APUSH 4

Albany Plan of Union (1754)

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin to unite the colonies under one government for defense and tax collection during the French and Indian War; rejected but set a precedent for later colonial unity.

Boston Massacre (1770)

Clash between British troops and a Boston mob; soldiers fired into the crowd, killing five colonists. Used as propaganda to fuel anti-British sentiment.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

Protest against the Tea Act where colonists disguised as Native Americans dumped British tea into Boston Harbor.

Coercive Acts (1774)

Punitive laws passed after the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor, reducing Massachusetts' self-government, and expanding the Quartering Act.

Committees of Correspondence (1772)

Organized by Samuel Adams to spread anti-British information and coordinate resistance among the colonies.

Deism

Enlightenment belief that God created natural laws but does not interfere in daily life; emphasized reason and morality.

Declaratory Act (1766)

Parliament's statement after repealing the Stamp Act, declaring it had the right to tax and legislate for the colonies 'in all cases whatsoever.'

Enlightenment

Intellectual movement stressing reason, natural rights, and science; influenced colonial leaders like Jefferson, Franklin, and Adams.

French and Indian War / Seven Years' War (1754-1763)

Conflict between Britain and France (with Native allies) in North America; Britain won, gaining French territory but also massive debt.

George Washington

Young colonial officer during the French and Indian War; later became commander of the Continental Army.

Intolerable Acts (1774)

Colonial name for the Coercive Acts and Quebec Act, seen as violations of rights and liberties.

John Dickinson

Pennsylvania lawyer and author of Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer; argued that Parliament could regulate trade but not tax colonies without consent.

Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer (1767-68)

Essays by John Dickinson asserting that only colonial assemblies could tax colonists.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Enlightenment thinker who advanced the idea of the social contract and popular sovereignty.

John Locke

English Enlightenment philosopher who promoted natural rights (life, liberty, property) and the right to revolt against unjust governments.

James Otis

Early colonial lawyer who argued 'no taxation without representation.' Helped organize opposition to the Stamp Act.

Patrick Henry

Virginia lawyer and orator who spoke out against the Stamp Act, declaring 'Give me liberty, or give me death!'

Pontiac's Rebellion (1763)

Native American uprising against British expansion into the Ohio Valley after the French and Indian War.

Proclamation Line of 1763

British decree prohibiting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to avoid Native conflict.

Peace of Paris (1763)

Treaty ending the French and Indian War; France ceded Canada and lands east of the Mississippi to Britain.

Quartering Act (1765)

Required colonists to provide housing and supplies for British troops stationed in America.

Quebec Act (1774)

Extended Quebec's boundary to the Ohio River, allowed Catholic practice, and established government without representative assembly; angered colonists.

Sugar Act (1764)

First direct tax on colonies; placed duties on foreign sugar and stricter enforcement of smuggling laws.

Stamp Act (1765)

Tax on printed materials (newspapers, legal documents, etc.); led to widespread protests and the formation of the Sons of Liberty.

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

Secret resistance groups that organized boycotts, protests, and intimidation of tax collectors.

Samuel Adams

Radical leader from Massachusetts; founded Committees of Correspondence and helped organize the Boston Tea Party.

Salutary Neglect

British policy of loose enforcement of colonial trade laws prior to the French and Indian War; ended when Britain tightened control.

Tea Act (1773)

Gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales; led to boycotts and the Boston Tea Party.

Townshend Acts (1767)

Taxes on imports like glass, paper, paint, and tea; also allowed writs of assistance. Sparked boycotts and protests.

Whigs

Political party in Britain that opposed absolute monarchy and supported colonial rights; many American Patriots identified with them.

Writs of Assistance

General search warrants that allowed British officials to search for smuggled goods without specific cause.