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The French and Indian War lasted between 1756-1763 and was a territorial battle between Britain and France. France had been expanding into the Ohio River area and the British colonies felt repeatedly attacked.<\/span><\/h5>\n\n- During 1754 and 1755 the French won multitudes of battles.<\/li>\n
- The British finally declared war on France in 1756.<\/li>\n
- In 1757, Britain tried to turn the tide on this war as their new leader William Pitt was greatly interested in building a vast British empire, so he borrowed heavily to finance the war in America and other battles Britain was having in the world at this time. He even reimbursed American\/colonies for raising troops to fight in North America.<\/li>\n
- In July 1758, the British won their first great victory at Louisbourg near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River. A few weeks later, Britain took Fort Frontenac at the western end of the St. Lawrence River. A major victory for the British was in September 1759 with the victory of the Battle of Quebec. Then the French lost Montreal in September 1760. This was the French\u2019s last foothold in Canada.
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Map-French-Indian-War.jpg\")
<\/li>\n - Soon after Spain joined France against England. For the remainder of the war.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Finally, in February 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War. Britain received Canada from France and Florida from Spain.<\/p>\n
If you wish to read further about this historic battle, see: https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/native-american-history\/french-and-indian-war<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nThe above battle was the precursor to the American Revolutionary War. Or for simplicity the war of the American colonist against Britain.<\/span><\/h5>\nAs mentioned above, Britain had borrowed heavily for other battles in the world at this time and for the French and Indian War. Now Britain was thinking, \u201cSince we helped the American colonists then they need to help repay our war debt.\u201d<\/p>\n
What better way to raise money for the government than to tax the people?<\/p>\n
\n- So, in 1765 British parliament passed a tax law directly placed on the American colonists known as the Stamp Act. This tax, and future taxes, were to be paid directly to Britain for their war debt.<\/li>\n
- Then came the Townshend Acts and Tea Act to further tax American colonists.<\/li>\n
- By now, the American colonists were starting to think that all this taxation was unfair because they had no representation in parliament across the ocean in Britain.<\/li>\n
- With France quite bitter towards Britain and fifteen years to stew about it, France quite easily sided with the American colonists in the American Revolutionary War against Britain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So, from 1775-1783, again the American colonist were at war with Britain but on the side of gaining independence from Britain\u2019s unfair and unjust laws and taxation and no representation in parliament across the ocean.<\/p>\n
Another chain of events that lead to the unease of the American Colonists was:<\/p>\n
\n- The Boston Massacre when British soldiers opened fire on a mob of colonists and killed 5 men.<\/li>\n
- Then came the unfair tea tax; so, in 1773, Bostonians dressed as Indians and went aboard British ships and dumped the precious British tea into the Boston Harbor. Maybe that is why Americans today drink more coffee than tea. Britain responded with more controlling measures to manage the American colonists.<\/li>\n
- On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and other colonists met British soldiers in the Battles of Lexington and Concord and this \u201cshot heard around the world\u201d was officially the shot that signified the start of the Revolutionary War.<\/li>\n
- The colonists formed their Continental Army with George Washington as the commander in chief.<\/li>\n
- The first major Battle of Bunker Hill ended in British victory however this did not stop the colonists; it only encouraged them more to fight on. Encouragement to fight on for freedom from Great Britain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/american-revolution\/american-revolution-history![\"\"](\"http:\/\/sonbeamsandshadows.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/Map-Declaration-of-Independence.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nSo, what did the colonist do? They drafted the Declaration of Independence and July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence and send it to the King.<\/p>\n
Battle after battle raged in the American colonies:<\/p>\n
\n- Siege of Boston – 4\/1775-3\/1776 – American victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Long Island – 8\/1776 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Kip\u2019s Bay 9\/1776 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Harlem Heights 9\/1776 – American victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of White Plains 10\/1776 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Fort Washington – 11\/1776 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Evacuation of Fort Lee – 11\/1776 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Trenton 12\/26\/1776 – American victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Second Trenton – 1\/2\/1777 – American victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Princeton – 1\/3\/1777 – American victory<\/li>\n
- The Forage War – 1\/1777 – 3\/1777 – A draw<\/li>\n
- Battle of Brandywine – 11\/1777 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of the Clouds 9\/1777 – A draw<\/li>\n
- Battle of Germantown 10\/1777 – British victory<\/li>\n
- Battle of Saratoga 9\/1777 -10\/1777 – American victory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cDid you know? To celebrate the American victory at Saratoga, the Continental Congress issued a proclamation for a national day “for solemn Thanksgiving and praise,” the first official holiday observance with that name.\u201d<\/p>\n
https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/american-revolution\/battle-of-saratoga<\/a><\/p>\n
<\/li>\nFinally, in February 1763, the Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War. Britain received Canada from France and Florida from Spain.<\/p>\n
If you wish to read further about this historic battle, see: https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/native-american-history\/french-and-indian-war<\/a>.<\/p>\n As mentioned above, Britain had borrowed heavily for other battles in the world at this time and for the French and Indian War. Now Britain was thinking, \u201cSince we helped the American colonists then they need to help repay our war debt.\u201d<\/p>\n What better way to raise money for the government than to tax the people?<\/p>\n So, from 1775-1783, again the American colonist were at war with Britain but on the side of gaining independence from Britain\u2019s unfair and unjust laws and taxation and no representation in parliament across the ocean.<\/p>\n Another chain of events that lead to the unease of the American Colonists was:<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/american-revolution\/american-revolution-history So, what did the colonist do? They drafted the Declaration of Independence and July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence and send it to the King.<\/p>\n Battle after battle raged in the American colonies:<\/p>\n \u201cDid you know? To celebrate the American victory at Saratoga, the Continental Congress issued a proclamation for a national day “for solemn Thanksgiving and praise,” the first official holiday observance with that name.\u201d<\/p>\n https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/american-revolution\/battle-of-saratoga<\/a><\/p>\n
\nThe above battle was the precursor to the American Revolutionary War. Or for simplicity the war of the American colonist against Britain.<\/span><\/h5>\n
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