Period 3: American Revolution

The Enlightenment

A philosophical movement which started in Europe in the 1700's and spread to the colonies. It emphasized reason and the scientific method. Writers of the enlightenment tended to focus on government, ethics, and science, rather than on imagination, emotions, or religion. Many members of the Enlightenment rejected traditional religious beliefs in favor of Deism, which holds that the world is run by natural laws without the direct intervention of God.

Deism

A popular Enlightenment era belief that there is a God, but that God isn't involved in people's lives or in revealing truths to prophets.

The treaty of Paris 1763

End of the French & Indian War

Pontiac's Rebellion

1763 - An Indian uprising after the French and Indian War, led by an Ottowa chief named Pontiac. They opposed British expansion into the western Ohio Valley and began destroying British forts in the area. The attacks ended when Pontiac was killed.

Proclamation of 1763

King George III told the Americans they have to stay behind the appalachian mountains in order to not start another war with the Indians

The Sugar Act

A law passed by Parliament in 1764 that placed a tax on sugar, molasses, and other products shipped to the colonies, also called harsh punishment of smugglers.

Mercantilism

Economic policy that focuses on making money for the mother country. (American would only trade with England in order to increase England's wealth)

The Molasses Act

A tax on molasses that had to be paid before the ships landed.

The Stamp Act

The tax that the British government placed on newspapers, books, playing cards, and documents sold in the colonies.

The Declaratory Act

Which act gave the British Parliament the right to tax and make decisions for the colonies "in all cases"?

The Townshend Act

(1767) Taxed goods, such as glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea. It also allowed customs officials to search without real reason in order to prevent smuggling. Colonists believed that this tax was an example of taxation without representation.

The Boston Massacre

(March 5, 1770) Colonists gathered outside the Boston customs house. Colonists and redcoats taunted each other and insulted each other. and Colonists started throwing rocks at the British. British shot and killed five colonists.

The Boston Tea Party

(1773) Colonists in Boston throws millions of dollars of tea off of British ships in protest of their Tea Tax and Boston Massacre.

The Intolerable Acts

In retaliation for the Tea Party, the British passed several acts aimed at bringing the colonies back into submission of the King. ex: banning town meetings, putting British in charge

The Quebec Act

Created by English to give land to the French to keep them happy. Americans saw this as attack against America because of the boston tea party but it was not

First Continental Congress

Meeting of colonists as a response to the Intolerable Acts-petitioned Parliament to repeal Intolerable Acts

The Battle of Lexington & Concord

(1775) "the shot heard round the world" First battle of the war

The Battle of Bunker Hill

(1775) First major battle of the Revolution. British retreated twice before overpowering Americans but it proved that the Americans could fight bravely and would not be easy to defeat because even though they lost, there were more deaths on the British side

Sam Adams

A member of the Sons of Liberty who started the Committee of Correspondence to stir public support for American independence.

John Hancock

Patriot leader and president of the Second Continental Congress; first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.

Paul Revere

American silversmith (that engraved the Boston Massacre as propaganda prior to Revolution), remembered for his midnight ride to warn the colonists in Lexington and Concord that British troops were coming

John Adams

A Massachusetts attorney and politician who was a strong believer in colonial independence. He argued against the Stamp Act and was involved in various patriot groups. As a delegate from Massachusetts, he urged the Second Continental Congress to declare independence. He helped draft and pass the Declaration of Independence.

George Washinton

This man was the commander of the Continental Army because he was southern, rich, and educated

Thomas Jefferson

3rd President of the United States , He was a delegate from Virginia at the Second Continental Congress and wrote the Declaration of Independence. He later served as the third President of the United States.

Thomas Paine

Wrote "Common Sense"

Common Sense

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that claimed the colonies had a right to be an independent nation

The Declaration of Independence

An act of the Second Continental Congress, adopted on July 4, 1776, which declared that the Thirteen Colonies in North America were "Free and Independent States" and that "all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved."

Battle of Saratoga

(1777) Turning point of the American Revolution. It was very important because it convinced the French to give the U.S. military support and It lifted American spirits.

The Loyalists/Tories

people that maintained their loyalty to Britain

The Treaty of Paris 1783

It was a peace treaty at the end of the war that said that the British looked at America as a free country.

Cornwallis

British General who surrendered at Yorktown.

George Grenville

Became the Prime Minister of England in 1763; proposed the Sugar & Stamp Acts to raise revenue in the colonies in order to make up for the expenses of the French & Indian War & to maintain Britain's expanded empire in America.

Nathan Hale

"I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." A spy for the Americans who was found out and killed

The Battle of Yorktown

(1781) This was the winning battle of the Revolution. We had them cornered by both land and by sea thanks to the French.

Sons of Liberty

secret organization led by Samuel Adams that tarred and feathered tax collectors and organized boycotts against British goods. Also planned and executed the Boston Tea Party

2nd Continental Congress

Meeting of Colonists in which they appointed Washington as Commander of Continental Army

Daughters of Liberty

made homespun fabric and contributed to the success of boycotts against the British

Shay's Rebellion

proved the Articles of Confederation too weak to govern

Virtual Representation

The idea that British Parliament had the right to make laws and levy taxes on all of her colonies

Salutary Neglect

for a long time prior to the French and Indian War, England did not enforce the navigation acts and gave the colonists a lot of leniency

No taxation without representation

Main idea of the John Dickinson's "Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer"

Benedict Arnold

American General who was labeled a traitor when he assisted the British in a failed attempt to take the American fort at West Point.