Zinn Ch. 4 Tyranny is Tyranny

Middle class

A social class that is often viewed as residing between the upper and lower classes, but historically in America concealed the existence of black slaves, white servants, and displaced Indians.

Tyranny is Tyranny

A phrase reflecting the notion that oppressive rule is unjust regardless of the ruler's background or intentions.

Bacon's Rebellion

An uprising in Virginia in the late 17th century that was one of the early examples of colonial resistance to authority.

Proclamation of 1763

A decree by the British Crown that forbade American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Boston Massacre

A confrontation in 1770 where British soldiers killed five colonists, becoming a significant event in the buildup to the American Revolution.

Regulator Movement

A movement in North Carolina during the late 1760s to 1771 by farmers seeking to address grievances against corrupt officials and the elite class.

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 arguing for American independence from Britain and advocating for democratic governance.

Sons of Liberty

A group of American patriots formed to oppose British policies and taxes during the years leading up to the American Revolution.

Declaration of Independence

The statement adopted on July 4, 1776, declaring the colonies' independence from Britain and outlining the philosophical justification for such a decision.

Class conflict

Struggles between different social classes, particularly highlighting the tensions between the wealthy elite and the lower classes during the revolutionary period.

Tom Paine

An English-born American political activist and philosopher whose writings inspired the American colonists to seek independence.

Natural rights

The rights inherent to all human beings, which in the Declaration of Independence are defined as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Impressment

The act of forcing individuals into military service, which was a significant grievance leading to colonial unrest.

Boston Tea Party

A political protest by the Sons of Liberty in December 1773 where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against British taxation.

Popular sovereignty

The principle that the authority of the government is created and sustained by the consent of its people, reflected in the Declaration of Independence.

Economic grievances

Complaints from the lower classes regarding unfair economic practices and burdens, especially in the context of British taxation.

Civic equality

The idea that all citizens should have equal rights and protections under the law, which was not fully realized in the early American political context.

Black slavery

The institution in which African slaves were legally recognized as property and deprived of personal freedom, significant during the founding of the United States.

Electoral politics

The methods and practices associated with the election of representatives; during the revolutionary period, there were demands for broader participation.

Martial law

Military control over normal civilian functions of government, often used as a response to civil unrest.

Popular assemblies

Meetings where ordinary people gathered to discuss and express their political opinions, significant in the colonial period leading up to the revolution.