Key Events and Figures of the American Revolution

Stamp Act

Tax on printed materials in colonies.

Townshend Tariffs

Import duties on goods like tea.

Boston Massacre

1770 confrontation killing five colonists.

First Continental Congress

1774 meeting to oppose British taxes.

First shots of the Revolution

Fired in April 1775, marking conflict's start.

British troop deployment

35,000 troops sent to American colonies.

Loyalists

Colonists loyal to the British crown.

General Sir William Howe

British general defeated Washington at Long Island.

Battle of Long Island

Major defeat for American forces in 1776.

Southern strategy

British plan to rally Loyalists in southern colonies.

George Washington

Commander of Continental Army, first U.S. president.

Benedict Arnold

Notorious traitor who plotted against America.

Invasion of Quebec

1775 attempt to gain French support.

General Richard Montgomery

Led American forces in Quebec invasion.

Battle of Princeton

Washington's victory over Cornwallis in January 1777.

Battle of Trenton

Surprise attack on Hessians, significant American victory.

Thomas Paine

Author of 'The American Crisis' pamphlet.

'The American Crisis'

Paine's work motivating troops during hardship.

Battle of Saratoga

Turning point, led to French alliance.

General John Burgoyne

British general defeated at Saratoga.

General Horatio Gates

American general who won at Saratoga.

French alliance

Formal support for Americans after Saratoga.

Battle of Brandywine Creek

British aimed to capture Philadelphia, the capital.

Treaty of Amity & Commerce

Signed February 6, 1778, recognizing U.S. independence.

Valley Forge

Washington's troops suffered severe winter hardships.

Von Steuben

Trained American soldiers using a military manual.

Lafayette's Contribution

Lent $200,000 to support American finances.

Frontier Conflict

Loyalists and Natives opposed isolated Patriots.

George Rogers Clark

Led frontiersmen to seize British outposts.

War Moves South

British sought Loyalist and slave support in South.

General Sir Henry Clinton

Seized Savannah and Charleston strategic ports.

Major General Benjamin Lincoln

Failed to retake Charleston from British.

General Charles Cornwallis

Controlled Georgia and South Carolina by 1780.

Battle of King's Mountain

Patriots clashed with British troops in October 1780.

General Daniel Morgan

Led Patriot militias in Southern battles.

Battle of Cowpens

Morgan's forces defeated Tarleton's 800 men.

British Retreat

Cornwallis retreated to Yorktown peninsula, June 1781.

Cornwallis Surrender

Surrendered on October 17, 1781, ending major conflict.

Treaty of Paris 1783

Recognized U.S. independence and ceded western lands.

Representative Democracy

Property-holding white men could vote.

Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom

Written by Jefferson, separated church and state.

Increased Nationalism

Post-revolutionary America saw a rise in patriotism.

Church and State Separation

Ensured freedom of religious practice and belief.

British Army Enlistment

Enlisted 20,000 slaves during the war.

Lord Dunmore's Proclamation

Promised freedom to slaves joining British forces.

General Assembly Act

Prohibits forced religious worship or support.

Religious Freedom

Individuals can profess and argue religious beliefs.

British Army Enlistment

20,000 slaves enlisted for military service.

Slavery in the North

Slavery abolished, contrasting Southern resistance.

Native Displacement

Natives were displaced and exploited during conflicts.

British Defeat Factors

Insufficient resources and lack of Loyalist support.

Continental Army Size

100,000 soldiers in the Continental Army.

State Militias Size

100,000 soldiers in state militias.

Articles of Confederation

Created a loose alliance of independent states.

Unicameral Government

Each state had one vote in Congress.

Land Ordinances

Policies to develop territory west of states.

Jefferson's Ordinance

Population equal to smallest state qualifies for statehood.

Northwest Ordinance

Chartered government for Northwest Territory.

Admittance Process

Three phases for new state admission.

Bill of Rights

Granted religious freedom and trial by jury.

Economic Problems

Issues included escaped slaves and trade restrictions.

Shays' Rebellion

Farmers protested high taxes and lost lands.

Daniel Shays

Leader of the rebellion in Massachusetts.

Pennsylvania State House

Site of the Constitutional Convention in 1787.

James Madison's View

Advocated for a strong national government.

Virginia Plan

Bicameral legislature based on population or wealth.

New Jersey Plan

Equal representation for all states in Congress.

Great Compromise

Combined both plans for legislative representation.

Executive Branch Power

President can veto legislation, overridden by 2/3 majority.

Legislative Branch Role

Congress protects minority interests through Senate.

Legislative Branch

Congress, with Senate protecting minority rights.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court interprets laws nationally.

3/5 Compromise

Slaves counted as 3/5 of a person.

Slaves as Property

Slaves taxed as property, benefiting Southern states.

Natives' Status

Natives viewed as separate nations.

Federalists

Supported Constitution; favored strong federal government.

Anti-Federalists

Opposed Constitution; feared central government tyranny.

Federalist Papers

85 essays promoting Constitution by Hamilton, Madison, Jay.

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments protecting individual liberties.

James Madison

Proposed 12 amendments; 10 ratified as Bill of Rights.

Key Protections

Includes free speech, right to bear arms.

Democratic-Republicans

Supported states' rights, strict Constitution interpretation.

Federalist Party

Favored urban growth, finance, and banking.

Compromise of 1790

Settled North-South disputes over state debts.

Adam Smith

Authored 'Wealth of Nations'; advocated free trade.

Division of Labor

Increases productivity through specialization.

Hamilton's Tariff

Proposed 5% tariff on imported goods.

Bank of the United States

Established in 1791 to stabilize economy.

French Revolution

U.S. declared neutrality amid revolutionary chaos.

Jay's Treaty

Resolved British withdrawal from NW Territory posts.

Whiskey Rebellion

1794 uprising against Hamilton's liquor tax.

Pinckney's Treaty

Fixed southern boundary; granted Mississippi navigation.

New States

Vermont, Kentucky, Tennessee became states under Washington.

Farewell Address

Warned against foreign entanglements and alliances.

1796 Election

John Adams elected President, Jefferson Vice President.

XYZ Affair

Diplomatic incident causing anger towards France.

Convention of 1800

Peace agreement ending hostilities with France.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws restricting speech and press freedom.

Judiciary Act of 1801

Created 16 new federal courts with Federalist judges.