - British evacuate Boston

April 12 - Halifax Resolves, NC—First colony to authorize its delegates to vote for independence

June 7 - Lee Resolution: Richard Henry Lee proposes independence to the Second Continental Congress

June 28 - Battle of Sullivan’s Island, SC

July 1 - Cherokee attack the southern frontier

July 4 - Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence

August 27 - Battle of Brooklyn, NY

September 15 - British occupy Manhattan

September 16 - Battle of Harlem Heights, NY

September 22 - British execute Nathan Hale, a soldier in the Continental Army

October 11 - Battle of Valcour Island, Lake Champlain

October 28 - Battle of White Plains, NY

November 16 - Battle of Fort Washington, NY

November 20 - British capture Fort Lee, NJ

December 23 - Thomas Paine publishes The American Crisis

December 26 - Battle of Trenton, NJ

1777

January 3 - Battle of Princeton, NJ

January 6 - May 28 - Continental Army winters at Morristown, NJ

April 27 - Battle at Ridgefield, CT

June 14 - Flag Resolution- Congress declared “That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field”

July 5 - British capture Fort Ticonderoga

August 6 - Battle of Oriskany, NY

August 16 - Battle of Bennington, VT (Walloomsac, NY)

September 11 - Battle of Brandywine, PA

September 19 - Battle of Saratoga, NY (Freeman’s Farm)

September 20-21 - Battle of Paoli, PA

September 26 - British take Philadelphia

October 4 - Battle of Germantown, PA

October 7 - Battle of Saratoga, NY (Bemis Heights)

October 17 - British surrender at Saratoga, NY

October 22 - Battle of Fort Mercer, NJ

November 16 - British capture Fort Mifflin, PA

December 5–7 - Battle of White Marsh, PA

December 19 -  Washington and his army winter in Valley Forge

1778

February 6 - The United States and France become allies

February 7 - British General William Howe replaced by Henry Clinton

May 20 - Battle of Barren Hill, PA

June 18 - British abandon Philadelphia, Continental Army marches out of Valley Forge

June 28 - Battle of Monmouth, NJ

July 4 - George Rogers Clark captures Kaskaskia, in modern Illinois

July 29–August 31 - French and American forces besiege Newport, RI

December 20 - British capture Savannah, GA

1779

February 3 - Battle of Port Royal Island, SC

February 14 - Battle of Kettle Creek, GA

February 23–24 - George Rogers Clark captures Vincennes, in modern Indiana

March 3 - Battle of Brier Creek, GA

June 20 - Battle of Stono River, SC

June 18 - Sullivan expedition attacks Indian villages in NY

June 21 - Spain declares war on Great Britain

July 8 - British burn Fairfield, CT

July 11 - British burn Norwalk, CT

July 16 - Americans capture Stony Point, NY

July 24-August 14 - Penobscot Expedition (Castine, ME)

July 28 - Battle of Fort Freeland, PA

August 19 - Battle of Paulus Hook, NJ

August 29 - Battle of Newtown, NY

September 16–October 19 - American/French effort to retake Savannah fails

October 23 - John Paul Jones and the USS Bonhomme Richard capture HMS Serapis near English coast

November–June 23 - Washington’s Main Army camps at Morristown, NJ

1780

January 28 - Fort Nashborough established (now Nashville, TN)

March 14 - Spanish capture Mobile

May 12 - British capture Charleston, SC

May 25 - Mutiny of Connecticut regiments at Morristown, NJ

May 26 - Battle at St. Louis, now in Missouri

May 29 - Battle of Waxhaws, SC

June 20 - Battle of Ramseur’s Mill, NC

July 11 - French troops arrive at Newport, RI

August 6 - Battle of Hanging Rock, SC

August 16 - Battle of Camden, SC

August 19 - Battle of Musgrove Mill, SC

September 23 - British officer John Andre arrested for spying

October 7 - Battle of Kings Mountain, SC

October 14 - Gen. Nathanael Greene named commander of the southern Continental Army

October 18 - British occupy Wilmington, NC

1781

January 17 - Battle of Cowpens, SC

February 1 - Battle of Cowan’s Ford, NC

February 12 - Spanish forces take Fort St. Joseph, now Miles, MI

March 2 - Articles of Confederation adopted; Battle of Clapp’s Mill, NC

March 6 - Battle of Weitzel’s Mill, NC

March 15 - Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC

April 25 - Battle of Hobkirk’s Hill, SC

May 9 - Spanish capture Pensacola

May 15 - Battle of Fort Granbury, SC

May 22–June 18 - Siege of Ninety Six, SC

June 6 - Americans retake Augusta, GA

July 6 - Battle at Green Spring, VA

August 28 - Battle of Elizabethtown, NC

September 5 - Battle of the Capes, Chesapeake Bay

September 8 - Battle of Eutaw Springs, SC

September 28-October 19 - Siege of Yorktown, VA

October 19 - General Cornwallis officially surrenders at Yorktown, VA

1782

March 7–8 - Indians attacked by militia at Gnadenhutten, in modern OH

March 20 - Lord North resigns as Prime Minister of Great Britain

April 19 - Netherlands recognizes American independence

May 8 - American and Spanish forces capture Nassau, Bahamas

July 11 - British evacuate Savannah, GA

July 13 - British/Indian raid on Hannahstown, PA

August 7 - Washington establishes the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart

August 19 - Battle of Blue Licks, KY

November 4 - Encounter at John’s Ferry, SC

November 10 - George Rogers Clark raids Chillicothe, modern OH

November 30 - British and Americans sign preliminary Articles of Peace

December 14 - British evacuate Charleston, SC

1783

March 15 - Washington addresses the Newburgh Conspiracy and discontent in the Continental Army, Newburgh, NY

April 19 - Congress ratifies preliminary peace treaty

September 3 - US and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris

November 25 - British evacuate New York City

December 4 - Washington bids farewell to his officers in New York City

December 23 - Washington resigns as commander in Annapolis, MD