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 19-21 - First 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
September 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
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