American Revolution

What were the causes of the French and Indian War?

Disputed land claims between France and England, desire for westward expansion, competition for control of the fur trade in the Ohio River Valley

What did France lose from the French and Indian War?

Lost North American Colonial Power, except in the Caribbean

What happened to British debt from the French and Indian War?

It doubled, which led to taxation on the colonies

What did the French and Indian war cause among colonists?

Colonial resentment for not allowing settlers west of the Appalachian mountains, taxation without representation, etc which helped fuel the American Revolution

What did the Sugar Act tax?

Molasses, Foreign Wines, Coffee, Textiles, and Indigo

How did the Sugar Act affect ports?

Ships had to fill out paper detailing cargo and destination

How did the Sugar Act affect smugglers?

Royal navy patrolled for them, they were then tried in special courts without a jury

What did the Stamp Act require?

All newspapers, most commercial and legal documents had to have a stamp that was purchased from the government

What was the significance of the Stamp Act?

It was the first direct tax from the English government

What was the purpose of the Stamp Act?

To raise 60k yearly in the colonies to help support the cost of maintaining troops stationed in the colonies, which costed 350k annually.

What rights did colonists still have with the Stamp Act?

Money collected would remain in America and Americans would be appointed stamp agents

How did colonists react to the Stamp Act?

They formed the Stamp Act Congress since they were being taxed without representation, formed the Sons of Liberty, and boycotted English goods

What did the Quartering Act require?

Colonists had to house soldiers in unoccupied building and provide candle, bedding, beverages, etc

What did the Quartering Act cause?

The NY assembly resisted, so the governor suspended them for 6 months

What did the Quartering Act mean for soldiers?

Soldiers were no longer there in defense of colonists

What did the Declaratory Act do?

Repealed the Stamp Act

What did the Declaratory Act say?

Parliament had the right to “make laws and raise taxes in cases whatsoever”

What did the Townshend Acts tax?

Glass, paper, silk, tea, etc.

What did the money collected from Townshend Acts pay for?

Salaries of royal officials (before the act colonial assemblies decided their salaries)

What did the Townshend Acts tax create?

A board of Customs Commissioners

How did the colonists react to the Townshend Acts?

They created a non-importation agreement which caused the import of goods to fall 40%

Why was the Tea Act passed?

To help the financially struggling British East India Company (government bailout)

What did the Tea Act do?

Lowered tea prices so colonists would buy more of it

How did colonists react to the Tea Act?

They boycotted, protested, and the Boston Tea Party occured

How did Britain react to the Boston Tea Party?

They created the Intolerable Acts

What did the Intolerable Acts do to Massachusetts?

Shut down the Port of Boston until colonists paid for the tea, replaced the elected council with an appointed one, Massachusetts could only have town meetings once a year

What did the Justice Act do?

Allowed the Royal Governor to move trials to other colonies or England if he thought the jury would be bias

What did the Intolerable Acts do to Canada?

Enlarged French Quebec to cover the area as far west as the Mississippi River and as far south as the Ohio River

Who were the Sons of Liberty?

Secret colonial organization of men to protest English rule

What did the sons of Liberty do?

Tarred and feather British officials, organized and participated in the Boston Tea Party, etc

What were some of the grievances that the Continental Congress had against England?

Taxation without representation, restricted trade, quartered British soldiers in homes, denied trial by jury, interfered with colonial governance

What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?

Declared colonies independence from Great Britain, give reasons for declaring independence, gain alliances, rally troops, and assert rights to self governance

How did ideas about American independence change from 1763 - 1783?

Colonists initially wanted to reform their relationship and they were proud to be British subjects after the F+I war, then it shifted to wanting complete independence

What was the significance of the Battle of Lexington and Concord?

First battle of the Revolution, it proved untrained colonists could stand up to trained soldiers and win

What was the significance of the Battle of Trenton?

Boosted support and morale for the independence movement at a time of high loss

What was the significance of the Battle of Saratoga?

Convinced France to help fight the British, Spain and the Netherlands sent supplies to the Americans, forced Britain to divert their resources away from the colonies to fight the foreign support, raised support for the Revolution among other colonists

What was the significance of the Battle of Yorktown?

British surrendered, it was the final battle of the revolution, forced England into peace negotiations

How did John Adams assist in the Revolution?

Part of Continental Congress, signed Treaty of Paris, author of the MA constitution

How did Abigail Adams assist in the Revolution?

Supported John Adams, sent him political updates when he was away, was a women’s interrogator, advocated for women’s rights

How did James Armistead Lafayette assist in the Revolution?

Joined Continental Army as an enslaved spy for freedom

How did Benjamin Franklin assist in the Revolution?

Helped draft the Declaration of Independence, hated and helped repealed the Stamp Act, primary American diplomat in France, signed all 4 major founding documents

How did George Washington assist in the Revolution?

Appointed Commander of the Continental Army, rallied troops through harsh winters (Valley Forge)

How did Benedict Arnold assist in the Revolution?

General in the Continental Army, had a large part of in the Battle of Saratoga

How did Baron Von Steuben assist in the Revolution?

Inspector General at Valley Forge, established an organization system, kept up keeping of record preventing 5-8 thousand muskets from being lost, established a training program which improved continental performance, wrote a book regulating training which was used in the Army until 1814

How did Lafayette assist in the Revolution?

Assistant to Washington, diplomatic link between France and American, provided essential military service, secured financial aid, contained Cornwallis at Yorktown

How did Deborah Sampson assist in the Revolution?

Disguised herself as a man to serve in the war

How did Phillis Wheatly assist in the Revolution?

Slave, used poems to influence public opinion

How did Paul Revere assist in the Revolution?

Protested British decision to keep military in the colonies, used skills as an engraver to spread propaganda, helped carry out Boston Tea Party, helped with warning the British were coming to attack Lexington and Concord

How did John Dickison assist in the Revolution?

Delegate in the Continental Congress, signed the Constitution, wrote in the Olive Branch Petition, wrote a petition to the King against the Intolerable Acts

How did Sam Adams assist in the Revolution?

Spoke out against many British Acts, organized Sons of Liberty, represented MA as a delegate in the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence

How did Sybil Ludington assist in the Revolution?

Warned people of a British attack, known as the female Paul Revere

How did Henry Knox assist in the Revolution?

Appointed as Washington’s chief of artillery, commanded Continental Army’s weapons fleet, forced British out of Boston, youngest major general in the Continental Army

How did Patrick Henry assist in the Revolution?

Heavily influence the Bill of Rights, founding father

How did John Hancock assist in the Revolution?

Key figure in the ratification of the Constitution