Colonial America through the Constitution.

Jamestown

Jamestown (1607) was the first permanent English settlement in North America, founded for profit.

Plymouth

Plymouth (1620) was settled by Pilgrims seeking religious freedom.

Joint Stock Company

A business model where investors pool resources for exploration/colonization, sharing profits and risks—used to fund Jamestown.

Bacon's Rebellion

1676 uprising in Virginia by Nathaniel Bacon and poor settlers against Governor Berkeley; revealed tensions between rich planters and poor colonists.

Triangular Trade

A trade system linking Europe, Africa, and the Americas: goods to Africa, slaves to the Americas, and raw materials to Europe.

Salutary Neglect

British policy of loosely enforcing colonial laws, allowing self-government until after the French and Indian War.

French and Indian War

Conflict (1754-1763) between Britain and France in North America, leading to British dominance and massive debt.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

Ended the French and Indian War; France lost almost all North American territory to Britain.

Proclamation Line of 1763

British law forbidding colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to avoid conflict with Native Americans.

Stamp Act

1765 British tax on paper goods in the colonies; sparked widespread protests and the slogan "no taxation without representation."

Boston Massacre

1770 clash between British soldiers and Boston colonists; five colonists died, fueling anti-British sentiment.

Common Sense

1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine encouraging independence from Britain; widely read and influential.

First Continental Congress

1774 meeting of delegates from 12 colonies to protest the Intolerable Acts and assert colonial rights.

Battle of Lexington & Concord

First battles of the American Revolutionary War in April 1775, often called "the shot heard 'round the world."

Battle of Bunker Hill

Early Revolutionary War battle (1775); British victory, but showed colonial resolve and inflicted heavy British losses.

Yorktown

Final major battle of the Revolution (1781); British General Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

Ended the American Revolution; Britain recognized U.S. independence and granted territory to the Mississippi River.

Articles of Confederation

First U.S. government framework (1781); weak central government, no power to tax or regulate trade.

Shay's Rebellion

1786 uprising of farmers in Massachusetts protesting debt and taxes; highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Checks and Balances

System in the U.S. Constitution ensuring no branch of government becomes too powerful by giving each power over the others.

NJ Plan vs. Virginia Plan

NJ Plan: equal representation for states. VA Plan: representation based on population. Combined in the Great Compromise.

3/5ths Compromise

Agreement that each enslaved person would count as 3/5 of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Great Compromise

Merged NJ and VA plans; created a bicameral Congress with the Senate (equal representation) and House (population-based).

Hamilton's Debt Program

Alexander Hamilton's plan to assume state debts, create a national bank, and promote industry to stabilize the economy.

Washington's Farewell Address

1796 letter advising the U.S. to avoid political parties and permanent foreign alliances.

Jay's Treaty

1795 agreement with Britain to settle unresolved issues from the Revolution; unpopular but avoided war.

XYZ Affair

1797 diplomatic scandal where French officials demanded bribes to negotiate with U.S. diplomats, leading to anti-French sentiment.

Whiskey Rebellion

1794 uprising against the federal excise tax on whiskey; Washington's response showed federal power to enforce laws.

Alien & Sedition Acts

1798 laws that restricted immigration and punished criticism of the government; seen as unconstitutional.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Political statements arguing states could nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional, in response to Alien & Sedition Acts.

Election of 1800

Peaceful transfer of power from Federalists to Jeffersonian Republicans; called the "Revolution of 1800."

Jeffersonian Republicans vs. Federalists

Early U.S. political parties: Republicans favored states' rights and agriculture; Federalists favored strong central government and commerce.

Mayflower Compact

1620 agreement establishing self-government among Plymouth settlers.

Indentured Servants

Workers contracted to labor for a set number of years in exchange for passage to America.

Townshend Acts

1767 taxes on imports like glass and tea, leading to renewed protests.

Boston Tea Party

1773 colonial protest dumping British tea into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

1774 punitive laws after Boston Tea Party, fueling revolutionary sentiment.

Stamp Act Congress

1765 meeting of colonies protesting the Stamp Act; first unified colonial action.

Federalist Papers

Essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay supporting the Constitution's ratification.

Bill of Rights

First ten amendments guaranteeing individual freedoms.