APUSH Period 3 IDs

Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War)

A war between the colonial powers of Europe (Britain, France, Spain, and Prussia). In North America, however, it was fought primarily between the British colonists and their Native allies against the French and their Native allies.

• Britain’s victory in the war led to their dominance within North America

and the capture of vast amounts of territory once held by France.

• led to king of britain to increase taxes on the colonists

• The loss of competition within North America led to the

end of salutary neglect and led to more control by the British

Pontiac’s Rebellion

An series of attacks by an alliance of Native Americans, led by Chief Pontiac, against British colonial settlements from New York to Virginia.

• British troops were brought in to quell (stop) the rebellion.

• In an effort to prevent the colonists from continued classes with the Natives, the Crown issued the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains

Sugar Act (Revenue Act)

A tax placed upon American colonists imports of Dutch and French sugar in 1764 which causes sugar prices to increase and provided a near monopoly over the sugar imports by the British. The act also provided for harsher enforcement of the Navigational Acts.

Stamp Act

Required most printed paper in the colonies, including legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, and advertisements to have a revenue stamp.

• First direct tax—paid by those using the product.

Colonists anger toward the Stamp Act led to increased actions by the Sons of Liberty and the Daughters of Liberty . These groups worked to support boycotts and intimidate tax collectors.

• Led to a meeting of 9 colonies in what becomes known as the Stamp Act Congress which declared the British had no right to tax them if they had no representation

• Repelled in 1766, and replaced by the Declaratory Act—a notice reminding the colonists that they are part of the British empire and that the British had a right to tax them.

Boston Massacre

An event in March of 1770 in which colonists were upset about increased taxes attacked one of the British troops stationed in Boston. The situation worsened as more troops arrived and the protest escalated. In the end, the British troops fired into the crowd killing 5 American colonists.

• Tensions were further escalated by the publication of a carving made famous by Paul Revere in what is considered an early example of Propaganda within the colonies. The carving portrayed the British as aggressors that brutally attacked and murdered innocent colonists.

Boston Tea Party

An event in December of 1773 in which colonists boarded a British merchant ship and dumped tea (worth the equivalent of close to 2 million dollars) into the Boston Harbor.

• The event further tensions between the British and the colonists and led to the passing of a series to new restrictions on the American colonists known as the Intolerable Acts (aka the Coercive Acts).

• In response, the British crown took even greater control of the colonies and increased the number of British soldiers stationed there.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine

A pamphlet published in January of 1776 by Thomas Paine that outlines a series of justifications for why the American colonies should separate from Britain.

• The document’s popularity made the people of the colonies much more open to the possibility of independence and support of the Declaration of Independence issued by the Second Continental Congress.

Battle of Lexington and Concord

Considered to be the first battle of the American Revolution. British soldiers attempted to capture military supplies held by the Colonists in Concord.

• Warned of their approach by Paul Revere, the Minute Men forced a stand-off in Lexington.

• While the British did manage to capture/destroy the supplies, they were attached by the Minute Men on their return to Boston.

The Second Continental Congress

The groups of leaders that met in May 1775 to serve as the national body for the colonies and in their negations with the British government.

• Served as the first government of what became the United States.

• Important accomplishments: adopting and signing the Declaration of Independence; appointing and overseeing General George Washington during the American Revolution.

• The body was replaced by the National Government created in 1777 under the Articles of Confederation.

Declaration of Independence

Document adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This document informed the British that the colonies were now demanding and acting independent of British Authority.

• The document itself lays out the perceived injustices suffered by the colonies and the Natural Rights expected by all men.

Treaty of Paris

The Treaty of Paris 1783 is the official peace agreement between the United States and Britain following the American Revolution.

• Specified that:

  • Britain would recognize the existence of the United States as an independent nation.

  • The Mississippi River would be the western boundary of that nation.

Republican Motherhood

An late 17th century belief that the proper domain for a women was to instill the ideals of the republic to her children. While it did advocate for separate realms (spheres) for Men and Women, it did value women’s roles to a higher level than previous generations.

• It also worked to advance women’s education as proper instruction in republican ideals required that women be able to read and teach their children to do so.

Cotton Gin

A mechanical farming device developed in 1793 by Eli Whitney. Used to separate the seeds from the fiber of cotton plants. Drastically sped up the processing of cotton allowing for the increased use of cotton in clothing manufacturing.

• Contributed to the rise of the first industries in Europe and the United States (Textiles).

• Led to a massive increase in the use of slaves on southern plantations.

Shay’s Rebellion

The term used to describe a series of actions taken by indebted farmers protesting poor economic conditions and seeking redress for financial hardships.

• Protests worked to block debt and tax collections and stop judges from issuing arrest warrants and authorizing property confiscations.

• Eventually the rebellions were ended by the Massachusetts militia.

• Shay’s rebellion revealed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and its ability to effective govern the new nation and helped to fuel calls to amend the articles—this eventually led to the Constitutional Convention.

Three-fifths Compromise

A compromise placed in the U.S. Constitution that counted enslaved peoples as 3/5th of a person for the sake of the state’s representation in Congress.

• The compromise also engrained slavery into the new U.S. constitution and led many to argue that owning slaves was a constitutional right.

The Federalists Paper

A series of 85 essay written by John Jay, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton in which they defended the the U.S. Constitution and fought for its ratification.

• The various essays explain in detail the reasoning and motivation for the provisions of the new Constitution.

• They were instrumental in garnering support for the ratification of

the Constitution, and they provide valuable insight into the mindset of the Founding Fathers during the Constitutional Convention.

Whiskey Rebellion

 A series of protests against an excise tax (tax on a specific item) on whiskey. The rebels refused to pay the tax and wrote essays in numerous papers claiming that the federal government was charging obscene amounts in taxes.

• The protest escalated into attacks against tax agents and eventually led Washington (then President) to federalize ~15,000 state militia troops and place them under the authority of Alexander Hamilton.

• Although the protest resulted in little bloodshed it did demonstrate the new governments’ ability and willingness to use force to ensure order and compliance with the laws of Congress.

Washington’s Farewell Address

The last major speech of President George Washington before he stepped down from the Presidency. In the speech he warned against the United States forming permanent military alliances with other nations (especially in Europe), the formation of political parties (already too late as the the country was dividing between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans), and sectionalism between the farmers and merchants of the country.

• Washington’s Farewell Address was largely followed in terms of foreign policy in the United States during the isolationist periods and was often cited by those fighting against the division in the country between political and economic groups.

Alien and Sedition Acts

1. Alien Acts - allowed the President to deport any non-citizen for the United States at will.

2. Sedition Act - forbade written speech made against the United States President or Congress. Seen by most people as a violation of the 1st amendment.

Both acts were passed by Federalists in an attempt to control & limit the power of the Democratic-Republicans. The attempt backfired and allowed the Democratic-Republicans to gain control of both the White House and Congress in the election of 1800.

• Also led to the passage of Kentucky and Virginia nullification resolution (a precursor to future nullification crisis which culminated in the American Civil War.)