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American Revolution Timeline: Important Political Dates

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John Adams once wrote, "But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people."

The following table recognizes Adams' distinction and offers a summary of those events that changed many Americans from loyal subjects of the king in 1763 to revolutionaries intent on independence in 1776.

The military result of this process is summarized elsewhere in the timeline of the War of Independence.

1766	1767	1768	1769	1770
1771	1772	1773	1774	1775

Date	British Policies Impacting American Colonies	Events in American Colonies
1763
February 10	Treaty of Paris ending French and Indian War
October	Proclamation of 1763 prohibits western settlement
1764
April 5	Sugar Act enacted to defray cost of recent war
various	Customs Office reforms to tighten enforcement of trade laws
April 19	Currency Act restricts issuance of paper money in colonies
May		James Otis raises cry of "no taxation without representation"
August		Bostonians boycott British-made luxuries
1765	top of page
March 22	Stamp Act passed as first "direct tax" on American colonies
March 24	Quartering Act passed for maintaining British troops in America
May		Patrick Henry delivers "treason" speech in the Virginia House of Burgesses
June		Massachusetts sends Circular Letter to organize opposition to Stamp Act
August 14		Sons of Liberty terrorize Andrew Oliver in Boston
August 26		Looting of Thomas Hutchinson house by Sons of Liberty
October 7-25		Stamp Act Congress meets in New York City
November 1		Effective date for Stamp Act
November		Stamp Act riots in New York City
1766	top of page
February 22	House of Commons considers repeal of Stamp Act (House approval March 4; Lords on March 17)
March 18	Declaratory Act approved in wake of Stamp Act repeal
August		Riots in New York City over enforcement of Quartering Act
December		New York assembly suspended
1767	top of page
June - July	Townshend Acts passed: New York Restraining Act Customs Service Reform Townshend Duty Act
October		Boycott of British luxury items in Boston
December 2		First installment of John Dickinson's Letters
1768	top of page
February 11		Samuel Adams and James Otis' circular letter opposing Townshend Acts sent to colonial assemblies
April		Temporary crisis over John Hancock's ship, Lydia
May		British warship arrives in Boston harbor to protect threatened customs officials
June 10		Customs officials seize Hancock's Liberty
July		Massachusetts assembly suspended for refusing to rescind Circular Letter
October 1		British troops occupy Boston
1769	top of page
May		Virginia Resolves of George Mason oppose British policies; governor closes House of Burgesses
throughout		Nonimportation agreements spread to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, Georgia, and North Carolina
1770	top of page
January 16-18		Sons of Liberty v. Redcoats in New York City ends in Battle of Golden Hill
March 5		Boston Massacre followed by removal of troops from city
April 12	Repeal of Townshend Duties except for tax on tea
October - December		John Adams' defense of Capt. Preston and troops
1772	top of page
June 9-10		Gaspee affair in Narragansett Bay
November		Boston Committee of Correspondence formed
1773	top of page
March		Virginia creates Committee of Correspondence
May 10	Tea Act into effect
December 16		Boston Tea Party
1774	top of page
January 29	Benjamin Franklin scolded by Privy Council in London
March 31	Coercive Acts (initial) Boston Port Act	Measure labeled as "Intolerable Acts" in colonies
May 13		Boston boycott; Thomas Gage replaces Hutchinson; additional troops arrive
May 20	Coercive Acts (additional) Massachusetts Government Act Administration of Justice Act
June 2	Coercive Acts (additional) Quartering Act (revised)
June 22	Quebec Act	(Regarded in America as Intolerable Act)
July 18		Fairfax Resolves adopted by Virginia convention
September 5		First Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia (adjourns Oct. 26)
September 9		Suffolk Resolves adopted in Massachusetts
September 17		Congress urges defiance of Coercive Acts and formation of militias
October 10		Battle of Point Pleasant
October 14		Congress approves Declaration of Rights and Grievances
October 20		Continental Association formed to enforce boycotts
1775	top of page
February 9	Parliament declares American colonies in state of rebellion
March 23		Patrick Henry's "liberty or death" speech
March 30	New England Restraining Act
April 18		Revere and others warn of British move
April 19		Battle of Lexington and Concord
May 10		Second Continental Congress convenes in Philadelphia

---- Selected Quotes ----

Quotes regarding American Revolution Timeline: Important Political Dates.

By John Adams
What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people, and this was effected from 1760–1775, in the course of fifteen years, before a drop of blood was shed at Lexington.
Letter to Thomas Jefferson, August 24, 1815
By Thomas Paine
THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.
The American Crisis

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