Everything you've ever wanted to know about the American Revolution
Learn about the different political power plays, alliances, and spying scandals that occurred during the American Revolution.
The Federalists and Democratic-Republicans were the first two political parties in the United States. Beginning in the early 1790s during George Washington’s first term, the two factions were locked in…
The Articles of Confederation were the first constitution of the United States of America, approved by the Second Continental Congress on November 15, 1777, during the Revolutionary War. The Articles…
The Declaration of Independence was a document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which marked the start of the United States as an independent nation. Historical…
When George Washington announced his resignation from the office of President in late 1796, he published a farewell address, which was released as a public letter. Context After leading the…
The 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence took a significant risk in putting their names to this most famous of documents. In the eyes of the British, the…
The Treaty of Paris was a 1783 agreement that officially ended the American Revolutionary War. Under the Treaty, America was formally surrendered by the British and recognized as an independent…
The Albany Plan of Union was a 1754 proposal to create a central government for the Thirteen Colonies in North America, spearheaded by Benjamin Franklin. Context In the early 1750s,…
Bacon’s Rebellion was the first major uprising by American colonists against colonial leadership in the Thirteen Colonies, a hundred years prior to the beginning of the American Revolution. Context and…
Salutary neglect was an unofficial policy of Great Britain in the 18th century, whereby its American colonies were largely left to govern themselves, and British laws and regulations, especially those…
Origins Join, or Die is a political cartoon drawn by Benjamin Franklin, originally published in the Pennsylvania Gazette on May 9, 1754. The cartoon depicts a rattlesnake cut into eight…
The Suffolk Resolves were a series of declarations passed on September 9, 1774, by delegates from towns in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, calling for opposition against the British Intolerable Acts. Summary…
Common Sense was a political pamphlet published by American Patriot Thomas Paine on January 10, 1776, advocating for American independence from Great Britain. Summary The second half of 1775 was…
The Olive Branch Petition was a document drafted by the Second Continental Congress and sent to King George III of England, in an attempt to prevent the Revolutionary War. In…
The Second Continental Congress was a convention of colonial delegates that began meeting in May 1775 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, soon after the beginning of the Revolutionary War. In this guide,…
The First Continental Congress, which occurred in Philadelphia in September and October 1774, was the first major unified colonial response to British overreach in America. In this article, we’ve summarized…
The Boston Massacre was an incident that occurred on March 5, 1770, where a group of British soldiers fired into a crowd of civilians on King Street in Boston. In…
The Quebec Act was a law passed by British parliament in 1774, which expanded the territory of the Province of Quebec, and opened up religious freedoms for citizens of the…
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was a decree issued by King George III of Great Britain, defining new restrictions on colonial settlement in America. In this article, we’ve explained the…
The Navigation Acts were a series of laws that regulated foreign trade across the British Empire during the 17th and 18th centuries. In this guide, we’ve explained what the Navigation…
The Intolerable Acts, also known as the Coercive Acts, were a series of controversial laws passed in the Thirteen Colonies in America by the British parliament. In this guide, we’ve…
What was the Tea Act? The Tea Act was a new law implemented by the British parliament on May 10, 1773. The new law stated that: The East India Company…
The Tea Act of 1773 was a law implemented by the British parliament, which gave the British East India Company an effective monopoly on tea sold in the Thirteen Colonies.…
The Townshend Acts were a series of laws enacted by the British parliament between 1767 and 1768, which imposed a range of new taxes and restrictions on the Thirteen Colonies…
The Quartering Acts were a series of laws implemented by the British parliament. The laws stated that the Thirteen Colonies in America had to provide housing and other supplies to…
The Sugar Act of 1764 was a law passed by the British parliament on the Thirteen Colonies. The act imposed stricter trade controls and updated tax rules, making it harder…
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a law implemented in the Thirteen Colonies by the British government, which introduced a new tax payable on most printed media. In this guide,…
The Declaratory Act was a law implemented by the British parliament in 1766. It stated that the British government had the complete authority to pass laws in the Thirteen Colonies,…
“No taxation without representation” was a political slogan used by American Patriots in the Thirteen Colonies. In this article, we’ve explained the meaning and origins of this slogan, and its…
During the American Revolutionary War, propaganda was used by both sides to influence public opinion on the conflict. Propaganda was especially important as both the Patriots and the British were…
During the Revolutionary War, both sides used political cartoons to portray their perspective of events from the battle, mock the enemy, and promote the righteousness of their cause. Some cartoonists…
“ Editor’s note The following is a translation of a Royal Order signed by Jose de Galvez, Minister of the Indies, to Luis de Unzaga, Spanish Governor of Louisiana. Written…
The French and Indian War, 1756-1763, was the genesis of Spain’s aid to the Patriots in the American Revolution, for Britain, in conquering France and Spain, set the stage for…