AP United States History ID's 1 - 37

Headright System (1618)

Who: Sir Edwin Sandys, Virginia Company

What: Land grants to settlers in exchange for populating colonies

Impact: Expanded colonies, created planter elite, increased indentured servitude, more Native conflicts

House of Burgesses (1619)

Who: Virginia colonists

What: First representative assembly in America

Impact: Early model of self-government & democracy

Indentured Servitude (1619)

Who: Poor settlers, colonial landowners

What: Worked for years to pay passage

Impact: Increased population; class tensions → shift to slavery

Puritans (1620)

Who: English religious reformers

What: Settled New England for religious freedom

Impact: Influenced politics, culture, education in New England

Mayflower Compact (Nov 11, 1620)

Who: Pilgrims on the Mayflower

What: Agreement for self-government in Plymouth

Impact: Early example of democracy

Pequot War (1637)

Who: Pequot tribe vs. New England colonists & Native allies

What: Conflict over land & trade

Impact: Pequot nearly wiped out; set precedent for violence

King Philip's War (1675)

Who: Metacom (King Philip) vs. New England colonists

What: Native uprising in New England

Impact: Destroyed Native power in New England

Bacon's Rebellion (June 6, 1676)

Who: Nathaniel Bacon vs. Gov. Berkeley

What: Frontier settlers rebelled over Native policy

Impact: Exposed class tensions; increased reliance on slavery

Enlightenment (1685-1815)

Who: John Locke, Montesquieu, philosophers

What: Intellectual movement—reason, liberty, natural rights

Impact: Inspired Revolution & Constitution

Great Awakening (1730-1743)

Who: Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield

What: Religious revival movement

Impact: Increased church membership, challenged authority, independence spirit

French & Indian War (1754-1763)

Who: Britain & colonists vs. France & Natives

What: War over North America

Impact: British victory; debt → colonial taxes; tension

Proclamation of 1763 (Oct 7, 1763)

Who: King George III

What: Banned settlement west of Appalachians

Impact: Angered colonists; ignored

Salutary Neglect (1696-1763)

Who: British colonial policy

What: Loose enforcement of trade laws

Impact: Allowed self-rule; ended after French & Indian War

Sugar Act (April 7, 1764)

Who: British Parliament

What: Tax on imported sugar & molasses

Impact: Angered colonists; start of taxation resentment

Stamp Act (March 22, 1765)

Who: British Parliament

What: Tax on printed materials

Impact: Protests, “No taxation without representation”

Sons of Liberty (Aug 14, 1765)

Who: Samuel Adams & colonists

What: Secret resistance group to oppose taxes

Impact: Organized protests, boycotts, Boston Tea Party

Townshend Acts (June 29, 1767)

Who: Charles Townshend, Parliament

What: Taxes on imports (glass, paint, tea, paper)

Impact: Colonial boycotts & resistance grew

Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania (1767-1768)

Who: John Dickinson

What: Essays against taxation w/out representation

Impact: United colonists, spread resistance

Committees of Correspondence (1773)

Who: Samuel Adams, colonial leaders

What: Communication networks between colonies

Impact: Built unity, helped form Continental Congress

Boston Massacre (March 5, 1770)

Who: British soldiers vs. colonists

What: Troops fired on crowd, 5 killed

Impact: Patriot propaganda, fueled anger

Tea Act (May 10, 1773)

Who: Parliament, British East India Co.

What: Gave company monopoly on colonial tea sales

Impact: Led to Boston Tea Party

Boston Tea Party (Dec 16, 1773)

Who: Sons of Liberty

What: Dumped tea into Boston Harbor

Impact: Britain responded with Intolerable Acts

Coercive/Intolerable Acts (May 20, 1774)

Who: Parliament, King George III

What: Punitive laws—closed Boston Harbor, restricted meetings

Impact: Pushed colonies to unite; led to First Continental Congress

First Continental Congress (Oct 26, 1774)

Who: 12 colonies’ delegates

What: Response to Intolerable Acts; boycotts, petitioned king

Impact: Step toward independence & unity

Olive Branch Petition (July 8, 1775)

Who: 2nd Continental Congress

What: Final appeal to King for peace

Impact: Rejected by King George; war inevitable

Second Continental Congress (May 10, 1775)

Who: Delegates from 13 colonies

What: Managed war, created Continental Army under Washington

Impact: Declared independence; functioned as gov’t

Common Sense (Jan 9, 1776)

Who: Thomas Paine

What: Pamphlet calling for independence & republic

Impact: Inspired widespread support for independence

Lee's Resolution (June 7, 1776)

Who: Richard Henry Lee

What: Declared colonies independent

Impact: Led to Declaration of Independence

Battle of Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775)

Who: Colonial militia vs. British Army

What: Early major battle of Revolution

Impact: Boosted morale despite colonial defeat

Valley Forge (Dec 1777-June 1778)

Who: Washington’s army, Baron von Steuben

What: Harsh winter camp, soldiers trained

Impact: Army emerged disciplined & stronger

Wealth of Nations (March 9, 1776)

Who: Adam Smith

What: Book on capitalism, free markets

Impact: Influenced American economic policy

Battle of Yorktown (Sept 28-Oct 19, 1781)

Who: Washington, French allies vs. Cornwallis

What: Final battle of Revolution

Impact: British surrendered; war effectively ended

Stono Rebellion (Sept 9, 1739)

Who: Enslaved Africans in South Carolina

What: Slave revolt seeking freedom in Spanish Florida

Impact: Stricter slave codes in South

Triangular Trade (15th-16th centuries)

Who: Europe, Africa, Americas

What: Exchange of slaves, goods, raw materials

Impact: Fueled slavery, enriched colonies & Europe

Albany Plan of Union (July 10, 1754)

Who: Benjamin Franklin

What: Proposal for colonial unity in defense

Impact: Rejected, but early attempt at unity

Battle of Saratoga (Sept 19-Oct 17, 1777)

Who: American forces vs. British

What: American victory in New York

Impact: Turning point; French alliance secured

Treaty of Paris (Sept 3, 1783)

Who: U.S., Britain, France, Spain

What: Ended Revolutionary War, recognized U.S. independence

Impact: Gained land to Mississippi; secured peace