AP U.S. History Notes Flashcards: The Duel for North America through The Confederation and the Constitution

A curated set of Q&A flashcards covering major topics from the notes: early French colonization, imperial wars, colonial grievances leading to independence, the Revolutionary War, and the framing of the Constitution and early Republic.

What did the Edict of Nantes (1598) grant to the Huguenots?

Limited toleration for Huguenots (French Protestants) in France.

Which French explorer is known as the 'Father of New France' and established friendly relations with the Huron?

Samuel de Champlain.

What was the French beaver trade's key resource in New France?

Beaver pelts (fur) for hats.

What were beaver hunters in New France called?

Coureurs de bois (runners of the woods).

In what year did France establish Quebec, overlooking the St. Lawrence River?

1608.

Who founded Detroit in 1701 to slow English expansion?

Antoine Cadillac.

What wars (1689–1697) and (1702–1713) represented early colonial clashes between England and France in North America?

King William’s War and Queen Anne’s War.

What was the Albany Plan of Union (1754) and who proposed it?

Franklin’s proposal to unite colonies for common defense; it failed.

In 1754, which young Virginian led an expedition to the Ohio country and encountered the French at Fort Duquesne?

George Washington; he built Fort Necessity and surrendered.

What significant victory occurred in 1759 that helped decide the fate of New France?

The Battle of Quebec; British victory leading to French retreat in Canada.

What did the 1763 Treaty of Paris grant Britain and France at the end of the French and Indian War?

Britain gained Canada; France retained some sugar islands in the West Indies and two islets in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

What Native American uprising occurred in 1763 and who led it?

Pontiac’s Rebellion, led by Ottawa Chief Pontiac.

What did the Proclamation of 1763 do and how did colonists view it?

Prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains; colonists viewed it as oppression.

What is mercantilism as discussed in the notes?

An economic theory that wealth is measured by gold/silver; colonies exist for the benefit of the mother country; export more than import.

What were the Navigation Acts aimed at enforcing, and when were they primarily enforced?

Mercantilist trade laws restricting colonial trade to English ships and requiring goods to go through England; enforcement intensified after 1763.

What did the Sugar Act of 1764 do?

Increased duties on sugar imported from the West Indies (reduced after protests).

What did the Stamp Act of 1765 Tax, and where were codified abuses tried?

A tax on many paper goods; stamps served as proof of payment; violators could be tried in Admiralty Courts.

What was the idea of 'virtual representation' and how did Americans respond to it?

Parliament claimed to represent all British subjects, including colonists; Americans rejected it as a basis for taxation without representation.

What was the Stamp Act Congress (1765) and its significance?

A meeting of nine colonies in NYC to discuss the Stamp Act; a step toward colonial unity and non-importation agreements.

What was the primary form of colonial resistance that grew after the Stamp Act Congress?

Non-importation agreements (boycotting British goods) and popular protests.

What occurred during the Boston Massacre (1770) as described in the notes?

British troops fired on a Boston crowd; 11 colonists were killed or wounded; used as propaganda.

What were the Townshend Acts (1767) and why were they significant?

Imposed duties on lead, paper, paint, and tea; led to colonial unrest and increased troop presence.

What critical event occurred in December 1773 in Boston, involving the East India Company?

The Boston Tea Party, where 342 chests of tea were dumped into the harbor by colonists disguised as Indians.

What were the Coercive/Intolerable Acts (1774)?

Punitive measures against Massachusetts: Boston Port Act, Administration of Justice Act, and Massachusetts Government Act.

What was the purpose and outcome of the First Continental Congress (1774)?

To address grievances and adopt non-importation; did not declare independence; planned to reconvene in 1775.

What event in 1775 marked the start of the American Revolutionary War with the British at Lexington and Concord?

The Shot Heard ’Round the World; fighting at Lexington and Concord.

What influential pamphlet did Thomas Paine publish in 1776, and what did it argue?

Common Sense; argued for independence and a democratic republic.

Who wrote the Declaration of Independence, and when was it approved?

Thomas Jefferson; approved July 4, 1776.

Which battles demonstrated Washington’s early military skill at Trenton and Princeton (1776–1777)?

Crossing the Delaware to Trenton and the victory at Princeton.

What battle is considered the turning point of the American Revolution and led to a Franco-American alliance?

Saratoga (1777); prompted French aid and alliance.

What role did the Franco-American Alliance of 1778 play in the Revolution?

France provided crucial support—military aid and recognition of American independence.

What event marked the end of major fighting in the Revolutionary War and led to negotiations in Paris?

Yorktown (1781); British defeat and subsequent Paris peace talks.

What treaty ended the American Revolutionary War in 1783 and recognized U.S. independence?

The Treaty of Paris (1783).

What was the Articles of Confederation's major structural weakness?

No executive or judicial branch; a weak central government; unicameral Congress with limited powers.

What were the Northwest Ordinance (1787) and the Land Ordinance (1785) designed to do?

Organize settlement and statehood in the Northwest; land surveyed and funded public schools; banned slavery in the Northwest.

What event highlighted the weaknesses of the Articles and spurred the drafting of a new Constitution?

Shays’ Rebellion (1786) in Massachusetts.

What was decided at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia?

Draft a new Constitution (replacing the Articles); not just revise them.

What is the Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)?

Two-house Congress: House representatives by population, Senate with equal representation.

What does the Three-Fifths Compromise entail?

Slaves counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation in the House.

Who were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, and what did each advocate?

Federalists supported a stronger central government; Anti-Federalists favored states’ rights and feared centralized power.

What amendments comprise the Bill of Rights and when were they ratified?

The first ten amendments; ratified in 1791.

What did Hamilton propose to manage national debt and why was it controversial?

Assume state debts and fund them; argued for a national Bank; faced opposition from Jefferson and strict constructionists.

What was the Bank of the United States, and what constitutional debate did it spark?

A national bank established in 1791; sparked debate between loose constructionists (Federalists) and strict constructionists (Dem-Rep).

What was the Whiskey Rebellion (1794) and why was it significant?

Farmers’ revolt against the excise tax on whiskey; Washington used federal troops to suppress it, signaling the strength of the new government.

What were Jay’s Treaty (1794) and Pinckney’s Treaty (1795) about?

Jay’s Treaty resolved post-Revolution tensions with Britain over impressment and debts; Pinckney’s Treaty secured navigation rights on the Mississippi and defined borders with Spanish Florida.

What was the XYZ Affair and its consequence?

French demanded bribes to talk to Talleyrand; led to an undeclared naval war and heightened tensions with France.

What were the Alien and Sedition Acts (1798), and who did they primarily affect?

Laws increasing residency requirements for citizenship and restricting speech against the government; targeted mainly Democratic-Republicans and immigrants.

What were the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions (1798–99) about, and what doctrine did they introduce?

States argued for nullification of federal laws via the compact theory; introduced the idea later linked to Judicial Review.

What is Judicial Review and when was it established?

The principle that courts can strike down unconstitutional laws; established in 1803 (Marbury v. Madison).

What occurred in the 1800 election, often called the 'Revolution of 1800'?

Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican) defeated John Adams (Federalist) in a peaceful transfer of power, marking a shift in party control.