Unit Study Guide: Long Term Causes of the American Revolution

These flashcards cover key concepts, events, and figures related to the long-term causes of the American Revolution and important early American government structures.

What was the Great Awakening?

A series of religious revivals that emphasized individual rights and personal faith.

What key ideas did the Enlightenment promote?

Reason, science, and the questioning of tradition and superstition.

Define Mercantilism.

An economic theory that promotes governmental regulation of a nation's economy to increase state power.

What does Salutary Neglect refer to?

The British policy of allowing the colonies a degree of self-governance while minimizing interference.

What was Pontiac's Rebellion?

A series of Native American attacks against British colonial settlements after the French and Indian War.

What was the Proclamation of 1763?

An order issued by Britain prohibiting colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Who were the Patriots?

Colonists who supported independence from Britain.

Who were the Loyalists?

Colonists who remained loyal to the British crown.

What impact did Thomas Paine's Common Sense have on the colonies?

It encouraged many colonists to support independence from Britain.

What was the Declaration of Independence?

A document declaring the American colonies free from British rule.

What were the Sugar Act and its significance?

A law aimed at reducing smuggling by lowering the tax on molasses but enforcing stricter collection.

What was the Stamp Act?

A law that imposed a direct tax on a wide array of printed goods in the colonies.

Describe the Boston Massacre.

An incident where British soldiers killed five colonists, fueling anti-British sentiment.

What was the Tea Act?

A law that granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies.

What were the Intolerable Acts?

A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party.

What was the First Continental Congress?

A gathering of colonial representatives to organize resistance against British policies.

What happened at Lexington and Concord?

The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War.

What was the Olive Branch Petition?

A final attempt by the colonies to avoid war by reconciling with Britain.

What was the significance of the Second Continental Congress?

It managed the colonial war effort and moved incrementally towards independence.

What were the advantages of the Continental Army?

Knowledge of the land, strong motivation for independence, and Allies' support.

What were the disadvantages of the British Army?

Long supply lines, reliance on mercenaries, and facing unfamiliar territory.

What were the Articles of Confederation?

The first constitution of the United States that established a weak federal government.

Why was the U.S. Constitution written?

To create a stronger federal government and replace the Articles of Confederation.

Who is considered the father of the Constitution?

James Madison.

What was the Great Compromise?

An agreement that established a bicameral legislature, balancing the needs of small and large states.

Explain the Virginia Plan.

A proposal for a new constitution that favored larger states with representation based on population.

Explain the New Jersey Plan.

A proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.

What is the Three/Fifths Compromise?

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

What were the Federalist Papers?

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

Compare Shays' Rebellion to the Whiskey Rebellion.

Both were protests against government policies, but Shays' Rebellion was about economic grievances while Whiskey Rebellion was about tax opposition.

What precedents did President George Washington set?

Stepping down after two terms and establishing a presidential cabinet.

What were the main differences between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson?

Hamilton favored a strong central government and financial system, while Jefferson advocated for states' rights and agrarianism.

What was the XYZ Affair?

A diplomatic incident that escalated tensions between the United States and France, highlighting issues of foreign policy.

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts?

Laws aimed at restricting immigration and limiting free speech, considered important for political control.