VOCABULARY | U1C1 | Towards Independence

boycott

to refuse to buy one or more goods from a certain source; an organized refusal by many people

militia

a small army made up of everyday citizens; trained to protect their town or colony in an emergency

repeal

to take back, or to cancel, a law

tyranny

the unjust use of government power; a ruler who uses power in this way is called a "tyrant"

Proclamation of 1763

1763 law forbidding American colonists from settling West of the Appalachian Mountains

Sons of Liberty

a group of colonial patriots who, in 1765, formed a secret society to oppose British policies

Stamp Act

passed in 1765, this law taxed all printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc.

Quartering Act

passed in 1765, this law required the American colonists to provide food, lodging, and supplies for British troops in the colonies.

Boston Massacre

incident on March 5, 1770 in which British troops fired on and killed American colonists

Boston Tea Party

a December 16, 1773 protest against British taxes in which Boston colonists disguised as the indigenous Mohawk dumped tea into the harbor

First Continental Congress

convened September 5, 1774; delegates from 12 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss a response to the Intolerable Acts

Lexington and Concord

fought on April 19, 1775; these were the first battles of the American Revolution