History: the American Revolution

paul revere

silversmith and patriot who alerted the colonists that the british were coming before lexington and concord by taking the midnight horse ride to spread the word and alert colonists

william dawes

a leader of the sons of liberty who rode with paul revere

battle of lexington and concord

britain lost these battles -- retreated and weren't prepared

battle of saratoga

the turning point of the revolutionary war because the colonists won, the french (and dutch and spanish) supported the americans with money and supplies.

george rogers clark

frontiersman who lead the seizing of 3 british forts along the ohio river. this later led to the british giving the region north of the ohio river to the americans

battle of yorktown

last major battle of the war. cornwallis and his troops were trapped in the chesapeake bay by the french and american fleets. He surrendered

articles of confederation

created the first central government of the US

unicameral legislature

one-house legislature

absolute monarch

ruler with complete control over the government and the lives of the people

prohibitory act

passed by parliament; forbade trade with colonies and denied trials

treaty of paris (1783)

agreement between british and american leaders that USA was a free and independent country and our boundary is the Mississippi river

thomas paine; common sense

a pamphelt in 1776 to convince the colonists that it was time to become independent

patriots

colonists who were determined to fight the british until american independence was won

loyalists (tories)

colonists who were loyal to the king during the american revolution

minutemen

member of the militia during the American revolution who could be ready to fight in 60 seconds

continentals

currency authorized by congress to finance the revolution and soon lost worth

valley forge

place where washington's army spent the winter of 1777-1778, a 4th of the troops died here from disease and malnutrition

abigail adams

john adam's wife, she appealed to her husband to protect the rights of women. A member of the daughters of liberty

deborah sampson

patriot who disguised herself as a man and served in the army

mary mccauley (molly pitcher)

carried fresh water to troops and when her husband was injured, she took place loading the cannons

shay's rebellion

led by daniel shays -- it was a protest against the land being taken away and the taxes they worked so hard for get rid of

Intolerable acts

parliament passed these in response to the boston tea party. They restricted colonist's rights

patrick henry

a leader of the american revolution and a famous orator who spoke out against british rule of the american colonies

samuel adams

master propagandist and a engineer of rebellion, formed the sons of liberty

john adams

second president of U.S. and a federalist. He was responsible for passing the alien and sedation acts

john dickinson

drafted a declaration of colonial rights and grieviances; also wrote "letters from a farmer in PA" to protest the townshend acts

john jay

one of the authors of the federalist papers and was involved in the drafting of the constitution and was the first chief justice of the supreme court

first continental congress (1774)

met in philly in order to redress colonial grieviances over the intolerable acts

joseph galloway

PA delegate who wanted to keep the 13 colonies in the british empire. he suggested the creation of an american colonial parliament to act together with the parliament of great britian

suffolk resolves

declaration made by the leaders of suffolk county, Massachusettes. It rejected the Mass. gov. act and resulted in a boycott of british goods unless the intolerable acts were repealed

economic sanctions

boycotts, embargoes, and other economic measures that one country uses to pressure another country into changing its policies

declaration of rights and grieviances

a document written by 1st continental congress. the petition urged the king to make right colonial grieviances and restore colonial rights. it recognized parliaments authority to regulate commerce in the colonies but not to directly tax colonies without representatives in parliament

second continental congress (1775)

congress opposed the drastic move toward complete independence from britian. the congress offered peace if there be a cease-fire in Boston, that the coercive acts be repealed, and that negotiations begin immediately. The king rejected

olive branch petition

colonies made a final offer of peace to britian only if they addressed their grieviances. it was rejected

declaration of the causes and necessities for taking up arms

urged king george III a second time to consider colonial grieviances and explained to the british why the colonists were fighting

thomas jefferson

a delegate from VA at the second continental congress and wrote the declaration of independence. Will be the third president

declaration of independence

formalized the colonists' separation from britian and laid out the enlightenment values of natural rights

george washington

a moderate from VA, delegate at continental congress and leader of the continental army