Colonial Responses Leading Up to the American Revolution

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to the colonial responses leading up to the American Revolution.

Virginia House of Burgesses

The first representative government in America, established in 1619.

Mayflower Compact

An agreement that established a government and the rule of law among the settlers.

Salutary Neglect

Britain's policy of allowing the colonies to self-govern as long as raw materials flowed to England.

French and Indian War

A conflict primarily between Britain and France that resulted in significant debt for Britain.

No Taxation Without Representation

A phrase expressing the colonists' belief that they should not be taxed by a parliament in which they had no representation.

Stamp Act

A tax on all paper products in the colonies, leading to widespread protests.

Sons of Liberty

A group of activists who protested British policies, known for their participation in the Boston Tea Party.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by Britain in response to the Boston Tea Party.

Committees of Correspondence

Groups that formed to coordinate resistance and spread information among the colonies.

Boston Tea Party

A political protest in which the Sons of Liberty dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act.

Quartering Act

A law requiring colonists to house and feed British soldiers.

Lexington and Concord

The first battles of the American Revolution, marked by the 'shot heard round the world'.

Boston Massacre

An event where British soldiers fired into a crowd, exemplifying colonial tensions.

Tea Act

Legislation allowing the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies, undermining local merchants.

Albany Plan of Union

A proposal by Ben Franklin to unite the colonies for defense, ultimately ignored by the colonies.

Minutemen

Colonial militia members who were trained to be ready at a minute's notice to defend their communities.

Paul Revere

The famous patriot known for warning the colonies about the British marching toward Lexington.

Middle Passage

The horrific journey enslaved Africans endured when being transported to the Americas.

Propaganda

Biased information designed to influence public opinion, used effectively by colonists against British actions.

Embargo

A ban on trade, particularly the decision by the First Continental Congress to boycott British goods.

French & Indian War Conclusion (1763)

This war ended in 1763, leaving Britain with significant debt, leading to new taxes on the colonies to cover costs.

Stamp Act (1765)

A tax on all paper products that ignited colonial fury under the slogan "No Taxation without Representation."

Boston Massacre (1770)

A violent clash between colonists and British soldiers that highlighted dangerously high tensions.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

Protest where the Sons of Liberty dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the Tea Act.

Intolerable Acts (1774)

Passed by Britain as punishment for the Boston Tea Party, these laws closed the port of Boston and expanded the Quartering Act.

First Continental Congress (1774)

Colonial delegates met in response to the Intolerable Acts and agreed to boycott British goods.

Quartering Act (1775 Enforcement)

This act forced colonists to supply British soldiers with food, water, and housing, with refusal leading to punishment.

Battle of Lexington and Concord (1775)

The first battle of the American Revolution, marked by the "shot heard 'round the world." It was a militia confrontation against British troops marching to seize colonial military supplies.