American Revolution Timeline

Timeline of the Revolutionary War

1754-1763
	The French and Indian War
1754
June 19-July 11	The Albany Congress
1763
Oct. 7	Proclamation of 1763
1764
April 5	The Sugar Act
September 1	The Currency Act
1765
March 22	The Stamp Act
March 24	The Quartering Act of 1765
May 29	Patrick Henry's "If This Be Treason" speech
May 30	The Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions
Oct. 7-25	The Stamp Act Congress
1766
March 18	The Declaratory Act
1767
June 29	The Townshend Revenue Act
1768
August 1	Boston Non-Importation Agreement
1770
March 5	The Boston Massacre
1772
June 9	The Gaspee Affair
1773
May 10	The Tea Act
Dec. 16	The Boston Tea Party
1774
March 31	Boston Port Act, one of the "Intolerable Acts"
May 20	Administration of Justice Act, one of the "Intolerable Acts"
May 20	Massachusetts Government Act, one of the "Intolerable Acts"
June 2	Quartering Act of 1774, one of the "Intolerable Acts"
June 22	Quebec Act, one of the "Intolerable Acts"
Sept. 5-Oct. 26	The First Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia and issues Declaration and Resolves
Oct. 10	Battle of Point Pleasant, Virginia (disputed as to whether it was a battle of the American Revolution or the culmination of Lord Dunmore's War)
Oct. 20	The Association (prohibition of trade with Great Britain)
Oct. 24	Galloway's Plan rejected
1775
Apr. 18	The Rides of Paul Revere and William Dawes
Apr. 19	Minutemen and redcoats clash at Lexington and Concord "The shot heard 'round the world."
May 10	Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys seize Fort Ticonderoga
May 10	The Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia
June 15	George Washington named Commander in Chief
June 17	Battle of Bunker Hill: The British drive the Americans from Breed's Hill
July 3	Washington assumes command of the Continental Army
Nov. 10-21	Ninety Six, SC, Patriots sieged
Nov. 13	The patriots under Montgomery occupy Montreal in Canada
Dec. 11	Virginia and NC patriots rout Loyalist troops and burn Norfolk
Dec. 22	Col. Thomson with 1,500 rangers and militia capture Loyalists at Great Canebrake, SC
Dec. 23-30	Snow Campaign, in SC, so-called because patriots are impeded by 15" of snow
Dec. 30-31	American forces under Benedict Arnold fail to seize Quebec
1776
Jan. 1	Daniel Morgan taken prisoner in attempt to take Quebec City
Jan. 15	Paine's "Common Sense" published
Feb. 27	The patriots drive the Loyalists from Moore's Creek Bridge, North Carolina
March 3	The Continental fleet captures New Providence Island in the Bahamas
March 17	The British evacuate Boston; British Navy moves to Halifax, Canada
June 8	Patriots fail to take Three Rivers, Quebec
June 12	The Virginia Declaration of Rights
June 28	Sullivan's Island, SC, failed British naval attack
June 29	The First Virginia Constitution
June 28	Patriots decisively defeat the British Navy at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina
July 1	At the instigation of British agents, the Cherokee attack along the entire southern frontier
July 1-4	Congress debates and revises the Declaration of Independence. See Chronology of the Declaration
July 4	Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence; it's sent to the printer
July 8	The Declaration of Independence is read publicly
July 15	Lyndley's Fort, SC, Patriots fend off attack by Indians and Tories dressed as Indians
Aug. 1	Ambushed by Cherokees, Patriots are saved by a mounted charge at Seneca, SC
Aug. 2	Delegates begin to sign The Declaration of Independence
Aug. 10	Tugaloo River, SC, Andrew Pickens defeats Cherokees
Aug. 12?	Andrew Pickens' detachment surrounded by 185 Cherokee Indians, forms a ring and fires outward. It is known as the "Ring Fight."
Aug. 12	Col. Williamson and Andrew Pickens defeat Cherokee Indians and burn Tamassy, an Indian town
Aug. 27	Redcoats defeat the George Washington's army in the Battle of Long Island. Washington's army escapes at night.
Sept. 15	The British occupy New York City
Sept. 16	Generals George Washington, Nathanael Greene, and Israel Putnam triumphantly hold their ground at the Battle of Harlem Heights
Sept. 19	Col. Williamson's patriots attacked by Cherokees at Coweecho River, NC
Oct. 11	Benedict Arnold defeated at the Battle of Valcour Island (Lake Champlain), but delayed British advance
Oct. 28	The Americans retreat from White Plains, New York. British casualties (~300) higher than American (~200).
Nov. 16	The Hessians capture Fort Washington, NY
Nov. 20	Lord Cornwallis captures Fort Lee from Nathanael Greene
Dec. 26	Washington crosses the Delaware and captures Trenton from Hessians
1777
Jan. 3	Washington victorious at Princeton
Jan. 6-May 28	Washington winters in Morristown, NJ
Apr. 27	Benedict Arnold's troops force a British retreat at Ridgefield, Connecticut.
