Social studies 4-6

Ms Simons JHS

Common Sense

Pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging the colonies to declare independence from Britain.

Thomas Paine

Author of Common Sense; inspired revolutionary support for independence.

Lexington and Concord

First battles of the American Revolution; “the shot heard ’round the world.

Boston Massacre

British soldiers killed five colonists during a protest, fueling anti-British anger.

Boston Tea Party

Colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to protest the Tea Act.

Intolerable Acts

Harsh British laws punishing Massachusetts after the Tea Party; closed Boston Harbor and limited town meetings.

Townshend Acts

Taxed imports like glass, lead, paper, paint, and tea; led to more boycotts.

Stamp Act

Tax on all printed materials; first direct tax on colonists, sparking widespread protest.

Military +/-’s

+British advantages: strong navy, trained army, money.
+Colonial advantages: home-field, motivation, French help.
-British disadvantages: long supply lines, unfamiliar land.
-Colonial disadvantages: fewer troops, little money, untrained.

Patriots vs Loyalists

Patriots supported independence; Loyalists stayed loyal to Britain.

Articles of Confederation

First U.S. government; weak central power, strong states.

The Great Compromise

Combined both plans; created a two-house Congress (Senate = equal, House = population).

Bill of Rights

First ten amendments; guaranteed individual freedoms.

Virginia Plan

Large-state plan for representation based on population.

New Jersey Plan

Small-state plan for equal representation per state.

Anti-Federalists

Opposed the Constitution; wanted stronger state governments and a Bill of Rights.

Federalists

Supported the Constitution and a strong central government.

Alexander Hamilton

Federalist; first Secretary of the Treasury; promoted a national bank.

Thomas Jefferson

Author of the Declaration; 3rd President; Democratic-Republican.

Whiskey Rebellion

Farmers protested whiskey tax; Washington showed federal power by sending troops.

Louisiana Purchase

Jefferson bought land from France, doubling U.S. size.

Sedition Act

part of alien/ sedition acts. This act criminalized publishing "false, scandalous, and malicious writing" against the U.S. government and was primarily aimed at silencing Democratic-Republican press critics of the Federalist administration

Chief Tecumseh

leading a Native American confederation to resist American expansion into their lands and for his alliance with the British during the War of 1812. As a Shawnee chief, he advocated for pan-Indian unity, believing that tribes should unite to stop settlers from taking their land. died 1813

Marbury vs. Madison

Supreme Court case establishing judicial review (the Court can declare laws unconstitutional).

War of 1812

U.S. vs. Britain over trade and impressment; ended in a draw but boosted U.S. pride.

Battle of Saratoga

Turning point of the Revolution; American victory convinced France to join the war.

Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson; declared U.S. independent from Britain.

Treaty of Paris

Officially ended the war; Britain recognized American independence.

Federalist Papers

Essays by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay supporting ratification of the Constitution.

John Marshall

Chief Justice who strengthened the Supreme Court’s power through landmark cases.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Set rules for creating new states and banned slavery in the Northwest Territory.

Shay’s Rebellion

Farmers’ revolt over taxes; showed the weakness of the Articles.

Constitutional Convention

Meeting in Philadelphia to fix the Articles; created the U.S. Constitution.

Battle of Trenton

Washington’s surprise attack on Hessians after crossing the Delaware River; boosted morale.

Alien and Sedition Acts

The Alien and Sedition Acts were a series of four laws passed in 1798 by the Federalist-controlled Congress during a period of tension with France. The acts increased residency requirements for citizenship, allowed for the deportation of non-citizens deemed dangerous, and criminalized criticism of the government, which was seen as a violation of free speech and a way to suppress political opposition. The laws expired in the early 1800s

Turning points battles of the American Revolution

Saratoga (major win, French aid) and Yorktown (final victory).

Crispus Attucks

African American killed in the Boston Massacre; often seen as the first casualty of the Revolution.

Checks and Balances

System where each branch of government limits the others’ powers.

Yorktown

Final major battle; British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington.

Continental Army

Colonial army led by George Washington during the Revolution.

Politics/Economics after Rev. War

The U.S. faced war debt, weak central authority, and economic depression; led to creation of the Constitution for stronger unity.