Period 3 APUSH Terms #2

1st Continental Congress

A meeting in 1774 of delegates from all colonies except Georgia to respond to the Intolerable Acts. They petitioned the king, organized a boycott of British goods, and prepared militias.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War (April 1775), where colonial militias resisted British troops attempting to seize military supplies. Marked the outbreak of armed conflict.

Declaration of Independence

A document adopted July 4, 1776, in which the colonies declared independence from Britain, citing grievances under King George III, and articulating Enlightenment ideals (natural rights, consent of governed).

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British crown during the American Revolutionary period. Often conservative, connected to colonial governments, Anglican clergy, or fearing upheaval from revolt.

Patriots

Colonists who supported the American Revolution and independence from Britain. They favored resistance to British policies, taxation without representation, and took part in protests and military action.

Battle of Saratoga

A turning point battle in 1777 in which British General Burgoyne’s army surrendered to American forces. This victory convinced France to ally with the United States.

Treaty of Alliance with France, 1778

A formal agreement in which France recognized American independence and allied with the United States militarily and financially, promising to fight until Britain acknowledged U.S. sovereignty.

Treaty of Paris 1783

The agreement that ended the Revolutionary War. Britain recognized U.S. independence, ceded territory east of Mississippi (with some exceptions), and agreed to terms about debts and Loyalist property.

Daughters of Liberty

A group of colonial women who supported the Patriot cause by participating in boycotts of British goods, producing homemade goods, and promoting nonimportation.

Republican Motherhood

An ideology after the Revolution that women had an important civic role: to instill republican virtue in their children and raise informed citizens. Emphasized education of women, though still largely within domestic spheres.

Haitian Revolution

A successful slave revolt (1791-1804) in the French colony of Saint-Domingue resulting in the creation of Haiti, the first free black republic, and influencing ideas about slavery and freedom in the Atlantic world.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States (ratified in 1781), creating a loose union of sovereign states with a weak central government: no executive branch, no national judiciary, limited powers (foreign policy, war), no power to tax.

Land Ordinance / Northwest Ordinance / Northwest Territory

Policies under the Articles of Confederation for organizing western lands: The Land Ordinance of 1785 for surveying & selling western lands; the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established governance for the Northwest Territory, set process for new states, and banned slavery in that territory.

Shays’ Rebellion

A 1786-87 uprising of indebted Massachusetts farmers, led by Daniel Shays, protesting high taxes, debt, lack of paper money, and threat of losing land. Highlighted weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and pushed toward Constitutional reform.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where delegates from states met to revise the Articles of Confederation but ended up drafting a new constitution that created a stronger federal government with separation of powers, checks and balances.

Virginia Plan

A proposal at the Constitutional Convention favoring large states: bicameral legislature with representation based on population. Presented by James Madison and others.

New Jersey Plan

A counter‐proposal at the Constitutional Convention from smaller states: equal representation for each state in Congress (unicameral legislature), preserving more power for small states.

Great Compromise (Connecticut Plan)

The compromise that resolved conflict between large and small states by creating a bicameral Congress: House of Representatives (representation by population) and Senate (equal representation with two senators per state).

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement at the Constitutional Convention that every slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of representation in Congress and for taxation.

Slave Trade Compromise

The agreement that Congress would not ban the importation of slaves until 1808, though it could impose a tax on such imports. Allowed for continuation of part of the transatlantic slave trade for 20 more years.

Federalists (faction)

Supporters of the new Constitution, favoring a stronger central government, checks & balances, separation of powers. Leaders included Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay. Advocated ratification.

Antifederalists (faction)

Opponents of the Constitution as proposed in 1787: believed it gave too much power to the national government, lacked a Bill of Rights, feared loss of state sovereignty, potential tyranny. Many were small farmers, frontier residents.

Federalist Papers (10 and 51)

Series of essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay written to support ratification of the Constitution. Federalist No. 10 addresses dangers of factions and how a large republic mitigates them. Federalist No. 51 explains structure of government and how separation of powers and checks and balances protect liberty.

James Madison

“Father of the Constitution”; key architect of the Constitution and Bill of Rights; author of many Federalist Papers; advocated for a strong federal government with separated powers; influenced the institution of the Virginia Plan.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a central (national) government and states. In the U.S. Constitution, this includes delegated powers, reserved powers, and concurrent powers.

Separation of Powers

The constitutional division of governmental powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches, each with separate functions and checks on each other to prevent concentration of power.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution (ratified 1791), added in part to satisfy Anti-Federalist concerns. Protect individual liberties (speech, religion, etc.), limit governmental power (due process, etc.).