James Otis gives a four hour speech against the Writs of Assistance
October - George III becomes King of England 1763
1763
The Seven Years war ends with the Treaties of Paris and Hubertusburg.
9 May - Fort Detroit attacked by Pontiac, thus beginning Pontiac's Rebellion. (Ends 1766)
7 October - The Royal Proclamation by King George III, limits American Colonial expansion to the East of the Appellation Mountains.
1764
Sugar Act passed by Parliament to offset expenses of the French and Indian War and to maintain England's newly acquired territories.
The Currency Act passed by Parliament. Prevents the colonies from issuing their own form of legal tender.
May- James Otis raises the issue of taxation without representation in a Boston town meeting.
July- James Otis publishes "The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved."
August - Boston merchants begin to boycott British luxury goods.
1765
22 March - The Stamp Act is passed by the British Parliament.
24 March --The Quartering Act: required the colonies to provided barracks and supplies to British troops.
29 May - Virginia's Resolutions on the Stamp Act
6 June - The Massachusetts House of Representatives resolves to propose an inter-colonial meeting to resist the Stamp Act.
7 October - The Stamp Act Congress meets in New York
19 October - Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress.
20 December - James Otis delivers an oration against the Stamp Act before the Governor and Council in Boston.
1766
January-- Resistance to the Quartering Act in New York
18 March - Repeal of the Stamp Act
18 March - The Declaratory Act. Parliament asserts its right to make laws binding on the Colonies.
1767
The Townshend Duties go into effect.
Non-Importation: The colonist protest the new taxes by agreeing to stop importing British goods.
1768
11 February -- Massachusetts Circular Letter
10 June - The Sloop "Liberty" owned by John Hancock was seized in Boston Harbor for Revenue Law violations by customs officials.
October - British Troops arrive in Boston to enforce the customs laws.
1769
At the beginning of this year all thirteen colonies became united to and determined to preserve their liberties at all costs.
1770
Townshend Acts repealed except the tax on tea
End to Non-Importation
New York Riot over the Quartering Act compliance of New York Assembly.
5 March - The Boston Massacre. Crispus Attucks, the first Black American Patriot, is killed in this incident.
1771
May 16-- Battle of Alamance fought in Burlington, North Carolina
1772
Attack on the "Gaspee" - This was a British customs schooner that was burned by Rhode Island colonists off Namequoit Point. Known today as the Gaspee Affair.
Sam Adams pressures the Boston Town Meeting to set up the "Committee of Correspondence" to state the colonies’ rights and grievances.
John Sevier organizes independent Republic of Watauga in Tennessee
1773
To save the bankrupt British East India Company, Parliament passes the Tea Act.
5 November - The Boston Town Meeting Resolutions against the Tea Act
16 December - The Boston Tea Party: 342 chests of tea are dumped into Boston Harbor.
31 December - Samuel Adams gives an account of the Boston Tea Party in a letter to Arthur Lee.
1774
January - Benjamin Franklin is reprimanded and humiliated by the Privy Council for leaking the letters of the Massachusetts Governor, Thomas Hutchinson.
Boston Port closed by Parliament until the destroyed tea was paid for by those responsible.
The Coercive Acts are passed by Parliament.
Quartering Act: expands the Act of 1765
Virginia Conventions begin.
25 August - The first popular Assembly called by the people, anywhere in North America, convened in defiance of British rule in Tyron Palace at New Bern, North Carolina.
5 September - The First Continental Congress opens for business.
7 October - The Quebec Act. This act grants the French Catholics of Quebec the right to freedom of Religion among other assurances.
14 October - Declaration and Resolves by the First Continental Congress
1775
New England Restraining Act: Parliament passed an act banning trade between the New England colonies and any other country besides Great Britain.
