American Revolution Study Guide

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering causes, key events, important figures, and terms of the American Revolution based on the study guide.

French and Indian War

A war between Britain and France over land in North America where Native American groups fought on both sides and Britain won.

Taxation without representation

The reason colonists were angry, as they had to pay taxes to a government in Britain but did not have representatives in Parliament who could vote on those taxes.

American Revolution

A war in which the American colonies fought Britain for independence.

Stamp Act

A tax on paper products and documents, such as newspapers, licenses, and legal papers.

Tea Act

A law that made colonists buy tea from the British East India Company and helped lead to the Boston Tea Party.

Tax

Money that people pay to the government.

Protest

An action or expression showing that people disagree with something.

Patriots

Colonists who supported independence from Britain and opposed British rule.

Loyalists

Colonists who supported the British king and wanted to remain loyal to Britain.

Sons of Liberty

A group of colonists who protested British taxes and laws.

Minutemen

Colonial citizen-soldiers who were prepared to fight quickly when needed.

Redcoats

The British soldiers, named for their red uniforms.

Boston Massacre (1770)

An event in 1770 where British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five colonists and increasing anger toward Britain.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

An event in 1773 where colonists protested the Tea Act by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.

Lexington and Concord (1775)

The first battles of the American Revolution in 1775, which began when British troops tried to take colonial weapons.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

A document created in 1776 that declared the colonies were free from British rule.

Saratoga (1777)

A major American victory in 1777 and an important turning point in the war that helped convince France to support the American cause.

Yorktown (1781)

The final major battle of the war in 1781, where American and French forces surrounded British troops on land surrounded by water and forced them to surrender.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The agreement in 1783 that officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent country.

George Washington

Commander of the Continental Army who later became the first president of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson

The main author of the Declaration of Independence.

Benjamin Franklin

A colonial leader, inventor, scientist, and diplomat who helped the American cause and helped gain French support.

King George III

The king of Great Britain during the American Revolution.

Benedict Arnold

An American military officer who later switched sides and joined the British.

Paul Revere

A Patriot who helped warn colonists that British troops were coming before the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Samuel Adams

A Patriot and leader who helped organize resistance to British taxes and laws.

Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness

Important rights that people have, as stated in the Declaration of Independence.

Consent of the governed

The principle that government gets its power from the people.

Revolution

A major change in government, such as when the American colonies fought to change from British rule to an independent country.

Alliance

An agreement in which countries or groups support one another.

Treaty

A formal agreement between countries.

Independence

Being free from the control of another country.

Continental Army

The army created by the colonies to fight the British.

Continental Congress

The group of colonial representatives that helped govern the colonies and organize the war.

Boston Massacre

1770 — British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five colonists and increasing colonial anger toward Britain.

Boston Tea Party

1773 — Colonists protested the Tea Act by dumping tea into Boston Harbor.

Lexington and Concord

1775 — The first battles of the American Revolution, sparked when British troops attempted to seize colonial weapons.

Declaration of Independence

1776 — The document that formally declared the American colonies were free from British rule.

Battle of Saratoga

1777 — A major American victory and key turning point in the war that convinced France to support the American cause.

Battle of Yorktown

1781 — The final major battle of the war, where American and French forces surrounded British troops and forced them to surrender.

Treaty of Paris

1783 — The peace agreement that officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized the United States as an independent country.