American Revolutionary War: Key Concepts and Events

What were the Admiralty Courts originally established for?

To try cases involving smuggling or violations of the Navigation Acts.

What was The Association produced by the 2nd Continental Congress in 1775?

A document calling for a complete boycott of British goods.

What were Nonimportation Agreements?

Agreements not to import goods from Great Britain to pressure the British economy.

Who were the Radical Whigs?

A group of British political commentators concerned about government corruption and monarchal power.

What did the Quebec Act do?

Extended Quebec's boundaries and granted equal rights to Catholics.

What was the purpose of the Stamp Act Congress in 1765?

To protest the Stamp Act and assert that Parliament couldn't tax without consent.

Who were the Daughters of Liberty?

Women who protested British goods by enforcing boycotts and making their own clothing.

Who was John Hancock?

A wealthy Boston merchant and president of the Continental Congress, known for smuggling.

Who was George III?

The English monarch during the revolution, known for his stubbornness against colonial requests.

What was Lord Dunmore's promise?

Freedom to any enslaved African-American in Virginia who joined the British army.

What happened during the Battle of Long Island?

British troops overwhelmed the colonial militias and took control of New York.

What was the outcome of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784)?

It granted Ohio country to the Americans.

What were the Townshend Acts?

Taxes on paper, lead, paint, glass, and tea that were strongly resisted by colonists.

What was the Currency Act?

An act prohibiting colonial legislatures from printing paper money.

What did the Sugar Act do?

Lowered the tax on sugar and molasses but enforced tax collection.

Who was Benedict Arnold?

A Continental officer who became a traitor by turning over West Point to the British.

Who was Nathanael Greene?

A General of the Continental Army in the South, known for effective military strategies.

What are guerrilla tactics?

Unconventional military strategies used by Americans to counter British forces.

What factors contributed to American victory in the Revolutionary War?

French assistance, military leadership, knowledge of the land, and the cause of independence.

What was the significance of the Battle of Yorktown?

It was the last major battle where General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington and the French.

What was the major impact of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

Britain recognized the independence of the United States.

Why were many Americans neutral during the Revolutionary War?

Many were religious pacifists and opposed to war.

What was the Enlightenment?

An intellectual movement emphasizing science and reason in understanding natural rights.

What is a boycott?

Refusal to purchase certain goods, effectively used by American colonists.

Who was Abigail Adams?

An early advocate of women's rights who urged her husband to remember women in government.

Who trained the Continental Army at Valley Forge?

Baron von Steuben.

What happened at Charlestown?

3,300 Continental soldiers were captured, marking the worst defeat for the Patriots.

What are Hessians?

German mercenaries hired by the British to fight the Patriots.

What was the significance of the Battle of Saratoga?

It was a turning point that led to French support for the Patriots.

Who was Phillis Wheatley?

An internationally recognized American poet who wrote about the Patriot cause.

What were Privateers?

Privately-owned armed ships authorized to attack enemy shipping during the Revolutionary War.

Who were the Tories?

Colonists who sided with England during the American Revolution.

What was the Boston Massacre?

An event where British soldiers killed 5 colonists, used as propaganda against Britain.

What were Patriots?

Americans who wanted to break away from England during the Revolutionary War.

How were colonists divided over independence?

Into Loyalists, Patriots, and neutral parties.

What was the Continental Army?

The patriot army that fought against the British in the Revolutionary War.

Who was Samuel Adams?

An organizer of the Committees of Correspondence and leader in the Sons of Liberty.

Who was George Washington?

The commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

What was the Battle of Bunker Hill?

The first major battle of the Revolution, considered a moral victory for the Patriots.

What was the Battle of Trenton?

A surprise attack by Washington on the Hessians that boosted morale.

What was Valley Forge?

A difficult winter for the Continental Army marked by training and loss.

What was the outcome of the Saratoga battle?

It convinced foreign nations to support the colonial cause.

What was The Seven Years War?

An expensive world conflict that doubled Britain's debt and led to direct British taxation.

What was the Olive Branch Petition?

A last effort by the 2nd Continental Congress to make peace with Britain.

What was the Great Awakening?

A religious movement that encouraged ideas of equality and challenging authority.

What is Mercantilism?

An economic system favoring exporting more than importing for favorable trade.

What was the Proclamation of 1763?

A ban on settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent Native American conflicts.

What was the Albany Plan of Union?

A plan proposed by Franklin for uniting the colonies, which was not agreed upon.

Who was Benjamin Franklin?

A prominent figure in the Enlightenment and early American government.

What was the Treaty of Paris of 1763?

The treaty that ended the French and Indian War and reduced French power in North America.

What were the Sons of Liberty?

Secret societies formed to protest British policies using violence and intimidation.

What is 'no taxation without representation'?

The belief that it is wrong for Britain to tax the colonies without colonial representation.

What was the Stamp Act?

A tax on documents imposed by Parliament that sparked colonial resistance.

What were the Committees of Correspondence?

An organization that facilitated communication and unity among colonies.

What is the Quartering Act?

A law requiring colonists to house and feed British soldiers.

Who was Paul Revere?

A silversmith and Sons of Liberty leader known for his propaganda after the Boston Massacre.

Who was John Adams?

A lawyer who defended the Boston Massacre soldiers and played crucial roles in Congress.

What was the Boston Tea Party?

A protest against the Tea Act where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor.

Who was