1761. Capture of Pondicherry, Dominica, and Belle Isle. Pitt resigned office because the government declined to declare war against Spain. 1762. War declared against Spain for forming an alliance with France. Capture of Martinique, Grenada, and other isles. Bute became premier. Havannah, the capital of Cuba, and Manilla, the capital of the Philippines, taken from Spain. 1763. ~Treaty of Paris~, between England, France, and Spain (Feb. 10). Grenville appointed premier. John Wilkes prosecuted for a libel in the "North Briton," and expelled from parliament the next year. General warrants declared illegal. By this treaty England recovered, in Europe, Minorca, and restored Belle Isle; in America, she restored Martinique and Guadaloupe, but kept her other conquests; Spain gave up Florida for Havannah, and recovered the Philippines without compensation. This war raised the national debt to about £138,000,000. 1764. Restraints placed by England on the American trade with the Spanish and French colonies. 1765. _American Stamp Act_ passed, imposing a duty on stamps. The marquess of Rockingham became premier. 1766. Repeal of the American Stamp Act. The duke of Grafton became premier, but Pitt, created earl of Chatham, was the chief member of the cabinet. 1767. Illness of Pitt, who was unable to transact any public business. =Townshend=, the most able minister in his absence, introduced and =carried a bill imposing duties in the British colonies on glass, paper, painters' colours, and tea=. 1769. Letters of Junius commenced in the "Public Advertiser." 1770. Lord North became premier. All the duties imposed on America, except that on tea, repealed. 1773. Cargoes of tea thrown overboard by an organized mob at Boston, in America. 1775. =THE AMERICAN WAR.= Skirmish between the royal troops and the colonists at Lexington (April 19). The colonies took the title of the United Colonies, and assumed the functions of sovereignty. =Washington appointed commander-in-chief.= Victory of the English at BUNKER'S HILL (June 17). The Americans invaded Canada. 1776. =Declaration of American Independence= (July 4). The English gained a victory at Brooklyn (Aug. 27). 1777. The English victorious at Brandywine (Sept. 11). CONVENTION OF SARATOGA; Burgoyne's army of 5,700 men capitulated--the first great disaster experienced by the English in the American war (Oct. 17). 1778. France recognized the United States, and war consequently ensued. Death of the earl of Chatham. Capture of Pondicherry by the English. 1779. Spain joined in the war against England, and blockaded Gibraltar.