What: This was a pamphlet written for the American people about his views on why the Americans should be independent from Britain.

Where: Colonies/Britain

When: 1776

Why: It was written to challenge the authority of the British government and the monarchy. It was also written to empower the American people to fight against it's rulers.

How: Thomas Paine was able to write this and publish it anonymously to the Americans to allow for the people to know that there are reasons as to why they need to fight back and become independent.

What: an European intellectual movement focused on reason and individualism rather than tradition and strict religious views

Where: Britain, Colonies, France

When: 1685-1815

Why: After the scientific revolution in Europe, people began to not only become skeptical of scientific views, but also the moral views of society. Philosophies began to emerge because people started to think differently than what society has told them.

How: This idea spread to the America's when people like Thomas Paine came over to the colonies and taught the people about thinking for themselves. Along with easier access to books than before these ideas were widespread throughout Europe as well.

What: Locke said that the natural rights are life, liberty, and property.

Where: Developed in Locke’s famous Second Treatise Concerning Civil Government

When: 1689 (when the book was published)

Why: During the Enlightenment period people began to think about their individual rights, and these rights are the basic values a person deserves. These are rights that all people have at birth and are something that cannot be taken away.

How: These rights were able to be given to the American people, when people like Thomas Jefferson looked up to Locke. His ideas are what made founded the Declaration of Independence and have people their natural rights.

What: It was a war between the French and British (aka Seven Years War). The British won this war and had control over eastern America. Also during this war the Natives fought with the French against the British.

Where: The colonies of Great Britain and New France

When: 1754 – 1763

Why: It was over the main issue of whether the upper Ohio River valley was British territory. 

How: This happened because the French was advancing closer to the British colonies. The war took place to strictly have boundaries for the two countries.

What: This is a set of actual or assumed agreements between the people and their ruler. It sets a boundary for what the ruler does for the people and what the people do for the ruler, in terms of duties and responsibilities.

Where: Colonies & Europe

When: During Age of Enlightenment

Why: This was written as the purpose of the government is to protect the natural rights of its citizens. Having written or known facts allows for people to know that they are in good hands.

How: This Enlightenment idea can only work if people agree to obey the laws the government places. This contract allows for people to know their place and what they need to do in order to be treated how they wanted.

What: This massacre is when British soldiers in Boston opened fired on a group of American colonists after a protest. Five people were killed.

Where: Boston

When: 1770

Why: The Massacre happened because after the protest got out of hand and there was much panic in the streets. The soldiers mean to calm to public but instead shot five people.

How: The Boston Massacre happened because of a small argument between British solider and a few colonists outside the Custom House in Boston. The argument escalated and soldiers shot five people because of the panic that had occurred.

What: These were laws that were designed to restrict Britain's carrying trade to English ships.

Where: Britain

When: 17th and 18th centuries

Why: They were put in place to tighten the government's control over trade between England and it's colonies along with the rest of the world

How: They were first passed by Oliver Cromwell in 1651

What: Loyalists were fond of the British and followed them blindly. The most common trait among all loyalists was conservatism. 

Where: Throughout the colonies

When: During the American Revolution

Why: These people had high status in the colonies and did whatever they were asked to keep that status. They did not want to look bad in the eyes of the British, so when they were asked to help the British when the colonialists fought them, they fought back.

How: These people were always loyal to the British, as they traveled from there and always had a part of them that was going to be more faithful to them. They truly believed that the British were the rightly owners of the colonies and did not need to be independent.

What: These people included the founding fathers and others who helped make America, America. They were the ones who started riots and spoke out when the Britishers were treating them unjustly.

Where: The colonies

When: During the American Revolution

Why: The rebelled and fought the British because they wanted to be free of their reign and gain independence from them

How: They became patriots because they realized either on their own or from the enlightenment ideas of natural rights. And how they too deserve them, but the British were taking them away from them, which is why they stepped in to gain them for themselves.

What: This was the last great battle of the American Revolution. The British surrendered considered a peace treaty.

Where: Yorktown, Virginia

When: 1781

Why: This battle was a part of the American Revolution and one of the most significant as it marked the end of the war, with the Americans gaining independence from the British.

How: They won this battle with the help of the French by surrounding the British, using this strategy they were able to win the war.

What: It was a meeting of delegates colonies to respond to the Intolerable Acts passed by the British Parliament.

Where: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When: 1774

Why: After King George III passed the Coercive Acts, this group was made to respond to the strict laws passed.

How: They came to be due to mistreatment of the colonies from the British. They ended up having accomplishments by boycotting British goods and eventually there was a second meeting.

What: American colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor

Where: Griffin's Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts

When: 1773

Why: In order to protest the excess taxes put onto the colonists. They were frustrated since they had no representation in Parliament and were still forced to pay taxes.

How: After the Tea Act was put into place the people boarded the the docked ships at night in order to protest what Parliament was doing to them.

What: Banned colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains

Where: 13 Colonies

When: 1763, end of the French & Indian War

Why: The Indians were dissatisfied by the British rule, and were rebelling. This was put in place to prevent the colonists from provoking the Indians further.

How: What King George said went and he did so by regulating the territory the people could inhabit and where they have their plantations.