American Revolution Timeline

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Explore our timeline of the American Revolution and learn about the important events and battles that happened throughout this period of American history – from the Battles of Lexington and Concord to the signing of the Treaty of Paris. View the War of 1812 and Civil War timelines. 

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1754

• May 28 - The French and Indian War begins
• July 10 - Albany Plan of Union—Benjamin Franklin proposes a single government for the colonies

1763

• February 10 - The Treaty of Paris ends the French and Indian War. The English drive the French from North America, and the English national debt soars
• October 7 - Proclamation of 1763—King George III banned colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian mountains

1764

• April 5 - Sugar Act—Smugglers could be tried in Admiralty Courts, without the benefit of a jury

1765

• March 22 - Stamp Act—Tax on paper goods and legal documents
• March 24 - Quartering Act—Colonies must provide housing and food for British troops
• March 29 - Virginia House of Burgesses passes the Virginia Resolves, 7 resolutions that challenge the legality of the Stamp Act
• October 7-25 - Stamp Act Congress meets in Philadelphia to discuss the crisis

1766

• March 18 - Parliament repeals the Stamp Act and passes the Declaratory Act, which reiterates Parliament's authority over the colonies

1768

• February 11 - Massachusetts Assembly issues Massachusetts Circular Letter, denouncing Townsend Acts
• August 1 - Boston Non-Importation Agreement—Boston merchants agree to not import British goods, or sell to Britain

1770

• January 19 - Golden Hill Riot, NY
• March 5 - Boston Massacre

1772

• June 9 - Gaspée Affair—A British ship patrolling for smugglers runs aground in Rhode Island and a local mob burns it; the mob is then accused of treason

1773

• May 10 - Tea Act—An attempt by Parliament to undercut smugglers by reducing the price of tea to the colonies
• December 16 - Boston Tea Party

1774

• March 31 - Boston Port Act— Parliament closes the city’s port in response to the Tea Party.
• May 20 - Administration of Justice Act and Massachusetts Government Act, two of the so-called Intolerable Acts, further anger colonists
• June 2 - Quartering Act is amended
• September 5–October 26 - First Continental Congress—Carpenter’s Hall, Philadelphia

1775

• March 23 - Patrick Henry’s “Liberty or Death” speech, Richmond, VA
• April 18 - Revere and Dawes Ride
• April 19 - Battles of Lexington and Concord, MA
• May 10 - Ethan Allen and Green Mountain Boys seize Fort Ticonderoga, Second Continental Congress meets
• June 15 - George Washington appointed commander-in-chief
• June 17 - Battle of Bunker Hill
• July 3 - George Washington assumes command of the Army outside Boston
• July 5 - Congress approves the Olive Branch Petition, a final attempt to avoid war with Britain
• October 13 - The U.S. Navy is established
• November 19-21 - First Siege of Ninety Six, SC
• November 13 - Americans take Montreal
• December 9 - Battle of Great Bridge, VA
• December 22 - Battle of Great Canebreak, SC
• December 23-30 - Snow Campaign, SC
• December 30-Jan 1 - Battle of Quebec

1776

• January 10 - Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense
• February 27 - Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, NC
• March 3 - Continental Navy captures New Providence Island, Bahamas
• March 17 - British evacuate Boston
• April 12 - Halifax Resolves, NC—First colony to authorize its delegates to vote for independence
• June 7 - Lee Resolution: Richard Henry Lee proposes independence to the Second Continental Congress
• June 28 - Battle of Sullivan’s Island, SC
• July 1 - Cherokee attack the southern frontier
• July 4 - Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence
• August 27 - Battle of Brooklyn, NY
• September 15 - British occupy Manhattan
• September 16 - Battle of Harlem Heights, NY
• September 22 - British execute Nathan Hale, a soldier in the Continental Army
• October 11 - Battle of Valcour Island, Lake Champlain
• October 28 - Battle of White Plains, NY
• November 16 - Battle of Fort Washington, NY
• November 20 - British capture Fort Lee, NJ
• December 23 - Thomas Paine publishes The American Crisis
• December 26 - Battle of Trenton, NJ

1777

• January 3 - Battle of Princeton, NJ
• January 6 - May 28 - Continental Army winters at Morristown, NJ
• April 27 - Battle at Ridgefield, CT
• June 14 - Flag Resolution- Congress declared “That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field”
• July 5 - British capture Fort Ticonderoga
• August 6 - Battle of Oriskany, NY
• August 16 - Battle of Bennington, VT (Walloomsac, NY)
• September 11 - Battle of Brandywine, PA
• September 19 - Battle of Saratoga, NY (Freeman’s Farm)
• September 20-21 - Battle of Paoli, PA
• September 26 - British take Philadelphia
• October 4 - Battle of Germantown, PA
• October 7 - Battle of Saratoga, NY (Bemis Heights)
• October 17 - British surrender at Saratoga, NY
• October 22 - Battle of Fort Mercer, NJ
• November 16 - British capture Fort Mifflin, PA
• December 5–7 - Battle of White Marsh, PA
• December 19 -  Washington and his army winter in Valley Forge

