American Revolution Key Terms and Concepts

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the American Revolution, including significant acts, battles, people, and principles from the period.

Stamp Act

A tax imposed on all paper goods, including newspapers and playing cards, leading to protests by the Sons of Liberty.

Coercive/ Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive measures against the colonies, including the Quartering Act which forced colonists to house British soldiers.

Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson, it states that government derives its power from the consent of the governed and exists to protect citizens' rights.

Proclamation of 1763

A law forbidding American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to protect Native American lands.

Albany Plan of 1754

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754, advocating for the colonies to unite for mutual defense.

Continental currency

Money printed by the Continental Congress during the American Revolution, which led to inflation and loss of value due to lack of gold and silver backing.

Boston Massacre

A 1770 incident where British troops killed 5 colonists protesting unfair taxes.

Battle of Yorktown

The final battle of the American Revolution, where British General Cornwallis surrendered to American and French forces in 1781.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

The first battles of the American Revolution sparked by British attempts to seize colonial leaders.

Battle of Saratoga

A significant American victory that convinced France and Spain to ally with the US during the war.

Treaty of Paris

The agreement that officially ended the French and Indian War and later the American Revolutionary War.

George Washington

The commander of the Continental Army and a key leader during the American Revolution.

Benedict Arnold

An American general who initially fought for the colonies but later defected to the British.

Unalienable rights

Rights that cannot be taken away; in the Declaration of Independence, these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Tories

The nickname for loyalists during the American Revolution who remained loyal to the British crown.

Francis Marion

A military officer known as the 'Swamp Fox' for using guerrilla warfare tactics to harass British troops in the South.

William Pitt

The British Prime Minister during parts of the French and Indian War, known for his strategic spending that favored American interests.

Propaganda

Information, often biased, used to influence public opinion.

Marquis de Lafayette

A French aristocrat who joined Washington’s staff, providing military expertise and financial support to the Continental Army.

French and Indian War

A conflict from 1754 to 1763 between Great Britain and France that resulted in British control of North America but led to massive debt.

American War Advantages

Key factors including fighting on familiar home territory, strong motivation for independence, and foreign aid.

British War Advantages

Key factors including the world's strongest navy, a well-trained professional army, and vast financial resources.

Battle of Ticonderoga

A 1775 American victory where the capture of a British fort yielded heavy artillery used to liberate Boston.

Battle of Trenton

A surprise victory in 1776 where Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night to defeat Hessian mercenaries.

Battle of Charles Town

A major British victory in 1780 resulting in the capture of a key Southern port and nearly 5000 American soldiers.

Friedrich von Steuben

A Prussian officer who trained the Continental Army at Valley Forge, transforming them into a professional fighting force.

George Rogers Clark

A frontiersman who led American forces to capture British forts in the Ohio River Valley, securing the frontier.

John Paul Jones

A famous American naval commander known for defeating the British ship Serapis and declaring, \"I have not yet begun to fight!\"

Horatio Gates

An American general credited with the victory at Saratoga but later criticized for his defeat at the Battle of Camden.

Lord Cornwallis

The lead British general in the Southern campaign who eventually surrendered his army at Yorktown.