Period 3 (1754-1776) Pre-Revolutionary Era Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms, figures, acts, and events from the French and Indian War through the Declaration of Independence (1754–1776).

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

A conflict between Britain and France (part of the Seven Years' War in Europe) fought over control of the Ohio River Valley, as France sought to connect its Louisiana and Canadian territories.

Albany Plan (1754)

Benjamin Franklin's proposal to unite the British colonies to fight against France, which failed after several colonies refused to join and the British government viewed it as a threat.

Treaty of Paris 1763

The peace agreement that concluded the French and Indian War, establishing Britain's victory and setting the border between Canada and British territories.

Proclamation Line of 1763

A boundary established by Britain restricting colonial expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent conflicts with Indian tribes and avoid the cost of protecting colonists.

Salutary Neglect

The prior British policy of loose law enforcement in the colonies, which ended after the French and Indian War when Britain began strictly enforcing trade rules and raising taxes to service its 70 million pounds war debt.

Stamp Act (1765)

A tax levied by Parliament on printed materials in the colonies—including legal documents, contracts, newspapers, and playing cards—that was repealed in 1766 following colonial pressure.

Townshend Acts (1767)

British legislation imposing duties on imported goods sent to the colonies, such as glass, lead, paper, and tea, sparking colonial boycotts and protests.

Samuel Adams

A prominent Patriot leader who helped organize colonial resistance, including the Sons of Liberty, Committees of Correspondence, and the Boston Tea Party in December 1773.

Boston Massacre (March 1770)

A violent confrontation between colonists and British soldiers in Boston resulting in 5 deaths, which was widely publicized through Paul Revere's political propaganda engraving.

Intolerable Acts (1774)

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in response to colonial protests like the Boston Tea Party, which closed the port of Boston.

Battles of Lexington and Concord (April 1775)

The initial military engagements between colonial militia and British forces, marking the first shots of the Revolutionary War.

Olive Branch Petition (July 1775)

A petition sent to King George III by moderate members of the Second Continental Congress in an attempt to prevent armed conflict, which was rejected by the King.

Common Sense (January 1776)

An influential political pamphlet written by Thomas Paine arguing that it was logical for the colonies to separate from a power that attempted to subdue them.

Declaration of Independence (July 1776)

A document drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia, formally severing ties with Britain and emphasizing unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

John Locke

An Enlightenment philosopher whose principles regarding natural rights, popular sovereignty, justice, and liberty deeply shaped colonial political thought and the Declaration of Independence.