May 20	Treaty of DeWitt's Corner, SC: Cherokees lose most of their land east of the mountains
June 14	Flag Resolution
July 5	St. Clair surrenders Fort Ticonderoga to the British
July 27	Lafayette arrives in Philadelphia
Aug. 6	The Redcoats, with Iroquois support, force the patriots back at Oriskany, NY, but then have to evacuate
Aug. 16	American Militia under General Stark victorious at the Battle of Bennington, VT (actually fought in Walloomsac, New York, several miles to the west)
Aug. 23	British withdraw from Fort Stanwix, NY, upon hearing of Benedict Arnold's approach
Aug. 25	British General Howe lands at Head of Elk, Maryland
Sept. 11	The British win the Battle of Brandywine, Pennsylvania
Sept. 16	Rain-out at the Battle of the Clouds, Pennsylvania
Sept. 19	Burgoyne checked by Americans under Gates at Freeman's Farm, NY. This is part of the "Battles of Saratoga."
Sept. 21	Paoli Massacre, PA
Sept. 26	British under Howe occupy Philadelphia
Oct. 4	Americans driven off at the Battle of Germantown
Oct. 7	Burgoyne loses second battle of Freeman's Farm, NY (at Bemis Heights). This is part of the "Battles of Saratoga."
Oct. 17	Burgoyne surrenders to American General Gates at Saratoga, NY
Oct. 22	Hessian attack on Fort Mercer, NJ repulsed
Nov. 16	British capture Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania
Dec. 5-7	Americans repulse British at Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania
Dec. 19	Washington's army retires to winter quarters at Valley Forge
1778
Feb. 6	The United States and France sign the French Alliance
March 7	British General William Howe replaced by Henry Clinton
May 20	Battle of Barren Hill, Pennsylvania
June 18	British abandon Philadelphia and return to New York
June 19	Washington's army leaves Valley Forge
June 28	The Battle of Monmouth Court House ends in a draw
July 4	George Rogers Clark captures Kaskaskia, a French village south of St. Louis
Aug. 8	French and American forces besiege Newport, RI
Dec. 29	The redcoats occupy Savannah
1779
Feb. 3	Maj. Gen. Moultrie defeats British detachment at Port Royal Island, SC
Feb. 14	Andrew Pickens and Elijah Clarke beat Loyalists at Kettle Creek, NC
Feb. 23-24	American George Rogers Clark captures Vincennes (now Indiana) on the Wabash in the Western campaign
March 3	British Lt. Col. Jacques Marcus Prevost defeats Americans under Gen. John Ashe at Brier Creek, GA
May 11-13	Maj. General Augustin Prévost (brother of Jacques, see above) breaks his siege when American forces under Maj. Gen. Lincoln approaches
June 20	Stono River, SC, Maj. Gen. Lincoln inflicts extensive British casualties in indecisive battle
June 21	Spain declares war on Great Britain
July 8	Fairfield, CT, burned by British
July 11	Norwalk, CT, burned by British
July 15-16	American "Mad" Anthony Wayne captures Stony Point, NY
Aug. 19	"Light Horse" Harry Lee attacks Paulus Hook, NJ
Aug. 29	Newtown, NY, after two massacres, American forces burn Indian villages
Sept. 23	John Paul Jones, aboard the Bonhomme Richard, captures British man-of-warSerapis near English coast
Sept. 28	The Tappan Massacre ("No Flint" Grey kills 30 Americans by bayonet)
Oct. 9	American attempt to recapture Savannah, GA fails
Nov.-June 23, 1780	Washington's 2nd winter at Morristown, NJ (the harshest winter of the 18th century)
1780
May 12	British capture Charleston, SC
May 29	British crush Americans at Waxhaw Creek, SC
June 20	Patriots rout Tories at Ramseur's Mill, NC
July 11	French troops arrive at Newport, RI, to aid the American cause
Aug. 6	Patriots defeat Tories at Hanging Rock, SC
Aug. 16	British rout Americans at Camden, SC
Sept. 25	Benedict Arnold's plans to cede West Point to the British discovered
Oct. 7	King's Mountain, SC: battle lasts 65 minutes. American troops led by Isaac Shelby and John Sevier defeat Maj. Patrick Ferguson and one-third of General Cornwallis's army
Oct. 14	Washington names Nathanael Greene commander of the Southern Army
1781
Jan. 1	Mutiny of unpaid Pennsylvania soldiers
Jan. 17	Patriot Morgan overwhelmingly defeats British Col. Tarleton at Cowpens, SC
Feb. 1	The Battle of Cowan's Ford, Huntersville, NC
March 2	Articles of Confederation adopted
March 15	British win costly victory at Guilford Courthouse, NC
April 25	Greene defeated at Hobkirk's Hill, SC
May 15	Corwallis clashes with Greene at Guilford Courthouse, NC
June 6	Americans recapture Augusta, GA
June 18	British hold off Americans at Ninety Six, SC
July 6	"Mad" Anthony Wayne repulsed at Green Springs Farm, VA
Sept. 8	Greene defeated at Eutaw Springs, SC
Sept. 15	French fleet drives British naval force from Chesapeake Bay
Oct. 19	Cornwallis surrounded on land and sea by Americans and French and surrenders at Yorktown, VA
1782
March 20	Lord North resigns as British prime minister
July 11	British evacuate Savannah, GA
Nov. 30	British and Americans sign preliminary Articles of Peace
Dec. 14	British leave Charleston, SC
1783
April 19	Congress ratifies preliminary peace treaty
Sept. 3	The United States and Great Britain sign the Treaty of Paris
Nov. 25	British troops leave New York City
Dec. 23	Washington resigns as Commander
1787
Sept. 17	U.S. Constitution signed
1788
June 21	U.S. Constitution adopted, when New Hampshire ratifies it