American Revolution and Early Republic Practice Flashcards

A collection of student-focused vocabulary flashcards covering the key people, events, and documents of early American history.

Boston Tea Party

An act of protest during the American Revolution that was initiated by the Sons of Liberty where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor

The Stamp Act Congress

A meeting held in $1765$ where representatives from multiple different colonies come to one unified response to oppose the Stamp Act

The Declaration of Independence

The founding document of the United States that declares the $13$ colonies free from Britain

King George III evidence of abuses

Evidence that was declared within the Declaration of Independence where he was accused of unfair taxes and deploying armies - leading him to become a symbol of tyranny

The Federalist Papers

A series of $85$ papers that were written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay in order to ratify the new Constitution over the Articles of Confederation

Ratification of the Constitution

$9$ out of the $13$ states approved the U.S. Constitution

The Great Compromise

An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that created a two-house legislature that included the House and the Senate

James Madison's view of government

Maintained the belief that the government should be divided for a separation of powers to prevent one person or group from gaining too much power

Fear of political parties

A phenomenon where political parties will create conflict, divide the nation, and voters feeling intense fear towards the opposing party

Washington’s warnings (Farewell Address)

His warnings included the destructive force of political parties, sectionalism, and maintaining strict neutrality in foreign alliances

Louisiana Purchase

A land deal between the United States and France where the United States was able to double in size for $\$15\,million$

Monroe Doctrine

A policy that states that Europe cannot interfere with America's independent nations (Western hemisphere)

Mercantilism

A system in which colonies provided wealth and other resources for the country, where exports were maximized and imports were minimized

Alexander Hamilton (First Secretary of Treasury)

Hamilton transformed a bankrupt country into a country that was more financially stable by establishing national credit and a national bank

Whiskey Rebellion of 1794

A violent tax protest by farmers against federal taxes on whiskey that was used to pay for the Revolutionary War debt in $1794$

System of Checks and Balances

A system that divides government power into $3$ branches including legislative, judicial, and executive which prevents one branch from getting too much power

Presidential Election Process (Prior to 1804)

Members from the Electoral College would make $2$ votes for the president, where the person with the most votes would be considered the president and the person with the $2\text{nd}$ most votes would be the vice president

British taxation of the colonies

A series of trade regulations and taxes such as the Stamp Act in order to raise revenue to pay off large amounts of war debts

British response to American opposition

Britain enforced stricter laws, punished colonies, and passed the Intolerable Acts

Primary source vs. secondary source

Primary sources are firsthand and original evidence (letters, speeches), compared to secondary sources which are sources that interpret primary sources (textbooks, articles)