To help you place the stories on this website in context with the rest of the
American Revolution, this timeline lists all significant war-related events from the first British act directed at the colonies through the treaty ending the war. Please note:
- Red rows show North Carolina events, as indicated in the “L” column (for “Location”).
- Blue happened elsewhere in today’s United States or the world (W); states listed are the modern locations.
- The year-long concentration of red starting in Fall 1780 illustrates that N.C. was the primary theater of the war during that time.
Mobile device users may need to reload to see the entire page (through 9/3/1783).
| Date |
L |
Name |
Description |
| 3/24/1765 |
W |
Stamp Act passed |
British Parliament places a tax on paper in North America |
| 11/16/1765 |
NC |
Stamp Act protest |
Protestors force Wilmington tax collector to resign |
| 2/19/1766 |
NC |
Sons of Liberty confront Tryon |
Protestors confront Royal Gov. Tryon on the Stamp Act in Brunswick Town
|
| 3/18/1766 |
W |
Stamp Act repealed |
British Parliament bows to ongoing protests to remove the tax on paper |
| 4/28/1768 |
NC |
Anson Regulators Protest Paper |
First complaint about taxation without representation sent to British |
| 11/2/1769 |
NC |
Assembly blocks imports |
Provincial Assembly meets against governor’s orders to block British imports |
| 3/5/1770 |
MA |
“Boston Massacre” |
British troops fire in self-defense on a civilian mob |
| 9/24/1770 |
NC |
Regulators in Hillsborough |
500 Regulators interrupt court proceedings and attack corrupt officials |
| 5/16/1771 |
NC |
Battle of Alamance |
Royal Gov. William Tryon’s militia army ends the Regulators War |
| 6/4/1771 |
NC |
Tryon’s army in Bethabara |
After defeating the Regulators, the royal governor’s army camps
|
| 12/16/1773 |
MA |
Boston Tea Party |
Sons of Liberty dump tea to protest the tax placed on it |
| 5/20/1774 |
W |
Coercive (“Intolerable”) Acts |
King George III approves four laws to punish Boston |
| 6/1/1774 |
MA |
Blockade of Boston |
British Navy blockades Boston Harbor per Coercive Act |
| 8/8/1774 |
NC |
Rowan Resolves |
Rowan County petition is first in N.C. to support Mass. vs. British |
| 8/25/1774 |
NC |
First Provincial Congress |
Delegates meet illegally in New Bern to elect Continental Congress reps |
| 9/5/1774 |
PA |
First Continental Congress opens |
Colony delegates meet in Philadelphia to coordinate response to British actions |
| 10/25/1774 |
NC |
Edenton Tea Party |
The ladies of Edenton tell the king they will not buy English tea or cloth |
| 3/23/1775 |
VA |
Patrick Henry speech
|
Henry delivers his “give me liberty, or give me death” speech in Richmond
|
| 4/19/1775 |
MA |
Lexington & Concord
|
Volunteer soldiers drive off British army after it destroys war supplies |
| 5/10/1775 |
NY |
Battle of Fort Ticonderoga
|
Benedict Arnold and the Green Mountain Boys capture a Lake Champlain fort |
| 5/31/1775 |
NC |
Mecklenburg Resolves |
Mecklenburg petition recognizes Provincial Congress authority vs. the royal government
|
| 6/2/1775 |
NC |
Governor escapes to Ft. Johnston |
Royal Gov. Josiah Martin takes refuge from Patriot militia |
| 6/17/1775 |
MA |
Battle of Bunker Hill
|
British capture heights north of Boston |
| 6/20/1775 |
NC |
Liberty Point Resolves |
Cumberland County petition against British use of force drafted |
| 7/19/1775 |
NC |
Burning of Ft. Johnston |
Patriot militia burn Fort Johnston to block British use |
| 8/14/1775 |
NC |
Tryon Resolves |
Tryon County petition against British use of force signed |
| 11/28/1775 |
W |
Montréal (Canada) occupied |
An American rebel army takes Montréal without a fight |
