SS Notes _ Knowt

Stamp Act of 1765

An act that required colonists to pay for an official stamp when buying paper items.

Boston Massacre

A shooting by British soldiers that resulted in the death of three colonials and was used as propaganda.

Tea Act of 1773

Allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to colonists, undermining colonial merchants.

Boston Tea Party

An event where colonists dumped over 340 tea chests into Boston Harbor in protest of the Tea Act.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 meant to punish Massachusetts.

First Continental Congress

A gathering of colonial leaders in 1774 concerned about the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies.

Patriots

Colonists who fought for independence from Great Britain.

Minutemen

Militia members ready to fight at a minute's notice, often rural farmers or town craftsmen.

Redcoats

British soldiers known for their bright red uniforms.

Second Continental Congress

The first attempt at a Republican government in the colonies.

George Washington

Commander of the Continental Army and later the first president of the United States.

Charles Cornwallis

Commander of the British forces during the American War of Independence, defeated at Yorktown.

Battle of Bunker Hill

A battle that proved Patriots could take on British forces, even though they ultimately lost.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for independence from Great Britain.

Declaration of Independence

A formal statement announcing the colonies' break from Great Britain, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson.

Loyalists

Colonists who sided with the British during the American Revolution.

Mercenaries

Foreign soldiers who fought for pay rather than loyalty, such as the Hessians.

Battle of Trenton

An important Patriot victory where American forces captured over 900 Hessian prisoners.

Battle of Saratoga

The turning point of the Revolutionary War, marking a significant American victory.

Marquis de Lafayette

A French noble who volunteered to serve in the Continental Army without pay.

Baron Friedrich von Steuben

A Prussian military officer who trained American troops in military drills.

Bernardo de Gálvez

Governor of Spanish Louisiana who became a key ally for the Patriots.

James Armistead

An enslaved African spy for the Marquis de Lafayette who provided crucial intelligence.

Battle of Yorktown

The last major battle of the American Revolution, resulting in the surrender of British General Cornwallis.

Treaty of Paris of 1783

The treaty that recognized U.S. independence and established America's borders.