| 1754 | Seven Years’ War begins. Albany Congress. |
| 1755 | Braddock defeated in western Pennsylvania. |
| 1757 | William Pitt fully commits to war. |
| 1760 | Montreal falls to British. George III becomes British king. |
| 1763 | Treaty of Paris ends Seven Years' War. Pontiac’s Rebellion. Proclamation of 1763. Paxton Boys massacre friendly Indians. |
| 1764 | Parliament enacts Sugar Act. |
| 1745 | Parliament enacts Stamp Act. Virginia Resolves challenge Stamp Act. Sons of Liberty stage crowd actions. Stamp Act Congress meets. |
| 1766 | Parliament repeals Stamp Act, passes Declaratory Act. |
| 1767 | Parliament enacts Townshend duties. |
| 1768 | British station troops in Boston. |
| 1768-1769 | Merchants sign non-importation agreements. |
| 1770 | Boston Massacre. Parliament repeals Townshend duties. |
| 1772 | British navy ship Gaspée burned. |
| 1773 | Parliament passes Tea Act. Tea dumped in Boston harbor. |
| 1774 | Parliament passes Coercive Acts. Powder Alarm shows colonists' readiness. First Continental Congress meets. |
| 1775 | Battles of Lexington and Concord. Lord Dunmore promises freedom to defecting slaves. |