The American Revolution, Early Republic, and 19th-Century Transformation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the American Revolution, Constitution, early republic, expansion, and social/economic changes.

Continental Congress (1774)

First meeting of the 13 colonies to coordinate resistance to British rule.

Lexington and Concord (1775)

First battles of the American Revolution.

Olive Branch Petition

A final attempt by the colonies to avoid war and remain loyal to Britain.

Common Sense (1776)

Pamphlet by Thomas Paine arguing for independence.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Official statement declaring the colonies free and independent from Britain.

Siege of Boston (1775-76)

British troops surrounded Boston for $11$ months; ended with their withdrawal.

Battle of Saratoga (1777)

American victory that convinced France to support the colonies.

Franco-American Alliance

Treaty between the U.S. and France (1778) providing military and financial support.

Valley Forge (1777-1778)

Harsh winter camp where the Continental Army rebuilt and trained.

Yorktown

Final major battle; American and French forces forced British surrender (1781).

Treaty of Paris

Ended the Revolutionary War (1783) and recognized U.S. independence.

Camp followers

Non-combatants (often women) who traveled with the army for support and companionship.

Molly Pitcher

Legendary figure who reportedly served her husband's cannon crew during battle.

"Republican Motherhood"

Ideology that women should raise virtuous citizens and support the republic.

Lord Dunmore's Proclamation

Offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain after independence.

Republicanism

Belief in self-government, civic virtue, and the common good.

Articles of Confederation

First U.S. constitution; created a weak central government.

Shays' Rebellion

Farmer uprising against high taxes and debt in 1786-87; protests against economic hardship and government debt.

Constitutional Convention (1787)

Meeting to create a stronger federal government.

Age of Revolutions

Period of political upheaval (1770s-1800s) in the U.S., France, and Latin America.

Louisiana Purchase

U.S. purchase of $828,000\text{ sq. miles}$ from France (1803).

Sally Hemings

Enslaved woman and suspected longtime partner of Thomas Jefferson.

Cotton gin

Machine invented by Eli Whitney to separate cotton fibers from seeds, making cotton production easier.

Haitian Revolution

Slave uprising (1791-1804) that led to Haiti's independence and the end of slavery there.

Toussaint L'Ouverture

Haitian revolutionary leader.

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Led Haiti to independence; first emperor.

Infrapolitics

Subtle, everyday resistance to authority (e.g., enslaved people working slowly, spreading rumors).

Marronage

Escaping from slavery to live independently (often in the wilderness).

Nat Turner's Rebellion

1831 slave uprising in Virginia.

Tecumseh

Shawnee leader who resisted U.S. expansion.

Battle of Tippecanoe

U.S. victory (1811) over Tecumseh's forces.

Impressment

Forcible recruitment of sailors by the British.

Battle of the Thames

U.S. victory (1813); ended the War of 1812.

Creek War

U.S. military campaign against the Creek Nation (1813-1814).

Treaty of Fort Jackson

Ended the Creek War; forced Creek land cession.

Battle of New Orleans

U.S. victory (1815); last major battle of the war.

Rocky Mountains

Mountain range that became a major barrier and symbol of the West.

Rocky Mountain Fur Company

Fur trading company that explored and traded in the Rocky Mountain region.

Rocky Mountain Rendezvous

Annual gatherings of fur traders, trappers, and Native Americans to trade goods.

Gold Rush (1848-1855)

California gold discovery that brought thousands of people west.

Donner Party

Group of pioneers who became stranded in the Sierra Nevada mountains (1846-47); many died.

Mormon migration

Movement of the Latter-day Saints to Utah (1830s-1860s) seeking religious freedom.

Virginia Plan

Proposed a strong national government with two houses of legislature.

New Jersey Plan

Proposed a weaker federal government with equal representation in one house.

Connecticut Compromise

Combined elements of both plans; created the two-house system.

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted $\frac{3}{5}$ of enslaved people for representation and taxation.

Fugitive Slave Clause

Required the return of escaped enslaved people.

Federalists

Supported a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

Opposed the Constitution; wanted more protection for individual rights.

Bill of Rights

First $10$ amendments to the Constitution; guaranteed basic freedoms.

Jeffersonian Republicanism

Political philosophy of Thomas Jefferson; focused on limited government, agrarian society, and individual liberty.

Election of 1800

First peaceful transfer of power between rival parties (Adams to Jefferson).

Yeoman Farmer

Independent farmer who owned and worked their own land.

Republican virtue

Idea that good citizens should be hardworking, and morally upright.

Industrialization

Shift from agrarian to factory-based economy using machines.

Lowell, MA

Textile mill town; home to many young female workers (mill girls).

Eli Whitney

Inventor of the cotton gin and other innovations.

Transportation Revolution

Improved movement of people and goods (railroads, roads, etc.).

Steamboats

Steam-powered boats that sped up travel and trade.

Canals

Artificial waterways that connected cities and rivers.

Erie Canal

Linked the Hudson River to the Great Lakes; boosted trade and settlement.

Artisan system

Small-scale, home-based production using hand tools.

Mill girls

Young women who worked in textile mills; often faced long hours and low pay.

General strike

Workers stopping work to demand better conditions or wages.

Urbanization

Growth of cities and urban populations.

"Cotton Kingdom"

The South's economy and society centered on cotton production.

Market Revolution

Shift from self-sufficient farming to a cash economy and national markets.