Brief Description: Colonists got paid to fight against France for the land of the Ohio River

Significance to Independence: Britain had got rid of the idea of salutary neglect and had became more protective of the colonies. This ultimately led to the making of Acts that would enrage the colonists and produce independence from Britain.

Brief Description: The Stamp Act was a tax where a Stamp must be bought and placed on a specific product. This Stamp was to be placed on almost every paper product.

Significance to Independence: This Act angered colonists and was one of many acts to come that would be placed on the people of the 13 colonies.

Brief Description: The Parliament had discussed the issue at hand. They declared that only Colonial legislators had the power to tax the colonists. They did not elect a Representative to parliament which made the people not have to pay taxes imposed on Parliament.

Significance to Independence: This action united the colonists by having one common enemy, Britain. This would lead to independence by the colonists working together in the upcoming war.

Brief Description: The declaration of independence stated that the 13 colonies had formally cut ties with Britain. It also brought thought to the Kings taxes and law making ability. Major leaders of the Colonies and armies signed the paper.

Significance to Independence: This was a major turning point in the movement toward freedom. This gave the people of the colonies the confidence and will to fight back against Britain.

Brief Description: At this meeting, signing was held for the declaration of independence. Fighting had already begun between Britain and the Colonies but Independence was not established. When the Declaration of Independence was signed, the colonies were no longer under Britain's rule.

Significance to Independence: This sealed the disconnection between Britain and the colonies and gave the rebels a chance to focus on their military.

Brief Description: When the Stamp Act was being formed, the colonist began to boycott against paper products in hopes of stopping to tax from going into affect. People had advertisements in the newspaper to urge people to not buy paper products. A group came along called the Sons of Liberty, this group attacked tax collectors and stamp offices. When November 1st, 1765 rolled around the Stamp Act had been activated but did not work due to there being no more tax collectors in the colonies.

Significance to Independence: This showed to Britain that the colonists were not afraid to fight back against a global super power.

Brief Description: The Coercive Acts were passed because of the misbehaved people that participated in the Boston Tea Party. These Acts took away people basic rights and limited power to the legislator of Massachusetts. These Acts would be removed when the fortune of tea was repaid for. This hurt many businessmen like merchants and fishermen due to their unique style of selling goods.

Significance to Independence: This enraged the colonists more and more which would further translate to the war for independence.

Brief Description: The Townshend Act was the tax on importing and exporting goods. Britain Placed a heavy tax on the goods which made people very unhappy. John Hancock a Boston citizen refused to pay the tax, instead of paying it he took his ship and tried to export his goods himself. His ship was seized. Although it wasn't all for nothing, this started a riot among the people protesting against the Act.

Significance to Independence: This Act had further angered citizens as well as setting off impacting riot in the cities.

Brief Description: Following the Tea Act, The Sons of Liberty had dressed up as Mohawk Indians and boarded British ships in Boston. On these ships were dozens of barrels of Tea. The Sons of Liberty, filled with rage due to the newly enforced Tea Act, had dumped all of the barrels of Tea into the Harbor. This angered parliament and led to many more Acts enforced on the people.

Significance to Independence: This action had shown parliament and British forces the the colonists were not afraid of them.

Brief Description: The British East India Company was losing money when selling their Tea. In hopes of fixing this issue Parliament passed the Tea Act which allowed the British East India Company to sell Tea in the colonies. The colonists refused to buy Tea from them because it would be saying that they accept heavy taxes from Britain.

Significance to Independence: This was important because it showed Britain that the colonist don't have to accept their taxes.

Brief Description: After the rebellious acts of John Hancock, Britain sent troops to occupy the city. These soldiers had nowhere to stay so parliament passed a law where colonists had to house soldiers. Colonists had to feed them and nurse them accordingly. The colonists saw this as another means of British Control.

Significance to Importance: This was important because it built tensions between the colonists and Britain which would ultimately lead to independence.

Brief Description: Delegates from every state were sent to meet in Philadelphia for the first every Continental congress. They talked about how they were British subjects, loyal to the Crown, and wanted to be treated like English citizens. They drafted up a petition about all of these things, they sent it to the king with high hopes but was eventually rejected.

Significance to Importance: These Delegates that were in this meeting had one common goal which was defeating Britain. This Congress represented the First American Government and was vital to defeating Britain.

Brief Description: Briefly after the Stamp Act was signed and passed the Declaratory Act was passed. This Act gave absolute power to Parliament in all cases. This also gave them power when colonies made laws they were able to null and void them. Also this gave them power to tax the colonists without representation.

Significance to Independence: This built up the anger toward Britain and further pushed the limits of the colonists.

Brief Description: The first shots of the war were at Lexington an Concord. This is where the British generals wanted to establish dominance over the colonists. Both sides lined up, no one is sure of who fired the first shot but it started a chain reaction where some British soldiers fired back resulting in casualties. From that moment on the revolutionary war had begun.

Significance to Independence: This settled the first conflict among the two powers. This fight could no longer be settled in government and taxes but only war and battles.

Brief Description: An angry mob had approached a British Tax collectors house guard by British solders. The mob was angry throwing rocks and snowballs at them. This is when shots were fired by British soldiers killing five colonists.

Significance to Independence: This was the first real gunfire between the colonist and Britain. Which made the colonies realize that they would need more than just politics to win the battle.