APUSH Unit 3 Key Terms: American Revolution: 1754-1800

Stamp Act

A 1765 law imposing a tax on all paper documents in the American colonies, leading to widespread protest.

Virtual Representation

The British argument that colonists were represented in Parliament even if they did not elect representatives.

Sugar Act

A 1764 law that taxed sugar and molasses imported into the colonies, aimed at reducing smuggling.

No Taxation Without Representation

A slogan used by colonists to protest against taxes imposed by a British Parliament in which they had no elected representatives.

Committee of Correspondence

A network of communication among the colonies to coordinate resistance against British policies.

Sons of Liberty

A secret society formed to oppose British policies and taxes, known for organizing protests.

Regulators

Groups in the American colonies that protested against colonial officials and demanded more fair taxation and government.

Townsend Act

A series of laws passed in 1767 that taxed goods imported to the American colonies, leading to further unrest.

Daughters of Liberty

Women who supported the boycott of British goods and promoted American-made products during the Revolutionary period.

Boston Massacre

A 1770 confrontation in which British soldiers killed five colonists, escalating tensions between Britain and the colonies.

Crispus Attucks

An African American man who was the first casualty of the Boston Massacre, symbolizing the fight for freedom.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest against British taxes where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor as a form of resistance.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party, aimed at suppressing colonial resistance.

Continental Congress

A convention of delegates from the thirteen colonies that became the governing body during the American Revolution.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

The first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War, occurring in April 1775.

Battle of Bunker Hill

A 1775 battle that demonstrated the colonial militia's ability to stand up to the British army, despite being a tactical loss.

Continental Army

The army formed by the colonies to fight against British rule during the American Revolutionary War.

Lord Dunmore

The last royal governor of Virginia, known for his proclamation offering freedom to slaves who fought for the British.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 advocating for independence from Britain and republican government.

Declaration of Independence

The 1776 document declaring the colonies' independence from Britain, authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson.

Battle of Saratoga

A turning point battle in 1777 that resulted in a decisive victory for the American forces and secured French support.

Battle of Yorktown

The final major battle of the American Revolutionary War in 1781, leading to British surrender and American victory.

Treaty of Paris

The 1783 agreement that officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.

Republics

Forms of government in which power resides with elected individuals representing the citizen body.

Suffrage

The right to vote in political elections.

Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom

A Virginia law drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1777 that established the principle of separation of church and state.

Inflation

A general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money, often occurring during wartime.

Free Trade

International trade left to its natural course without tariffs, quotas, or other restrictions.

The Wealth of Nations

A foundational economic text by Adam Smith published in 1776, advocating for free market principles.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolutionary War.

Abolition

The movement to end slavery and the slave trade.

Freedom Petitions

Legal documents filed by enslaved people seeking their freedom in court.

Lemuel Haynes

An African American preacher and revolutionary war soldier who advocated for abolition and equal rights.

Free Blacks

Individuals of African descent who were not enslaved and had legal rights in the United States.

Coverture

A legal doctrine that married women had no separate legal identity from their husbands.

Republican Motherhood

The idea that women had a role in shaping the morals and values of the republic through their children.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, ratified in 1781, which created a weak federal government.

Ordinance of 1784

A law that established a system for surveying and selling western lands.

Ordinance of 1785

A law that set up a standardized system for surveying land in the Northwest Territory.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Legislation that provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the Northwest Territory.

Empire of Liberty

The idea that the United States had a duty to expand democracy and freedom across North America.

Shays' Rebellion

A 1786-1787 uprising of farmers protesting economic injustices and the lack of government response.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where the U.S. Constitution was drafted.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a bicameral legislative branch with representation based on population.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.

Division of Powers

The distribution of authority among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

Federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

Checks and Balances

A system that ensures that no one branch of government becomes too powerful by providing each branch with the means to limit the others.

Separation of Powers

The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another.

3/5 Clause

A provision in the U.S. Constitution that counted enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes.

Federalist

Supporters of the proposed Constitution who favored a strong national government.

Anti-Federalist

Opponents of the proposed Constitution who favored stronger state governments and a Bill of Rights.

Treaty of Greenville

A 1795 agreement between the United States and Native American tribes that established boundaries and peace.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, guaranteeing individual rights and freedoms.

Annuity System

A system of payments made to Native American tribes in exchange for land and peace.

Assimilation

The process by which individuals or groups adopt the culture of another group, often losing their original identity.

Gradual Emancipation

A policy that aimed to end slavery gradually rather than immediately.

Notes on the State of Virginia

A book by Thomas Jefferson that discusses the geography, natural resources, and society of Virginia.

Bank of the United States

A national bank chartered by Congress in 1791 to stabilize the economy and provide a uniform currency.

Impressment

The act of forcibly recruiting individuals into military service, particularly the British practice of seizing American sailors.

Jay's Treaty

A 1794 agreement between the United States and Britain that resolved issues remaining since the Revolutionary War.

Federalists and Republicans

The first two political parties in the United States, with Federalists favoring a strong central government and Republicans advocating for states' rights.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising by farmers protesting the federal excise tax on whiskey, demonstrating the federal government's ability to maintain order.

Democratic-Republican Societies

Organizations formed in the 1790s to promote the principles of democracy and republicanism.

Judith Sargent Murray

An early advocate for women's rights and education, known for her writings on gender equality.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic incident in 1797 where French officials demanded bribes from American diplomats, leading to an undeclared naval war.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that restricted immigration and limited free speech, aimed at silencing opposition to the Federalist government.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Political statements that argued states could nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional, in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Revolution of 1800

The election of 1800, where Thomas Jefferson's victory marked the first peaceful transfer of power between political parties in the U.S.

Haitian Revolution

A successful slave revolt in Haiti (1791-1804) that led to the establishment of Haiti as the first independent black republic.

Gabriel's Rebellion

A planned slave revolt in Virginia in 1800 that was thwarted before it could occur, highlighting the tensions over slavery.

Marbury v. Madison

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1803 that established the principle of judicial review.

Louisiana Purchase

The 1803 acquisition of territory from France that doubled the size of the United States.

Lewis and Clark Expedition

An expedition commissioned by Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and find a route to the Pacific Ocean.

Barbary Wars

A series of conflicts between the United States and North African nations over piracy and trade in the early 19th century.

Embargo Act

A 1807 law that prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports, aimed at protecting U.S. interests.

Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa

Native American leaders who sought to unite tribes against American expansion in the early 19th century.

War of 1812

A conflict fought between the United States and Britain from 1812 to 1815, largely over maritime rights.

Fort McHenry

The fort in Baltimore harbor that successfully defended against British attack in 1814, inspiring the U.S. national anthem.

Battle of New Orleans

A significant battle fought in January 1815 after the War of 1812 had officially ended, resulting in a decisive American victory.

Hartford Convention

A series of meetings in 1814-1815 where New England Federalists discussed their grievances and opposition to the War of 1812.