Encomienda System
a labor system instituted by the Spanish crown in the American colonies. In this system, a Spanish encomendero was granted a number of native laborers who would pay tributes to him in exchange for his protection.
Halfway Convent
allowed partial membership rights to persons not yet converted into the Puritan church; It lessened the difference between the "elect" members of the church from the regular members; Women soon made up a larger portion of Puritan congregations.
Enlightenment
an intellectual movement in the eighteenth century that emphasized reason and science.
Headright System
A way to attract more settlers to the Virginia colony in which every new arrival paying his or her own way was promised a land grant of 50 acres; those who financed the passage of others received similar headrights for each person.
Mercantilism
based on the idea that a nation's wealth and power were best served by increasing exports and reducing imports
only fixed amount of money in the world
Indentured Servitude
a form of labor where an individual is under contract to work without a salary to repay an indenture or loan. They ultimately attained their freedom once they completed their contract
Seven Years War
French and Indian War: War including France, Great Britain, and Spain to be able to control the colonies ~ valued sugar producing islands and fur trading network
First three wars: King Williams War, Queen Anne’s War, King George’s War
William Pitt focused on conquering Canada which resulted in British victory
Battle of Saratoga
Britain wanted to separate New England from the colonies but the American army was able to fight them and reject this. America’s presentation of its strong army persuaded France to side with America. This improved America’s hope for Independence because they gained a larger and more powerful army. This Battle truly helped America win its independence from Britain.
Cash Crop
a crop produced for its commercial value rather than for use by the grower
Nonsectarian
not involving or relating to a specific religious or political group.
Olive Branch Petition
A way America hoped to bring peace between Britain and America before going to war. America knew Britain would win unless they found another ally to help them fight. This petition was a turning point because King George disagreed and declared America was in a revolt against them, prohibiting trade between the two countries. Not only did America become more infuriated, but Britain acknowledged that a war would likely occur between them and America. This made Americans' lives worse, making more of an agreement between the colonies that independence was needed in order for Britain to stop threatening their liberties. This then led to the Declaration of Independence.
Salutary Neglect
Britain's unofficial policy to relax the enforcement of strict regulations, particularly trade laws, imposed on the American colonies
Sons of Liberty
an organization formed by American colonists in the early years of the American Revolution. The group used acts of civil disobedience and violence to protest British taxation and to push for independence.
House of Burgesses
the first democratically-elected legislative body in the British American colonies
Bacon’s Rebellion
Sir Berkeley of VA used his dictatorial powers to govern on behalf of the large planters, antagonizing small farmers of the western frontier because he failed to protect them from attacks
Nathaniel Bacon raised an army of volunteers and conducted a series of raids and massacres against American Indian villiages
Accused of rebelling against royal authority but defeated govenor’s forces and burned Jamestown
Crispus Attucks
(1723-1770) a soldier of Wampanoag and African descent. He was the first person killed in the Boston Massacre in 1770. He has been called the "first martyr of the revolution". He has also been seen as a black hero of the Revolution.
Protestant Reform
A religious movement of the 16th century that began as an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the creation of Protestant churches
Albany Plan
The British government needed representatives from several colonies to meet in NY. Seven of the delegates from seven colonies accepted this policy that established an intercolonial government and a system for recruiting troops and collecting taxes from various colonies for their common defense. The colonies were too concerned about their own taxation powers for this plan to even work so it never took effect
formatted revolutionary congress in the future
Townshend Acts
new duties to be collected on colonial imports of tea, glass, and paper. Also provided for the search of private homes for smuggled goods
Committees of Correspondence
Local committees established throughout the U.S. to promote resistance to the British and strengthen communication between the colonies.
- Device to spread the idea that the the colonists viewed the British officials as undermining colonial liberties. They would then exchange letters about suspicious or potentially threatening British activities
The Gaspee: British ships caught smugglers
Maryland Toleration Act
first colonial statute granting religious freedom to all after Protestants began outnumbering Catholics in Maryland
allowed for the death of anyone who denied the divinity of Jesus
Suffolk Resolves
passed by the first Continental Congress to boycott goods and protest recent taxes. It led to more animosity between the colonists and British.
resulted in a boycott of imported goods from Britain unless the Intolerable Acts were repealed
First Great Awakening
a movement of fervent expressions of religious feeling among the masses
Jonathan Edwards: leader in movement; Presented a God that was angry with human sinfulness. Those who believed would be saved but those who did not would suffer eternal damnation
George Whitefield: God was all powerful and would save only those who openly professed belief; added more emotion to the religion
Religious Impact: As sinners confessed their guilt, Protestant services became more emotional, causing some splits in denominations. People studied their Bible at home and the ministers lost authority to them. Stricter separation of church from state
Political Influence: first common experience shared by the colonies. If people could make their own decisions in their religion, can they make their own political decisions"?
