To arrange these events in chronological order and explain their place in the timeline, we need to look at each event within the context of the American Revolutionary War.
1. The Boston Tea Party (1773): This event is the earliest among the three. It occurred on December 16, 1773. The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the American colonists against the British government. They were protesting against the Tea Act, which they believed violated their rights as Englishmen to "No taxation without representation." During the protest, demonstrators, some disguised as Native Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company.
2. The Signing of the Declaration of Independence (1776): This occurred on July 4, 1776, and is the next event in the sequence. The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress, which declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain and were now united, free, and independent states. It was a pivotal moment in the history of American independence.
3. The Battle of Yorktown (1781): The last event in this sequence is the Battle of Yorktown, which took place from September 28 to October 19, 1781. This battle was the last major land battle of the American Revolutionary War in North America. The victory by American and French forces led by General George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau, respectively, over General Cornwallis's British army, effectively ended the war in favor of the American colonies. The surrender of Cornwallis led to peace negotiations and eventually to the end of the war.
So, these events show a progression from an initial act of protest (Boston Tea Party) to the formal declaration of independence (Declaration of Independence), and finally to a decisive military victory (Battle of Yorktown) that solidified American independence.