Trying to make sense of how colonial anger became a war? This American Revolution timeline runs from the French and Indian War in 1754 to the Treaty of Paris in September 1783, with the key turning points in between.
This timeline is one part of our wider look at us history.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| French and Indian War begins | May 28, 1754 |
| Stamp Act | March 22, 1765 |
| Boston Tea Party | December 1773 |
| Lexington and Concord | April 1775 |
| Battle of Yorktown | October 1781 |
| Treaty of Paris ends the war | September 1783 |
Dates here follow the American Battlefield Trust timeline and the History of Massachusetts timeline. Sources sometimes differ by a few days or in how they frame events, so check them before you rely on a specific date.
The road to war: 1754 to 1765
The story starts with a war Britain won. The French and Indian War began on May 28, 1754, and the Treaty of Paris ended it on February 10, 1763. According to the American Battlefield Trust, the English drove the French from North America, but English national debt soared.
Colonists were already debating unity. On July 10, 1754, Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union, a single government for the colonies.
Once the war was over, Britain turned to rules and taxes to deal with the bills:
- Proclamation of 1763 (October 7, 1763): King George III banned colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian mountains.
- Sugar Act (April 5, 1764): smugglers could be tried in Admiralty Courts, without the benefit of a jury.
- Stamp Act (March 22, 1765): a tax on paper goods and legal documents.
- Quartering Act (March 24, 1765): the colonies had to provide housing and food for British troops.
Colonists did not stay quiet. The Stamp Act Congress met in New York City from October 7 to 25, 1765, to discuss the crisis.
Protests and punishments: 1766 to 1774
Parliament repealed the Stamp Act on March 18, 1766. On the same day it passed the Declaratory Act, which reiterated Parliament’s authority over the colonies.
Resistance then became organised. The Massachusetts Assembly issued the Massachusetts Circular Letter on February 11, 1768. On August 1, 1768, Boston merchants signed the Boston Non-Importation Agreement, agreeing not to import British goods or sell to Britain.
Tension kept rising through a run of flashpoints, as listed by the American Battlefield Trust and Historic UK:
- Boston Massacre: March 5, 1770.
- Gaspée Affair: June 9, 1772.
- Tea Act: May 10, 1773, which reduced the tax on imported British tea.
- Boston Tea Party: December 16, 1773, when the Sons of Liberty threw 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbour.
- Boston Port Act: March 31, 1774, which closed the port to all commerce.
The Port Act was part of the Intolerable Acts, according to the History of Massachusetts. That group also included the Administration of Justice Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Quartering Act of 1774 and the Quebec Act.
The colonies answered together. The First Continental Congress met from September 5 to October 26, 1774, with delegates from 12 of the 13 colonies. It declared that colonists should have the same rights as Englishmen and agreed to form the Continental Association, which called for suspending trade with Great Britain, as Historic UK records.
How did the American Revolution begin in 1775?
On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry gave his “Liberty or Death” speech at the Virginia Convention. About a month later, shots were fired in Massachusetts.
The key events of 1775 came quickly, as the Historic UK timeline shows:
- April 19: the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, where the famous shot heard ’round the world marked the start of the war.
- May 10: the Second Continental Congress established a Continental army and elected George Washington as Commander-in-Chief.
- June 17: the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the war. The British won, but it rallied many to the revolutionary cause.
- December 9: the Battle of Great Bridge, the first Patriot victory.
Even then, peace was still on the table. Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition and sent it to King George III, but he rejected it in September 1775, per the History of Massachusetts.
Where a timeline begins depends on the source. Historic UK says the war was fought between 1775 and 1783, while the History of Massachusetts dates the Revolution from 1765 to 1783. That is why this timeline starts earlier, with the causes.
Independence and the turning points: 1776 to 1778
The case for independence was made in public. Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” was published in January 1776, and the British evacuated Boston in March 1776, ending the Siege of Boston. In July 1776, Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence, and our declaration of independence summary walks through what it says.
The war then turned hard. The British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776. In December 1776, Washington crossed the Delaware and captured Trenton from Hessians.
In 1777 the British won at Brandywine in September and at Germantown in October, and they occupied Philadelphia. Three developments then changed the war’s direction:
- Saratoga (October 1777): Americans captured Burgoyne and his army at Saratoga, NY.
- Valley Forge (December 1777): Washington’s army spent the winter there.
- French Alliance (February 1778): the United States and France signed it.
The war’s end and what came next: 1779 to 1791
The conflict widened. Spain declared war on Great Britain in June 1779, and British troops captured Charleston, SC, in May 1780.
The decisive moment came in October 1781, when American and French troops won the Battle of Yorktown against the British. British troops left Charleston in December 1782. In September 1783, the United States and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Paris.
The wind-down took months. British troops left New York City in November 1783, and in December 1783 George Washington resigned as commander and returned to private life.
The new country then had to build its government. The U.S. Constitution was signed in September 1787, and the Bill of Rights was ratified in December 1791. For a look at how the young nation later grew, read our louisiana purchase facts.
Frequently asked questions
When did the American Revolution start?
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The fighting began on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Some timelines start earlier, in 1765, to include the protests over taxation.
When did the American Revolution end?
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Historic UK dates the Revolution from April 19, 1775 to September 3, 1783. The Battle of Yorktown came in October 1781, and British troops left New York City in November 1783.
What were the Intolerable Acts?
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They were a group of measures from 1774: the Boston Port Act, the Administration of Justice Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Quartering Act of 1774 and the Quebec Act.
Why are there two Treaties of Paris?
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The Treaty of Paris of February 10, 1763 ended the French and Indian War. The Treaty of Paris of September 1783 was signed by the United States and Great Britain and ended the Revolution.