23 March - Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death Speech by Patrick Henry
18 April - Paul Revere's Famous Midnight Ride
19 April - The American Revolution begins with the battles of Lexington and Concord.
20 April - The Siege of Boston Begins
5 May - The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia.
10 May - Fort Ticonderoga captured by Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen.
10 May - The Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia with John Hancock as president of Congress.
15 May - The Congress votes to go to war with Britain, George Washington is appointed the Commander of the Continental Army.
10 June -- John Adams proposed that Congress consider the forces in Boston a Continental army, and suggested the need for a general. He recommended George Washington for the position.
16 June - Washington accepts promotion to General & Commander In Chief
17 June - Charlestown Massachusetts was burned down by the British.
17 June - Battle of Bunker Hill (Breeds)
22 June - The Continental Congress issues Continental Currency
30 June - Congress impugns Parliament and adopts Articles of War
1 July - Congress resolve to forge alliances with the Indians
3 July -- George Washington takes command of the Continental Army in Cambridge Massachusetts
5 July - Congress adopts The Olive Branch Petition
The Continental Congress searches for Foreign Aid
6 July - Declaration of Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms
26 July - Postal system created. Benjamin Franklin is first Director.
August - The Invasion of Canada begins.
23 August - King George III issues the Proclamation of Rebellion.
13 October -The Continental Congress Creates the United States Navy
November - Virginia Governor, Lord Dunmore offers freedom to all slaves who would fight for the British.
7 November - Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, declares Martial Law
22 December - Congress named Esek Hopkins commodore of the fledgling American navy. Soon after, Congress authorized privateering, and issued rules for dealing with enemy vessels and plunder.
Virginians defeat British at Great Bridge; British bombard Norfolk
1776
2 January - The Continental Congress publishes The Tory Act.
14 February - Common Sense written by Thomas Paine.
27 February - Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina.
17 March Siege of Boston ends when the British pull out and sail for Halifax. The Continental Army is located on Dorchester Heights.
12 June - The Virginia Declaration of Rights adapted by the Virginia Convention. Drafted by George Mason
2 July - Declaration of Independence approved and signed by John Hancock, the other Delegates sign two days later.
4 July - The American Colonies declares Independence
8 July - The US Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time by Col. John Nixon in Philadelphia's Independence Square. The
Liberty Bell in Independence Hall tolled after the reading.
July - British Troops land at New York harbor.
23 June - British Commodore Sir Peter Parker prepares a Naval strike on the Charleston, South Carolina coast.
29 June - South Carolina's Edward Rutledge opposes Independence
27 August - Battle of Long Island, New York.
6 September - HMS Eagle attacked by David Bushnell's "Turtle". The Turtle was the first attack submarine in history. The pilot was Sgt. Ezra Lee.
15 September - The Battle of New York.
16 September - The Battle of Harlem Heights.
20 September - The Fire of New York.
11-13 October - The Battle of Valcour Island.
28 October - The Battle of White Plains.
14 December - Geary's Dragoons ambushed between the small villages of Flemings-Town (Flemington) and Ringoes.
23 December - The American Crisis written by Thomas Paine.
26 December - Battle of Trenton, New Jersey.
December - Benjamin Franklin is sent by Congress to France to seek French aid for the cause.
1777
Congress adopts the American flag with thirteen stars and stripes
3 January - The Battle of Princeton
20 January - The Battle of Millstone, near Somerset Courthouse, New Jersey.
27 February - Battle of Moores Creek Bridge.
25 April - Danbury, Connecticut destroyed by British forces led by General Tryon.
28 June - Battle of Fort Moultrie
Burgoyne's invasion from Canada begins. It ended in failure at the Battle of Saratoga.
