Key Figures in Colonial America

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King James II

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Monarch from 1685-1688, House of Stuart, Misused power leading to dissatisfaction in colonies, Abdicated in Glorious Revolution

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James Wolfe

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Youngest general under William Pitt in the French and Indian War. Led a victorious battle against the French in Quebec in 1759. Killed during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

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George Washington

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Young officer from Virginia. Claimed the French Fort - Fort Duquesne in 1754. Played a huge role in the French and Indian War.

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Jonathan Edwards

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Preacher that led a religious revival in New England. Led the Great Awakening in the colonies. Preached the famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” in 1741.

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Samuel Adams

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Leader of the Sons of Liberty in Boston. Helped spread the resistance movement throughout the colonies opposing British rule.

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Quartering Act of 1765

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Required colonies to provide housing and supplies for British troops stationed in America. Resistance to this act was significant.

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Colonial Boycott

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Called to boycott all British imports

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The Boston Massacre (1770)

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A confrontation between British soldiers and Boston colonists that resulted in the death of five colonists. It was used by Samuel Adams and others as a rallying point against British military presence and policy in the colonies.

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The Boston Tea Party (1773)

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A direct response to the Tea Act, where members of the Sons of Liberty dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance led to the British government imposing the Intolerable Acts.

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The Intolerable Acts / Coercive Acts (1774)

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A series of punitive measures aimed at bringing the colonies back under control following the Boston Tea Party. These acts included closing Boston Harbor, revoking Massachusetts' charter, and allowing British soldiers to be quartered in private homes, further uniting the colonies against Britain.