Colonial America timeline

  • Massachusetts Government Act

    The Massachusetts Government Act (citation 14 Geo. III c. 45) was passed by the Parliament of Great Britain and became a law on May 20, 1774. The... Read more

  • Administration of Justice Act

    Parliament’s offensive against Massachusetts, the perpetrator of the Boston Tea Party, included an effort to afford legal protections to officials... Read more

  • Second Quartering Act

    A second Quartering Act (citation 14 Geo. III c. 54) was passed on June 2, 1774, as part of a group of laws that came to be known as the... Read more

  • Quebec Act

    The Quebec Act of 1774 was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (citation 14 Geo. III c. 83) setting procedures of governance in the Province... Read more

  • The First Continental Congress

    The first Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall in Philadelphia, from September 5, to October 26, 1774. Carpenter's Hall was also the seat... Read more

  • The Association

    The Continental Association, often known simply as the "Association", was a system created by the First Continental Congress in 1774 for... Read more

  • Siege of Boston

    In the immediate aftermath of the battles of the 19th, the Massachusetts militia, under the loose leadership of William Heath, who was superseded... Read more

  • Battles of Lexington and Concord

    The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in... Read more

  • Capture of Fort Ticonderoga

    On May 10, 1775, Fort Ticonderoga was captured by a small force of American Patriots led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold. They surprised... Read more

  • Second Continental Congress

    In May 1775, with Redcoats once again storming Boston, the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia. The questions were different... Read more

  • Battle of Bunker Hill

    On the night of June 16, 1775, a detail of American troops acting under orders from Artemas Ward moved out of their camp, carrying picks, shovels,... Read more

  • Shelling of Stonington

    August 30, 1775 at Stonington, Connecticut - On August 30, the British Navy began a bombardment of Stonington. There were 2 people killed in town... Read more

  • Battle of Longue-Pointe

    Allen and his men crossed the St. Lawrence on the night of the 24th, landing at Longue-Pointe. The inhabitants he met there were friendly, but he... Read more

  • Burning of Norfolk

    The Burning of Norfolk was an incident that occurred during the American Revolutionary War. On January 1, 1776, by the order of John Murray,... Read more

  • "Common Sense" Published

    Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was first published anonymously on January 10, 1776, during the American Revolution. Common... Read more

  • Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge

    The evening before the battle, a small scouting party approached the bridge and saw only a small encampment on the north side of the bridge. They... Read more

  • Evacuation Day

    The 11-month siege of Boston ended when the Continental Army, under the command of George Washington, fortified Dorchester Heights in early March... Read more

  • The Virginia Declaration of Rights

    Articles 1-3 address the subject of rights and the relationship between government and the governed. Article 1 states that "all men are by nature... Read more

  • Carolina Day

    Carolina Day is the day set aside to commemorate the first decisive victory of the American Revolutionary War. On June 28, 1776, a small band of... Read more

  • Battle of Sullivan's Island

    At around 9 AM, on June 28, the British fleet fired a signal gun to advance against the fort. Less than an hour later, the nine warships arrived at... Read more

  • The First Virginia Constitution

    The preparation of the first Virginia Constitution began in early 1776, in the midst of the early events of the American Revolution. Among those... Read more

  • United States Declaration of Independence

    IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes... Read more

  • Battle of Long Island

    At 9:00 am, Washington arrived from Manhattan. Around this time five British ships attempted to sail up the East River to cut off any possible... Read more

  • British Occupation of New York

    On September 15, 1776, General Howe landed at Kip's Bay. General Washington's troops were spread so thinly here that he had to retreat and again... Read more

  • Battle of Harlem Heights

    On the morning of September 16, Washington received word that the British were advancing. Washington, who had been expecting an attack, sent a... Read more