US History: Revolutionary War, Constitution, and Key Figures

Monmouth Courthouse (Battle)

A significant battle in the American Revolutionary War fought in New Jersey.

Federalists

Supporters of the proposed Constitution who favored a strong national government.

Yorktown (Battle)

The last major battle of the American Revolutionary War where British General Cornwallis surrendered.

John Adams

A Founding Father and the second President of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson

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

Federalist Papers

A series of essays written to promote the ratification of the United States Constitution.

Sons of Liberty

A group of colonial patriots who organized protests against British taxation.

Patrick Henry

A prominent figure in the American Revolution known for his declaration, 'Give me liberty, or give me death!'

Constitutional Convention

The gathering that drafted the Constitution of the United States in 1787.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, which created a weak federal government.

Constitution of the US

The supreme law of the United States, establishing the framework of government.

Congress

The legislative branch of the United States government, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

John Burgoyne

A British general whose surrender at the Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War.

Declaration of Independence

The document declaring the thirteen American colonies' independence from British rule.

Townsend Acts

A series of British laws taxing goods imported to the American colonies.

Henry Knox

The first Secretary of War and a key military leader during the American Revolutionary War.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the United States, established by the Constitution.

Nathaniel Greene

A major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War.

Sam Adams

A Founding Father and leader of the American Revolution known for his role in organizing the Boston Tea Party.

William Howe

A British general who played a prominent role in the early stages of the American Revolutionary War.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Legislation that established a framework for governing the Northwest Territory and admitting new states.

Alexander Hamilton

The first Secretary of the Treasury and a key architect of the American financial system.

Boston Tea Party

A protest against British taxation where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

Louis XVI

The King of France during the American Revolution, who supported the American colonies against Britain.

George III

The King of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in 1774 after the Boston Tea Party.

Shay's Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 aimed at protesting economic injustices and the lack of government response.

Benedict Arnold

An American military officer who defected to the British side during the Revolutionary War.

George Washington

The commander of the Continental Army and the first President of the United States.

Connecticut Compromise

An agreement during the Constitutional Convention that created a bicameral legislature.

Abigail Adams

The wife of John Adams and an early advocate for women's rights.

Ben Franklin

A Founding Father known for his contributions to science, diplomacy, and the American Revolution.

Mercy Otis Warren

A political writer and propagandist during the American Revolution.

Virginia Resolves

A series of resolutions passed by the Virginia House of Burgesses in response to the Stamp Act.

Currency Act

A British law that regulated paper money issued by the colonies.

Lord North

The British Prime Minister during the American Revolutionary War.

James Madison

The fourth President of the United States and a key architect of the Constitution.

Marquis de Lafayette

A French general who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War.

Lee Resolution

The resolution introduced in the Second Continental Congress calling for independence from Britain.

Stamp Act

A British law that imposed a tax on printed materials in the colonies.

1st Continental Congress

A meeting of delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies in 1774 to organize colonial resistance.

John Paul Jones

A naval commander in the American Revolutionary War known for his victory against the British.

Jay Treaty

A 1794 treaty between the United States and Great Britain that resolved issues remaining since the Revolutionary War.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a new constitution that called for a bicameral legislature based on population.

Thomas Paine

An influential writer and revolutionary whose pamphlet 'Common Sense' advocated for independence.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising in Pennsylvania against a federal excise tax on whiskey.

Saratoga (Battle)

A pivotal battle in the Revolutionary War that resulted in a major American victory.

Valley Forge

The site of the Continental Army's winter encampment in 1777-1778, known for its hardships.

Electoral College

The body that elects the President and Vice President of the United States.

Trenton (Battle)

A surprise attack by George Washington against Hessian forces in New Jersey, leading to a crucial victory.

The first 10 Amendments

The Bill of Rights, which guarantees individual freedoms and rights.