5 July - Burgoyne captures Fort Ticonderoga, The Marques De Lafayette arrives in America.
7 July - Battle of Hubbardton, Vermont
9 July - New York elects its first governor
10 July - British General Richard Prescott captured in Rhode Island
27 July - The Jane McCrea atrocity
2-22 August - Battles of Fort Stanwix and Oriskaney
16 August - Battle of Bennington, Vermont.
11 September - Battle of Brandywine Creek
16 September - The Paoli Massacre
19 September - Battle of Freeman's Farm
26 September - British Occupy Philadelphia
4 October - Battle of Germantown
7 October - Battle of Bemis Heights
19 October - The Battle of Saratoga , where General Burgoyne surrenders to General Horatio Gates.
22 October - 15 November The Battles of Forts Mercer and Mifflin.
15 November - The Articles of Confederation written.
Philadelphia is captured by the British
Washington's Army retreats to Valley Forge
Conway Cabal
1778
6 February - Treaty of Paris signed by France and the United States. This treaty turns the American Revolution into a World War.
Savannah Georgia is Captured by the British
12 May - General Benjamin Lincoln, surrenders Charlestown South Carolina to the British
28 June - Battle of Monmouth Courthouse.
1779
British surrender to Americans at Vincennes
John Paul Jones, in Bon Homme Richard, defeats Pearson, in the Battle of the Serapis
Spain joins the French to fight the British
16 July - Battle of Stony Point
1780
12 May - Charlestown, South Carolina captured by the British
16 August - Gates defeated by Cornwallis at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina.
23 September - Benedict Arnold's Plot to Hand over West Point to the British discovered.
2 October - Major Andre, hanged for his part in the Arnold Treason.
7 October - Battle of Kings Mountain. Patrick Ferguson is Killed in this British defeat.
Rochambeau arrives with a French Force of 5,500 men to assist the americans in their cause.
1781
Articles of Confederation go into effect; were drafted in 1777
Robert Morris becomes the Superintendent of Finance in the Continental Congress.
French Admiral de Grasse arrives with his powerful French fleet in American waters.
17 January - The Battle of Cowpens, South Carolina.
15 March - Battle of Guilford Courthouse. This is a costly victory for the British despite the fact that they won.
25 April - Battle of Hobkirk's Hill.
22 May - 20 June - Siege of Ninty - Six
General Nathaniel Greene pacifies the interior of South Carolina and Georgia by driving out the British forces.
8 September - Battle of Eutaw Springs
6-20 October Siege of Yorktown- Cornwallis surrenders to the Americans that ends the War for Independence.
1782
30 November - Provisional Peace
1783
15 March - Newburgh Conspiracy: George Washington stops a revolt among his officer corps by simply taking a pair of glasses out of his pocket to read a letter.
June - Most of the Continental Army disbands
Loyalists and British evacuate New York. The Loyalist began to evacuate in April of that year and the British would finally be gone by November.
Pennsylvania soldiers march on Congress and surround Independence Hall to protest their condition. The members of Congress escape to Princeton, New Jersey.
September 3, 1783 - The Paris Peace Treaty officially ends the American Revolution.
4 December - George Washington bids farewell to his Officers in New York. He is reportedly to have said to his officers, "I cannot come to each of you to take my leave, but shall be obliged to you if each will come and take me by the hand."
23 December - George Washington gives up his command of the Continental Army and retires to Mount Vernon.
1786
Shays's Rebellion in Massachusetts forcibly closes court systems
Annapolis Convention concludes September 14, suggests Philadelphia Convention
1787
25 May - 17 September Constitutional Convention opens. The United States Constitution framed, sent to Congress and states by the delegates of the convention.
13 July - Northwest Ordinance adopted by Continental Congress
Federalist Papers begin publication in newspapers
1788
New Hampshire is 9th state to ratify Constitution. It is now the law
First settlement in Ohio is Marietta, named for Marie Antoinette
1789
French Revolution. Bastille falls Jul 14. Declaration of Rights Aug 26th
George Washington & John Adams elected as first President and Vice President
The Judiciary Act specifies numbers of Federal courts and judges
1791
15 December - The first ten amendments, known as the Bill of Rights, becomes a part of the United States Constitution.
This timeline compiled by Rick Brainard
Timeline from 18th Century History here
