Review of Early American History

Flashcards reviewing key vocabulary from lecture notes related to pre-Revolutionary War era and the founding of the United States.

Seven Years' War (French and Indian War)

A war between the British and the French over colonial expansion in the Ohio Valley.

William Pitt

English Prime Minister during the Seven Years' War, who supported the colonists.

Pontiac

Ottawa war chief who rallied tribes in the Ohio Valley to attack colonial outposts.

Paxton Boys

A group of Scots-Irish frontiersmen who murdered members of the Susquehannock tribe in response to Pontiac's Rebellion.

Albany Plan of Union

A plan developed by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 for an intercolonial government and a system for colonies defense.

Sugar Act of 1764

An act that established new duties and provisions aimed at deterring molasses smugglers.

Vice-admiralty courts

Courts where violators of the Sugar Act were tried without jury deliberation.

Stamp Act

An act passed in 1765 by Parliament aimed at raising revenue, covering legal documents and licenses.

The Rights of the British Colonies Asserted and Proved

A pamphlet by James Otis arguing against taxes, advocating for representation in Parliament or self-government for colonies.

"No taxation without representation"

The argument put forward by James Otis for either representation in Parliament or a greater degree of self-government for the colonies

Virginia Stamp Act Resolves

Asserted colonists’ right to self-government.

Sons of Liberty

Protest groups formed throughout the colonies to oppose the Stamp Act.

Declaratory Act

An act that asserted the British government's right to tax and legislate in all cases anywhere in the colonies.

Townshend Acts

Taxed goods imported directly from Britain.

Massachusetts Circular Letter

A letter sent by the Massachusetts Assembly to other assemblies, protesting the Townshend Acts.

Writs of assistance

Licenses that gave the British the power to search any place they suspected of hiding smuggled goods.

Quartering Act of 1765

Made the colonists responsible for the cost of feeding and housing the British troops.

Boston Massacre

An incident on March 5, 1770, where soldiers fired on a crowd, killing five.

Committees of Correspondence

Set up to trade ideas and inform one another of political mood.

Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania

Unites colonists against Townshend Acts

Coercive/Intolerable Acts

British response to the Boston Tea party, this act closed Boston Harbor, tightens control over Massachusetts government, and allowed for the Quartering Act.

Quebec Act

Grants greater liberties to Catholics, extends boundaries of Quebec Territory further impeding westward expansion

First Continental Congress

A meeting convened in late 1774 with delegates from all colonies except Georgia to address grievances and formulate a colonial position.

Committees of observation

Replaced British-sanctioned assemblies in many colonies.

"The shot heard 'round the world"

The Battle of Concord.

Loyalists

Included government officials, devout Anglicans, merchants dependent on trade with England, religious and ethnic minorities.

Patriots

Were mostly white Protestant property holders and gentry, as well as urban artisans, especially in New England

Second Continental Congress

Prepared for war by establishing a Continental Army, printing money, and creating government offices to supervise policy

Olive Branch Petition

A petition adopted by the Continental Congress on July 5, 1775, as a last-ditch attempt to avoid armed conflict.

Common Sense

Advocated for colonial independence and republicanism over monarchy.

Declaration of Independence

Enumerated the colonies' grievances against the Crown articulated the principle of individual liberty and government's responsibility to serve the people.

Battle of Yorktown

Symbolic end to the revolution in October 17, 1781.

Treaty of Paris

Granted the United States independence and generous territorial rights

Articles of Confederation

The first national constitution of the United States with little to no central government.

Shays's Rebellion

Farmers protested, which led to the drafting of the Constitution of the United States.

New Jersey Plan

Called for modifications to the Articles of Confederation and called for equal representation from each state

Virginia Plan

Called for new government based on principle of checks and balances and representatives from each state based on population

Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)

Blended New Jersey and Virginia plan for the bicameral legislature.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Method for counting slaves in calculating a state's proportional representation in government.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents that portrayed the federal government as an all-powerful beast

Federalist Papers

Forcefully and persuasively argued the Constitution.

Bill of Rights

Were added after the Constitution went into effect in 1789 in 1791.

Cabinet

Functions as the presidents chief group of advisors.

Strict constructionists

Argued bank not necessary and thus beyond national government's powers.

Broad constructionist

Argued bank implied power of government and not explicitly forbidden by Constitution.

Neutrality Proclamation

Stated the U.S. intention to remain "friendly and impartial".

Federalists

Favoring strong federal government.

Whiskey Rebellion

Farmers in western Pennsylvania resisted, instigating.

Jay's Treaty

Established precedent of executive privilege, considered low point of Washington's administration

Pinckney's Treaty

Treaty negotiated with Spain, addressing use of Mississippi River, duty-free access to markets, and removal of Spanish forts on American soil

Washington's Farewell Address

Warned future presidents against "permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world"

Republican Motherhood

The idea of Republican Motherhood emerged in the early 1800s

Alien and Sedition Acts

Allowed the government to forcibly expel foreigners and to jail newspaper editors for “scandalous and malicious writing”.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Argued that the states had the right to judge the constitutionality of federal laws.

XYZ Affair

After the United States signed the Jay Treaty with Britain, France began seizing American ships on the open seas.