APUSH Chapter 5 Flashcards

Second Continental Congress

Convened in 1775; managed colonial war effort and drafted the Declaration of Independence

Olive Branch Petition

1775 appeal to King George III for reconciliation; rejected, leading to further conflict

Thomas Paine

Author of "Common Sense," which advocated for American independence

Common Sense

1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that made a compelling case for American independence

John Locke

Enlightenment philosopher whose ideas about natural rights influenced the American Revolution

Jean Jacques Rousseau

French philosopher whose concepts of popular sovereignty influenced American political thought

Thomas Jefferson

Primary author of the Declaration of Independence; later became third U.S. President

Declaration of Independence

1776 document formally stating the colonies' reasons for separating from Great Britain

American Patriots

Colonists who supported independence from Great Britain

Loyalists (Tories)

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution

George Washington

Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army; later became first U.S. President

Nathanael Greene

American general who led successful Southern campaign during the Revolutionary War

Benedict Arnold

American general who initially fought for the Patriots but later defected to the British

John Burgoyne

British general who surrendered at Saratoga, a turning point in the Revolutionary War

Hessians

German mercenaries hired by the British to fight against the American colonists

Molly Pitcher

Nickname for women who brought water to soldiers and sometimes manned cannons during battles

Saratoga

1777 American victory that proved to be a turning point in the Revolutionary War

Valley Forge

Winter encampment (1777-1778) where the Continental Army faced severe hardships

Prohibitory Act

1775 British law declaring American ships to be enemy vessels, escalating the conflict

Abigail Adams

Wife of John Adams, known for her letters advocating for women's rights during the Revolution

Articles of Confederation

First governing document of the United States, creating a weak central government

Republicanism

Political philosophy emphasizing liberty, civic virtue, and opposition to corruption and aristocracy

Ordinances of 1784 and 1785

Laws establishing process for admitting new states and surveying western lands

Northwest Ordinance

1787 law organizing the Northwest Territory and prohibiting slavery there

Daniel Shays

Leader of Shays' Rebellion, which exposed weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation

Battle of Fallen Timbers

1794 victory by U.S. forces over Native Americans, securing the Northwest territory