The French and Indian War
a war in North America between France and Britain (both aided by indian tribes)
The Proclamation of 1763
law forbidding English colonists to settle west of the Appalachian Mountains
The Sugar Act
law passed by the British Parliament setting taxes on molasses and sugar imported by the colonies
Ben Franklin
member of the Continental Congress, forefather of the U.S., great negotiator with France
The Stamp Act
law that taxed printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc.
Sons of Liberty
secret society formed to oppose British policies
Paul Revere
A patriot who helped warn colonists about British movements
Sam Adams
A member of the Sons of Liberty who started the Committee of Correspondence to stir public support for American independence.
What unalienable rights are listed in the Declaration of Independence?
life, liberty, pursuit of happiness
Boston Massacre
incident in 1770 in which British troops fired on and killed American colonists
Boston Tea Party
A 1773 protest against British taxes in which Boston colonists disguised as Mohawks dumped valuable tea into Boston Harbor.
Intolerable Acts
in response to Boston Tea Party, 4 acts passed in 1774
What did the First Continental Congress do?
Attempted peace but prepared for war
Shot heard round the world
The first shot fired of the Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord when a group of armed minutemen confronted the British.
Olive Branch Petition
An offer of peace sent by the Second Continental Congress to King George lll
Battle of Bunker Hill
In 1775, first major battle of the revolution
Continental Army
Army formed in 1775 by the Second Continental Congress and led by General George Washington
John Adams
thought Americans should always celebrate Independence Day
Thomas Paine
Author of Common Sense
John Dickinson
headed the committee that wrote the Articles of Confederation
Thomas Jefferson
Wrote the Declaration of Independence
John Hancock
Patriot leader and president of the Second Continental Congress; first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Richard Henry Lee
leader of the American Revolution who proposed the resolution calling for independence of the American colonies (1732-1794)
George Washington
Commander of the Continental Army
What was one major cause of the French and Indian War?
France and Britain both claimed lands in the Ohio River Valley
What did the British government do to help pay for the French and Indian War?
taxed the colonies
What does representative government mean?
People elect government officials to make laws on their behalf.
How did many colonists protest the taxes placed on British goods?
They refused to buy British goods
How did Committees of Correspondence help the colonists fight British rule?
They spread information quickly throughout the colonies
When did the British realize that fighting the colonies would not be easy?
after the Battle of Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill)
Why were the battles of Lexington and Concord important?
They marked the beginning of the American Revolution.
When did Congress vote to accept the Declaration of Independence?
July 4, 1776
What was the first plan of government for the United States called?
Articles of Confederation
What is one effect that the Articles of Confederation had on the new nation?
The states united as a nation to fight the Revolutionary War.
What was the purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
To declare to King George that the 13 colonies were separating from England and were now free and independent states
What was the Proclamation of 1763?
Colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.
How did the colonists react to the Proclamation of 1763?
Colonists were angry; many ignored the King and moved there anyway.
In what ways did colonists protest British imperial policies?
They organized protests, boycotted British goods, chased tax collectors out of town, formed Committee of Correspondence, and formed militias.
What did the First Continental Congress do?
They sent a petition to King George, voted to stop trade with England and asked the colonies to form militias.
What effects did the Battle of Bunker Hill have?
The British suffered heavy losses - the colonists proved they would not be easy to defeat.