Gov CH2

King James

Monarch who allowed colonists to establish colonial assemblies, promoting independent-mindedness.

Virginia House of Burgesses

The first legislative assembly in the American colonies, established in Virginia.

French & Indian War

A conflict (1756-1763) that weakened ties between the American colonies and the British Crown.

Sugar Act of 1764

A law imposing taxes on sugar and molasses, leading to the slogan "No Taxation without Representation."

Stamp Act of 1765

A tax on printed materials, including newspapers and legal documents, that fueled colonial dissent.

Mutiny Act

Required colonists to provide housing for British soldiers, contributing to colonial resentment.

Stamp Act Congress

A gathering in 1765 where colonists protested the Stamp Act and coordinated resistance.

Sons of Liberty

A group formed to oppose British policies and organize boycotts against British goods.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest against British taxation where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

First Continental Congress

A 1774 meeting of delegates from 12 colonies (excluding Georgia) to address colonial grievances.

Declaration of Rights and Resolves

A document drafted by the First Continental Congress asserting colonial rights.

Second Continental Congress

Convened in May 1775, it managed the colonial war effort and moved towards independence.

Olive Branch Petition

A final attempt by the Second Continental Congress to avoid war by asking King George III to end hostilities.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine advocating for American independence, published in January 1776.

Declaration of Independence

The document adopted on July 4, 1776, declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain.

Richard Henry Lee

A Virginia delegate who proposed the resolution for independence in June 1776.

Committee of Five

The group tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence, including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin.

Social Contract Theory

The idea that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed.

Thomas Hobbes

A philosopher who believed in a strong government to restrain humanity's natural state of war.

John Locke

A philosopher who argued that government exists to protect life, liberty, and property, and that people have the right to revolt if it fails.

Federalism

The distribution of power between national and state governments.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

Checks and Balances

A system that ensures that no branch of government becomes too powerful by allowing each branch to limit the powers of the others.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, which created a weak national government.

Shays’s Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 by farmers protesting economic injustices and the lack of government response.

Constitutional Convention

A 1787 meeting to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and draft a new Constitution.

Great Compromise

An agreement that established a bicameral legislature with representation based on population in one house and equal representation in the other.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement that counted three-fifths of the slave population for representation and taxation purposes.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, guaranteeing individual liberties.

Federalists

Supporters of the Constitution who favored a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the Constitution who favored stronger state governments and protection of individual rights.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the Constitution, authored by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay.

Electoral College

A mechanism established by the Constitution for electing the president, involving electors from each state.

Amending the Constitution

The process for making changes to the Constitution, requiring proposals and ratification by states.