Charles Finney
he best-known preacher of the Second Great Awakening, taught that sin was voluntary
he was a pioneer of cooperation among Protestant denominations. He believed that conversions were human creations instead of the divine works of God, and that people's destinies were in their own hands. His "Social Gospel" offered salvation to all.
Thomas Paine
(1737-1809) Author, pamphleteer, radical, intellectual, and Founding Father Thomas Paine was famous for his influential pamphlet Common Sense. Common Sense advocated independence from Great Britain. He emigrated from Britain to the partake in the American Revolution in 1774. He later went on to partake in the French Revolution and write the Rights of Man (1791).
Continentals
First Continental Congress: Meeting that set the place for the American Revolution. America was unhappy with Britain imposing taxes on them and made a plan to protest. Most Americans never thought of becoming an independent state but they knew they wanted Britain to stop threatening their liberties. These protests from the Americans caused an uprise in Britain as they ordered the protests to be shut down. America refused to stop the protests until Britain stopped taxing and imposing laws without their representation so the tension arose.
Second Continental Congress: Meeting that created a division in whether America should become independent from Britain. Either way, America needed to organize a military to fight Britain because they did not want more taxes imposed. This meeting set up how America would fight Britain in the future. It provided the colonies with more hope because an army was being created under George Washington. They also thought of a way to coerce Canada against Britain because America knew they needed a stronger army if they were going to win.
Treaty of Tordesillas
Portugal and Spanish Empires split the “New World” discovered lands
Middle Passage
African Slave Trade: Africans who survived the horrid passage were traded for sugarcane
Separatists
English Protestants who would not accept allegiance in any form to the Church of England. Significance: The Separatists founded the Plymouth Colony and the first form of government with the Mayflower Compact.
Joint-stock company
a company made up of a group of shareholders. Each shareholder invests some money in the company and, in turn, receives a share of the company's profits
John Dickinson
the most famous of the founders to come from Delaware (but also represented Pennsylvania). Often called the "Penman of the Revolution", he put his skills with the written word to work in support of the rights of the colonists.
American statesman, delegate to the Continental Congress and one of the writers of the Articles of Confederation
John Locke
(1632-1704) The English philosopher and physician John Locke is widely regarded as the Father of Liberalism and a major thinker of the Enlightenment. He was critical to the formulation of the social contract and development of political philosophy. His writings influenced many American Revolutionaries.
George Mason
author of the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights - “father of the bill of rights”
John Peter Zenger
Newspaper printers ran the risk of being jailed for libel if an article offended the authorities. The law was that it was a crime to criticize the governor. John Peter Zenger was charged for libelously criticizing New York’s royal governor. Zenger’s lawyer argued he had printed the truth and the jury permitted Zenger. This did not guarantee freedom of the press but it encouraged newspapers to criticize the government
Anne Hutchinson
Hutchinson believed there was only a "covenant of grace" which is where God saves those who are predestined for salvation.
People were able to develop personal connections with God. Hutchinson declared that God's truth was only revealed directly to believers.
Gender equality: Puritans believed men and women could be saved but other than that women were inferior to men in many ways by not participating in church affairs. Hutchinson believed she should have a more authority in the church but was silenced.
Phillis Wheatley
First African American female writer to be published in the United States. Her book Poems on Various Subjects was published in 1773
Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams played a key role in the defense of colonial rights. He had been a leader of the Sons of Liberty and suggested the formation of the Committees of Correspondence. Adams was crucial in spreading the principle of colonial rights throughout New England and is credited with provoking the Boston Tea Party.
Virtual Representation
Term used by the British to argue that colonists were represented in Parliament and the members of Parliament gained the right to speak for the interests of the British subjects. this was because the colonists argued they had no representation
Republican Motherhood
A new view of the status of women in society: Called for education so that women could teach their children the values of the new republic and their roles as citizens. It gave women a more active role in shaping the new nation’s political life
Deism
a way of thinking, rather than an established religion. Were influenced by the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment-influenced belief that the Christian god created the universe and then left it to run according to natural laws.