Road to the Revolution vocabulary

Patrick Henry

VA politician for independence "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

James Otis

catchphrase "No Taxation without Representation" in direct result of Stamp Act

Sons of Liberty

Group of Amer. patriots who used "terrorist" methods in their fight for their rights

Daughters of Liberty

Colonial women who boycotted British goods

Non Importation Agreements

Colonial attempt to boycott British goods to force political rights/recognition

Townshend Acts (1767)

taxes on colonial imports of tea, glass, and paper; revenue went straight to pay crown officials in colonies; also can search private homes for smuggled goods

Writs of Assistance

British could unreasonably search & seizure colonial goods and property

John Dickinson

Founding father involved in several key documents

John Hancock

Famous & wealthy smuggler who used his $ for the Sons of Liberty

Sam Adams

Failed businessman turned leader of the Sons of Liberty

Boston "Massacre"

1st bloodshed of the Revolution

Lord North

British Prime Minister who lost the colonies

Committees of Correspondence

Shadow government set up by Massachusetts for colonial communication and to react to the British

The Gaspee

British customs ship that was looted and burned in R.I.

Boston Tea Party

Event where Sons of Liberty overthrew all British tea in the Boston Harbor

Coercive Acts

(Intolerable Acts) Series of laws passed by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party

Port Bill Act

Bostonians pay for all destroyed tea, until then, harbor shut down

Massachusetts Gov't Act

reduced power of Mass legislature while increasing the power of the royal gov

Administration of Justice Act

allowed royal officials accused of crimes to be tried in England instead of the colonies

expansion of the Quartering Act

house & feed British soldiers; applied in all colonies

Quebec Act

-organized Canadian lands gained from France; hated by the colonists

-est Roman Catholicism as official religion of Quebec, set up gov't w/out representative assembly; extended Quebec's boundary to Ohio River

-viewed as direct attack on colonies = took away lands they claimed along Ohio River

-feared the British would attempt to enact similar laws in America to take away their representative gov'ts

-Prot Americans resented the recognition given to Catholicism

Thomas Gage

Massachusetts royal governor and main British general at start of Rev War

1st Continental Congress (Sept 1774)

Group of colonial delegates petition King George III of grievances

1. Boycotts British goods

2. Calls up militias

3. Reaffirms allegiance to Britain

Minute Men

Colonial militiamen ready to fight in a short notice

Militia

Local town men who are prepared to defend their territory

Lexington and Concord

1st military engagements of the Rev War

2nd Continental Congress (May 1775 - March 1781)

Attempt by colonists to form a government

a. Post Office is established

b. Creates Continental Army w/ G.W. in charge

c. Creates Continental currency

Breed's Hill (June 17, 1775)

1st battle of the Rev War in Boston (misnamed Bunker Hill)

Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)

Last colonial attempt to stop war w/ Britain; rejected

Benedict Arnold

Colonial general who turns sides after rejected for a promotion

Thomas Paine (published 1/10/76)

Author of pro-independence pamphlet Common Sense and The Crisis

Ethan Allen

Leader of Green Mountain Boys who took Fort Ticonderoga from British

Thomas Jefferson

Main author of the Declaration of Independence and diplomat to France during the war

Patriots

Pro-independence colonists

Loyalists/Tories

Loyal to the crown of England