APUSH P3 ID Terms

eradicate

destroy completely; put an end to

virtue

behavior showing high moral standards

statesmanship

The skillful management of public affairs by a political leader who is wise, fair, and promotes the common good

acquit

free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty

virtual

carried out, accessed, or stored by means of a computer, especially over a network.

In the historical context of "virtual representation," it refers to the British claim that members of Parliament represented all British subjects, including the American colonists, even if they did not vote for them.

Unitary

A system of government where all governing power resides in a central authority

Tariff

A tax imposed on imported goods and services

Samuel Adams

A Founding Father and leader of the American Revolution known for organizing opposition to British policies, including the Boston Tea Party, and for helping to formulate resistance through committees of correspondence.

James Otis

An early advocate for the rights of the colonists, famous for his opposition to the Writs of Assistance and the phrase "Taxation without representation is tyranny," which became a rallying cry against British rule.

Pontiac

An Ottawa war chief who led Pontiac's Rebellion (1763–1766), a coordinated uprising of Native American tribes against British military occupation of the Great Lakes region following the French and Indian War.

Thomas Paine

An influential writer and political activist whose pamphlet "Common Sense" (1776) argued for American independence from Britain and helped sway public opinion in favor of the Revolutionary cause.

Patrick Henry

A prominent Virginian lawyer and politician known for his fiery oratory skills, including his famous declaration, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" He was a staunch advocate for individual and state rights.

Republicanism

An ideology centered on citizenship in a state organized as a republic, emphasizing liberty, civic virtue, and opposition to corruption and aristocracy

Nationalism

A strong sense of pride, loyalty, and devotion to one's nation

Subordinate

Lower in rank or position

Quarter

To provide lodging or accommodations, especially for soldiers

Connecticut Compromise

Also known as the Great Compromise of 1787; an agreement during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.

Alexander Hamilton

A Founding Father, first Secretary of the Treasury, and principal author of the Federalist Papers. He advocated for a strong central government, a national bank, and industrialization.

Liberalism

A political philosophy emphasizing individual freedoms, civil rights, and equality before the law

Leverage

The use of influence or power to achieve a desired outcome

Thomas Jefferson

The third President of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and a Founding Father who advocated for agrarianism, states' rights, and limited federal government.

Federalism

A system of government where power is divided between a central (federal) government and regional (state) governments

Democracy

A form of government in which power is vested in the people, who rule either directly or through freely elected representatives

(elected representatives typically act in the best interests of the known views of the people)

Habeas Corpus

A legal principle that protects individuals from unlawful detention, ensuring that a person cannot be held without being charged with a specific crime and brought before a court

Mercenary

A professional soldier hired to serve in a foreign army usually in the interest of economic benefit

Resolution

A formal statement of a decision or expression of opinion put before or adopted by an assembly such as Congress

Sovereignty

Supreme power or authority over a territory

Phillis Wheatley

The first published African American female poet. Her works challenged prevailing attitudes about race and slavery and demonstrated the intellectual abilities of African Americans.

Mercy Otis Warren

A political writer and propagandist during the American Revolution. She wrote plays, poems, and essays that criticized British authority and supported the Patriot cause.

Abigail Adams

The wife of John Adams and an early advocate for women's rights. She is famous for her letters urging her husband to "remember the ladies" when establishing the new nation's laws.

Battle of Saratoga

A decisive American victory in 1777 during the Revolutionary War that was a turning point because it convinced France to enter the war as an ally to the United States.

Battle of Yorktown

The last major battle of the Revolutionary War in 1781, where General Cornwallis's surrender to George Washington's forces effectively ended the conflict.

Republic

A form of government in which power resides with the people and their elected representatives, and there is an elected or nominated president rather than a monarch

(elected representatives typically act in the best interests of the nation)

Amendment

A formal change or addition proposed or made to a constitution, statute, or legislative bill

Reconciliation

The restoration of friendly relations

Ratify

To formally approve and sanction a proposed law, treaty, or agreement, making it officially valid

Paxton Boys

A group of Scots-Irish frontiersmen in Pennsylvania who, in 1763, massacred Conestoga Indians and marched on Philadelphia to protest the colonial government's lenient policies toward Native Americans.

Regulators

Groups of settlers in the Carolinas who protested colonial policies and taxation practices in the late 1760s and early 1770s, leading to conflicts like the Battle of Alamance.

Impeachment

The process by which a legislative body brings charges against a government official for misconduct

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Political statements drafted in 1798–1799 by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, which argued that states have the right to declare federal laws unconstitutional, specifically the Alien and Sedition Acts, asserting the principle of states' rights.