Study Guide: French and Indian War, American Revolution, and Articles of Confederation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, events, acts, figures, and concepts from the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and the Articles of Confederation.

Albany Plan of Union

A proposal made during the French and Indian War calling for a confederation of colonies to defend against attack by European and native foes.

Ohio River Valley

Lands surrounding the Ohio River and all of its tributaries, used by the French to support the fur trade and contested by both Britain and France as the primary cause of the French and Indian War.

Fort Duquesne

A French fort located at the forks of the Ohio River; control of this strategic location meant control over the Ohio River Valley.

Fort Necessity

A makeshift fort constructed by George Washington's forces for a last stand against French forces pursuing him after skirmishing with French troops.

Treaty of Paris of 1763

The treaty that ended the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War) between Great Britain and France and their allies, entirely removing France from the Americas.

Pontiac's Rebellion

An uprising of Native American tribes following the French and Indian War against English colonists seeking to move into Native lands previously controlled by France.

Proclamation of 1763

A declaration issued by King George III following Pontiac's Rebellion stating that colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act

Legislation that placed a tax on all sugar and molasses products in the colonies.

Stamp Act

A tax placed on all paper products in the colonies that required the display of a royal stamp as proof of having paid the tax.

Townshend Acts

Taxes placed on glass, white lead, paper, paint, and tea as punishment for colonial resistance to the Stamp Act.

Quartering Act of 1774

Legislation that allowed British soldiers to be housed in private homes.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Payne and distributed throughout the colonies outlining reasons for independence from Great Britain, which influenced a large number of colonists to join the Patriot cause.

Boston Massacre

A confrontation between Boston colonists and British soldiers who fired into a crowd, resulting in the deaths of 5 colonists.

Boston Tea Party

An event in which Boston colonists boarded British ships and dumped a shipment of tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act of 1773.

Sons of Liberty

An organization formed by American colonists who used civil disobedience and violence to protest British taxation and push for independence.

Loyalist (Tories)

American colonists who remained loyal to King George III and England during the American Revolution.

Patriot

American colonists who favored and/or fought for independence from England during the American Revolution.

Olive Branch Petition

A final offer of peace made by the colonies to Britain, agreeing to remain loyal to the British government if it addressed colonial grievances.

Treaty of Paris of 1783

A formal agreement signed in Paris, France, that officially brought the American Revolution to an end.

Land Ordinance of 1785

Legislation that laid out the process by which lands west of the Appalachian Mountains were to be surveyed and sold.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Legislation that outlined the process for admitting a new state to the Union on equal footing with the original thirteen states and established a ban on slavery and involuntary servitude in the region.

Land Act of 1800

Legislation providing a system of finance that made purchasing land in the Northwest Territory easier.

Articles of Confederation

The first system of government in the United States, which created powerful state governments and a weak central government.

Belligerents of the French and Indian War

France and the majority of Native Americans fighting against Great Britain and the American colonists.

No Taxation Without Representation

A colonial grievance expressing that Parliament debated and enacted taxes on the colonies without any colonial representatives present to defend colonial interests.

Thomas Jefferson

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

Preamble (Declaration of Independence)

The introductory component of the Declaration of Independence that explains its purpose.

Declaration of Natural Rights

The section of the Declaration of Independence that outlines the rights of citizens and explains that government exists to protect those rights.

List of Grievances

The section of the Declaration of Independence listing the complaints of the colonies against England, specifically naming King George III.

Resolution of Independence

The concluding component of the Declaration of Independence that officially declared the colonies as free and independent states.

John Locke

The Enlightenment philosopher whose ideas influenced the core concepts of the Declaration of Independence.

Northwest Territory Statehood Requirement

The threshold requiring a territory to have at least 60,000 residents before it could apply to become a state.

Powers of Congress under the Articles of Confederation

Authority granted to conduct foreign affairs, maintain the military, borrow money, and issue currency, while explicitly lacking the ability to raise taxes to generate revenue.

Join, or Die

A political cartoon designed by Ben Franklin during the French and Indian War demonstrating that the 13 colonies would fail if they did not unite against French forces.

Don't Tread on Me

A political cartoon and symbol created prior to the American Revolution showcasing the colonists' willingness to defend themselves and their freedoms against British oppression, taxation without representation, and soldier mistreatment.