Chapter 4

Pragmatic Sanction

A decree issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI allowing his daughter, Maria Theresa, to inherit the throne.

Salutary Neglect

A British colonial policy avoiding strict enforcement of laws to keep American colonies obedient.

French and Indian War

The North American theater of the Seven Years' War fought between British colonists and the French.

Sugar Act

A British law imposing taxes on sugar and molasses to raise revenue from American colonies.

Stamp Act

A British law taxing paper goods in the American colonies, leading to widespread protests.

Townshend Duties

Laws placing duties on imported goods that intensified colonial protests against British policies.

Tea Act of 1773

A British law allowing the East India Company to sell surplus tea directly to the colonies.

Coercive/Intolerable Acts

Punitive laws passed in response to the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor.

Continental Army

The army formed by the colonies to fight against Great Britain during the Revolutionary War.

Valley Forge

The winter encampment of the Continental Army, marked by severe hardships and a turning point in resolve.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, establishing a weak central government.

Three-fifths Compromise

A compromise that counted each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for taxation and representation.

French Revolution: Causes

Economic hardship, inequality, and Enlightenment ideas fueled the outbreak of revolution in 1789.

Louis XVI

The King of France whose financial crisis management led to his execution during the Revolution.

Estates-General

A meeting of the three estates convened by Louis XVI, leading to the formation of the National Assembly.

Tennis Court Oath

An oath taken by the Third Estate vowing not to separate until a new constitution was created.

Sans-culottes

Radical working-class revolutionaries in France known for wearing long pants, seeking reform.

1791 French Constitution

A constitution establishing a constitutional monarchy in France, limiting the powers of the king.

Girondins and Jacobins

Two factions during the Revolution: Girondins favored a constitutional monarchy; Jacobins sought a republic.

Reign of Terror

A period marked by mass executions of perceived enemies of the revolution, led by the Jacobins.

Thermidorean Reaction

The period following Robespierre's fall, ending the radical phase of the Revolution.

1795 French Constitution

A constitution creating the Directory, a five-member executive body ruling France post-Jacobins.