The American Revolution

American Revolution

A conflict from 1775 to 1783 where the thirteen American colonies fought for independence from British rule.

Inalienable Rights

Rights that cannot be taken away or denied, fundamental to the founding principles of the United States.

Declaration of Independence

A document adopted in 1776 declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain.

Hector Saint Jean Crevecouer

A writer who observed and described the social and cultural changes in America before 1775.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Wrote a poem celebrating the “embattled farmers” and that fired “shots heard around the world.”

George Washington

The Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army and later the first President of the United States.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that advocated for independence and framed the struggle as a fight for universal human rights.

Stamp Act

A 1765 British law that imposed a tax on printed materials in the colonies, leading to protests and boycotts.

Sons of Liberty

A group of colonial activists who protested British taxation and policies, often using force against tax collectors.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, occurring on April 19, 1775.

British Parliamentary Acts

Laws passed by British Parliament that were seen as oppressive by the colonists and fueled the revolutionary movement.

Continental Congress

A convention of delegates from the thirteen colonies that became the governing body during the American Revolution.

General Burgoyne

A British general whose defeat at Saratoga marked a turning point in the American Revolutionary War.

Yorktown

The site of the last major battle of the American Revolution in 1781, leading to British surrender.

Shay’s Rebellion

A series of protests in 1786-87 by American farmers against state and local enforcement of tax collections and judgments.

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution and criticising Articles of the Confederation

Checks and Balances

A system in the Constitution that ensures no branch of government becomes too powerful.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, guaranteeing individual liberties.

First Amendment

Ensures freedoms of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

Second Amendment

Right that protects the right to bear arms.

Fourth Amendment

Right that protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Fifth Amendment

Right that guarantees due process and protection against self-incrimination.

Eighth Amendment

Right that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

James Madison

A Founding Father who is known as the 'Father of the Constitution' for his pivotal role in its drafting.

Thomas Jefferson

The principal author of the Declaration of Independence and the third President of the United States.

Benjamin Franklin

A Founding Father who contributed to the Revolutionary cause and helped draft the Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Paine

An influential writer whose works inspired American independence and democratic principles.

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

A pamphlet that presented the colonists with an argument for freedom from British rule and framed its human rights significance

Economic Boycott

A form of protest where merchants refused to import British goods in response to taxation.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament

Erosion of Rights

The gradual reduction of individual liberties and rights experienced by the colonists leading up to the revolution.

Mass Mobilization

The process of rallying large groups of people for a common cause or movement.

Liberty

The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority.

Tobacco

A cash crop that played a significant role in the economy of the American colonies.

Rebellion

An act of violent or open resistance to an established government or ruler.

Civil Liberty

Individual rights protected by law from governmental infringement.

Civic Responsibility

The duty of citizens to participate in and contribute to the functioning of their community.

Constitutional Convention

An assembly of representatives convened to draft or revise a constitution.

Oligarchy

A form of power structure in which power resides in a small group of individuals.

Democracy

A system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly or elect representatives.

Aristocracy

A form of government in which power is held by the nobility.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

Proclamation of 1763

A British issued ban on colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest against British taxes in which colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

Continental Army

The army formed by the colonies to fight against British rule during the Revolutionary War.

Treaty of Paris 1783

The agreement that ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

Monarchy

A form of government with a monarch at the head.

Land Availability

The amount of land accessible for settlement or use, impacting economic opportunity.

Liberty vs. Order

The tension between individual freedoms and societal rules or regulations.

Social Contract

An implicit agreement among members of a society to cooperate for social benefits.

Civil Disobedience

The refusal to obey certain laws as a form of protest.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

Judicial Review

The power of courts to assess whether a law is in compliance with the constitution.

Civil Rights

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality.

American Exceptionalism

The belief that the United States is inherently different from other nations.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution.

Independence

The condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population exercise self-government.

Fundamental Principles

Individualism and equality

Absenteeism

Failure to attend an important event, often harmful to participation in governance.

James Madison quote

“If all men were angels, no government would be necessary.”