APUSH Period 3 Key Terms Part 1

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French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War) (SAQ)

The French and Indian War began due to territorial disputes between British colonists and French forces in the Ohio River Valley. The conflict saw the involvement of various Native American tribes, some aligning with the French and others with the British, as they sought to protect their land and interests. It ended with the Treaty of Paris which resulted in France giving all of its North American territories to Britain. The aftermath involved the abandonment of salutary neglect and increased taxation on American colonists to pay off British debt which sparked claims of ‘taxation without representation’.

Albany Plan of Union/Albany Congress

The Albany Congress was a meeting of colonial representatives to address the French and Indian War. Benjamin Franklin proposed the Albany Plan of Union as an attempt to create a unified, intercolonial government with power to provide for troops.

Benjamin Franklin (SAQ)

Creator of the Albany Plan of Union (to unite the colonies) and the “Join or Die” political cartoon to support it, he was a key figure of this time period who wanted to unite the colonies. His plans set the stage for a bonded country ready to fight for independence and Liberty.

Peace (Treaty) of Paris, 1763

Ended the French and Indian War/Seven Years War, where Britain gained control over Canada and Florida while France lost most of its North American possessions. This agreement marked a turning point in colonial power dynamics in North America and set the stage for future conflicts.

Pontiac’s Rebellion

Native American uprising that took place in 1763 in response to British policies and encroachments on indigenous lands after the Seven Years’ War. They attacked British forts and settlements and resulted in the Proclamation of 1763.

Proclamation of 1763/Proclamation Line virtual representation

British order forbidding British colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to manage new British territories and to stop more Native American conflicts from occurring. However, it angered colonists who felt like they deserved to move westward and live on their well-earned land.

Sugar Act, 1764

The Sugar Act was a law passed by the British Parliament in 1764 that aimed to raise revenue through the taxation of sugar and molasses imported into the American colonies. It marked a significant shift in British colonial policy, focusing on enforcement and regulation to increase tax revenue after the costly Seven Years’ War.

Vice Admiralty Courts

British colonial courts without a jury that were used to enforce customs regulations and smuggling laws, notably under the Sugar Act and Townshend Acts. These courts were controversial because they denied colonists their right to a jury trial, which fueled colonial resentment against British policies.

Quartering Act, 1765

Law passed that required colonists to provide housing, food, and other necessities to British soldiers.

Stamp Act, 1765

The Stamp Act of 1765 was a law passed by the British Parliament that imposed a direct tax on the colonies, requiring them to use specially stamped paper.

Sons of Liberty

The Sons of Liberty was a secret organization formed in the American colonies in the 1760s to resist British taxation and policies perceived as unjust. They were found in response to the Stamp Act and employed tactics of intimidation, boycotts, and direct acts like the Boston Tea Party. They advocated for colonial rights with key figures such as Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry, and John Hancock.

Declaratory Act, 1766

It stated that the British Parliament had full power and authority to legislate and make laws for the colonies "in all cases". This act was passed at the same time as the repeal of the much-hated Stamp Act, which had caused considerable unrest and protest in the colonies.

Townshend Acts, 1764

The Townshend Acts were a series of laws passed by the British Parliament in 1767 that imposed taxes on imported goods such as glass, tea, paint, and paper. These acts were designed to raise revenue from the American colonies and assert British authority following the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Writ of assistance

Legal documents issued by the British government that granted customs officials the right to search any property in the American colonies without a warrant and specific evidence. This was perceived as an overreach of power from the British.

John Dickinson/Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania

John Dickinson opposed American independence due to his desire for reconciliation with Britain and fear of inadequate protection of liberties. He wrote the Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania which argued against British taxation policies.

Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams was a crucial radical leader from Boston who organized protests against British policies like the Stamp Act and Tea Act, co-founded the Sons of Liberty, and helped create the Committees of Correspondence.

Boston Massacre, 1770

a deadly confrontation on March 5, 1770, in Boston, Massachusetts, where British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists, killing five people. This event, sparked by tensions over the presence of British troops enforcing unpopular laws and taxes, became a pivotal propaganda tool for Patriots like Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, ultimately escalating colonial anger and contributing to the growing movement for independence.

Committees of Correspondence

An underground network of communication among Patriot leaders in the Thirteen Colonies, formed to coordinate and mobilize opposition to British policies leading up to the American Revolution. Led by Samuel Adams, it facilitated communication regarding British actions and promoted colonial unity,

Tea Act, 1773

The Tea Act was a law passed by the British Parliament in 1773 that granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the American colonies. Colonists saw it as another attempt at taxation without representation and an effort to bail out the struggling East India Company, leading to the Boston Tea Party.

Boston Tea Party, 1773

The Boston Tea Party was a political demonstration on December 16, 1773, where American patriots, led by the Sons of Liberty, dumped 342 chests of tea from the British East India Company into Boston Harbor. This act of defiance was a protest against the Tea Act and the broader principle of "taxation without representation," and it prompted the British government to pass the punitive Intolerable Acts.

Coercive Acts, 1774 (Intolerable Acts)

The Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, were a series of punitive measures enacted by the British Parliament in 1774 to respond to colonial unrest, particularly following the Boston Tea Party. Instead of quelling rebellion, these acts unified the colonies in protest, leading to the First Continental Congress.

Quebec Act, 1774

The Quebec Act was a 1774 British law that extended the boundaries of the province of Quebec into the Ohio River valley, recognized French civil law and the Catholic religion for the French-speaking population, and retained a form of royal government without an elected assembly.

Deism

the Enlightenment-era belief in a supreme being who created the universe but does not intervene in human affairs

Thomas Paine/ “Common Sense” (SAQ)

Common Sense was a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 that advocated for American independence from British rule. The pamphlet used plain, persuasive language and Enlightenment ideas to argue for republican self-government, making a powerful and popular case for separation. "Thomas Paine's Common Sense was significant because its clear and direct language persuaded many undecided colonists to support independence from Great Britain. Paine's logical arguments, such as highlighting the absurdity of an island governing a continent, attacked the legitimacy of monarchical rule and Britain's oppressive policies. This accessible pamphlet, disseminated widely, effectively radicalized public opinion, creating a widespread consensus for a complete separation from Britain that had not existed before, thus moving the colonies closer to revolution"

John Locke/social contract/Jean-Jacques Rosseau

John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau's social contract theories emphasize that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed, but differ on the nature of that consent. Locke focused on governments protecting individual natural rights, while Rousseau emphasized the "general will" of the people and collective freedom under law.

Patrick Henry

Known for his powerful oratory and revolutionary ideals, particularly his famous "Give me liberty, or give me death!" speech, advocating for Virginia's independence from Great Britain. He was a leading voice against British policies and a strong supporter of the cause of liberty, serving in the Virginia House of Burgesses and later in the Continental Congress. 

Stamp Act Congress

A meeting in New York City where colonial delegates protested the Stamp Act by creating a “Declaration of Rights and Grievances”, asserting that only colonial elected representatives could tax them. (They protested taxation without representation essentially). This marked the first times colonies acted together to challenge British policy.