1778

• February 6 - The United States and France become allies
• February 7 - British General William Howe replaced by Henry Clinton
• May 20 - Battle of Barren Hill, PA
• June 18 - British abandon Philadelphia, Continental Army marches out of Valley Forge
• June 28 - Battle of Monmouth, NJ
• July 4 - George Rogers Clark captures Kaskaskia, in modern Illinois
• July 29–August 31 - French and American forces besiege Newport, RI
• December 29 - British capture Savannah, GA

1779

• February 3 - Battle of Port Royal Island, SC
• February 14 - Battle of Kettle Creek, GA
• February 23–24 - George Rogers Clark captures Vincennes, in modern Indiana
• March 3 - Battle of Brier Creek, GA
• June 18 - Sullivan expedition attacks Indian villages in NY
• June 20 - Battle of Stono River, SC
• June 21 - Spain declares war on Great Britain
• July 7 - British burn Fairfield, CT
• July 11 - British burn Norwalk, CT
• July 16 - Americans capture Stony Point, NY
• July 24 - August 14 - Penobscot Expedition (Castine, ME)
• July 28 - Battle of Fort Freeland, PA
• August 19 - Battle of Paulus Hook, NJ
• August 29 - Battle of Newtown, NY
• September 16 - October 19 - American/French effort to retake Savannah fails
• September 23 - John Paul Jones and the USS Bonhomme Richard capture HMS Serapis near English coast
• November - Washington’s Main Army begins camping at Morristown, NJ

1780

• January 28 - Fort Nashborough established (now Nashville, TN)
• March 14 - Spanish capture Mobile
• May 12 - British capture Charleston, SC
• May 25 - Mutiny of Connecticut regiments at Morristown, NJ
• May 26 - Battle at St. Louis, now in Missouri
• May 29 - Battle of Waxhaws, SC
• June 20 - Battle of Ramseur’s Mill, NC
• June 23 - Washington’s Main Army leaves their winter camps at Morristown, NJ
• July 11 - French troops arrive at Newport, RI
• August 6 - Battle of Hanging Rock, SC
• August 16 - Battle of Camden, SC
• August 19 - Battle of Musgrove Mill, SC
• September 23 - British officer John Andre arrested for spying
• October 7 - Battle of Kings Mountain, SC
• October 14 - Gen. Nathanael Greene named commander of the southern Continental Army
• October 18 - British occupy Wilmington, NC

1781

• January 17 - Battle of Cowpens, SC
• February 1 - Battle of Cowan’s Ford, NC
• February 12 - Spanish forces take Fort St. Joseph, now Miles, MI
• March 2 - Articles of Confederation adopted; Battle of Clapp’s Mill, NC
• March 6 - Battle of Weitzel’s Mill, NC
• March 15 - Battle of Guilford Courthouse, NC
• April 25 - Battle of Hobkirk Hill, SC
• May 9 - Spanish capture Pensacola
• May 15 - Battle of Fort Granby, SC
• May 22–June 18 - Siege of Ninety Six, SC
• June 6 - Americans retake Augusta, GA
• July 6 - Battle at Green Spring, VA
• August 28 - Battle of Elizabethtown, NC
• September 5 - Battle of the Capes, Chesapeake Bay
• September 8 - Battle of Eutaw Springs, SC
• September 28 - October 19 - Siege of Yorktown, VA
• October 19 - General Cornwallis officially surrenders at Yorktown, VA

1782

• March 8—9 - Indians attacked by militia at Gnadenhutten, in modern OH
• March 20 - Lord North resigns as Prime Minister of Great Britain
• April 19 - Netherlands recognizes American independence
• May 8 - American and Spanish forces capture Nassau, Bahamas
• July 11 - British evacuate Savannah, GA
• July 13 - British/Indian raid on Hannahstown, PA
• August 7 - Washington establishes the Badge of Military Merit, now known as the Purple Heart
• August 19 - Battle of Blue Licks, KY
• November 4 - Encounter at John’s Ferry, SC
• November 10 - George Rogers Clark raids Chillicothe, modern OH
• November 30 - British and Americans sign preliminary Articles of Peace
• December 14 - British evacuate Charleston, SC

1783

• March 15 - Washington addresses the Newburgh Conspiracy and discontent in the Continental Army, Newburgh, NY
• April 19 - Congress ratifies the preliminary peace treaty
• September 3 - US and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris
• November 25 - British evacuate New York City
• December 4 - Washington bids farewell to his officers in New York City
• December 23 - Washington resigns as commander in Annapolis, MD