Period 3 (1754-1800)

French and Indian War (1754-1763)

A conflict between the British and French over control of North American territories, particularly the Ohio River Valley.

Albany Plan

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin, it aimed for a more centralized government among the colonies for better defense, but was never implemented due to resistance over taxation.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

Ended the French and Indian War; resulted in France ceding most North American territories to Britain, increasing British control and colonial discontent.

Proclamation Line of 1763

Established by the British government to prevent colonial expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Taxation without Representation

Colonial grievance claiming that they should not be taxed by British Parliament without having elected representatives.

Virtual Representation

British argument that the colonies were represented through members of Parliament who represented classes, not geographical areas.

Stamp Act Congress

A gathering of colonial representatives formed to protest against the Stamp Act and advocate for repeal.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

A protest against the Tea Act where colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose taxation without representation.

First Continental Congress (1774)

A meeting of colonial delegates aimed at addressing oppressive British measures and organizing collective resistance.

Common Sense by Thomas Paine (1776)

Pamphlet advocating for independence from Britain, making revolutionary ideas accessible to a broader audience.

Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)

Document declaring the American colonies' independence from Britain, based on Enlightenment principles.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, which created a weak national government with limited power.

Shay’s Rebellion

An armed rebellion in 1786 by debt-ridden farmers protesting the lack of economic relief under the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

A gathering to revise the Articles of Confederation that resulted in the creation of the U.S. Constitution.

Great Compromise

The agreement reached at the Constitutional Convention to create a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in one house and equal representation in the other.

Federalist Papers

A series of 85 essays written to advocate for the ratification of the U.S. Constitution.

George Washington's Farewell Address

A statement warning against political parties and foreign entanglements, urging unity and caution.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic incident where French agents demanded bribes from American diplomats, exacerbating anti-French sentiment.

Alien Acts

Laws that allowed for the deportation of non-citizens in the U.S., primarily targeting Irish and Scottish immigrants.

Sedition Act

Law that made it illegal to criticize the government publicly, affecting freedom of speech.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Statements asserting the right to nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional.