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Kids learn about the history of the French and Indian War of the American Colonies between 1754 and 1763 including major battles, events, ending, and results.

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The French and Indian War started between Britain and France, fighting for control of North America. Native Americans fought on both sides. This war was expensive for Britain and would later lead to them taxing the colonies to pay for it.

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After winning the French and Indian War, Britain issued this proclamation that prevented colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. This made many colonists angry because they wanted to move west into new territories.

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Britain passed the Sugar Act, which placed taxes on sugar, coffee, and other goods imported to the colonies. This was one of the first times Britain directly taxed the colonists, leading to the phrase 'No taxation without representation!'

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The British Parliament passed the Stamp Act, requiring colonists to pay a tax on printed materials like newspapers and legal documents. This caused widespread protests and boycotts throughout the colonies.

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Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (reproduction no. LC-USZC4-1583)

The groups of American colonists formed in the summer of 1765 to oppose the Stamp Act were called the Sons of Liberty. The Stamp Act was enacted by the British Parliament in an attempt to raise revenue through the direct taxation of all colonial commercial and legal papers, newspapers, pamphlets, and cards. The Sons of Liberty disagreed not only with the tax but also with how the British were ruling the American colonies in general. The subsequent activities of the Sons of Liberty helped lead the colonies into the American Revolution.

The first Sons of Liberty groups originated in Boston, but soon others appeared throughout the colonies. They took their name from a speech that Isaac Barré had given in the British Parliament in February 1765. In his speech, Barré defended colonists who had opposed unjust British measures, calling them the "sons of liberty." Although the Sons of Liberty were largely made up of merchants and tradesmen, many well-known patriots, including Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Paul Revere, were also members.

The Sons of Liberty rallied support for colonial resistance through the use of petitions, assemblies, and propaganda. At times they would use violence against England's officials. The Sons of Liberty were instrumental in preventing the enforcement of the Stamp Act, and they remained an active pre-Revolutionary force against the crown, participating in such events as the Boston Tea Party in 1773.

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The groups of American colonists formed in the summer of 1765 to oppose the Stamp Act were called the Sons of Liberty. The Stamp Act was enacted by the British Parliament in an attempt to raise revenue through the direct taxation of all colonial commercial and legal papers, newspapers, pamphlets, and cards.

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On March 5, British soldiers fired into a crowd of protesting colonists, killing five people. This event, which the colonists called the 'Boston Massacre,' increased tensions between Britain and the colonies and was used as propaganda for the revolutionary cause.

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Angry about the Tea Act, which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales, colonists dressed as Native Americans dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor. This famous protest showed how frustrated the colonists were with British control.

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In response to the Boston Tea Party, Britain passed several punitive laws that colonists called the 'Intolerable Acts.' These closed Boston Harbor and restricted Massachusetts' self-government, making many colonists realize they needed to unite against British control.

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Representatives from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss their response to the Intolerable Acts. They decided to boycott British goods and sent a petition to King George III asking him to address their grievances.

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The 'shot heard round the world' marked the beginning of actual fighting between British troops and colonial militia. These battles on April 19 began the American Revolution, as Paul Revere and others warned 'The British are coming!'

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On July 4, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, officially declaring the colonies free from British rule. Written primarily by Thomas Jefferson, this document explained why the colonies needed to be independent and stated that 'all men are created equal.'