Unit 2: Part III - Road to The American Revolution

Vocabulary and key concepts from the lecture on the American Revolution, including military strategies, key battles, political documents, foreign alliances, and key historical figures.

Second Continental Congress

The colonial assembly that gathered in Philadelphia beginning May 10, 1775, following the violence at Lexington and Concord, which adopted measures to raise money for an army and navy while seeking reconciliation with Britain.

Olive Branch Petition

A measure adopted by the Second Continental Congress expressing a desire for reconciliation and better treatment from Great Britain before committing to independence.

War of Attrition

An American military strategy focused on wearing down British army forces over a long period rather than defeating them in a single decisive battle.

Hessians

European mercenaries hired by Great Britain to fight against colonial forces during the American Revolution.

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys

The military force that captured Fort Ticonderoga on May 10, 1775, securing essential military supplies and artillery with the assistance of Benedict Arnold and Henry Knox.

Battle of Bunker Hill

A June 1775 battle on Breed's Hill near Boston where American forces retreated due to low ammunition after inflicting 1,100 British casualties while suffering 450, creating a major symbolic victory.

Evacuation Day

March 17, 1776, the day British troops evacuated Boston and sailed to Nova Scotia following a nearly three-month siege using cannons brought from Fort Ticonderoga.

Common Sense

A pamphlet published by Thomas Paine in January 1776 that argued monarchy and hereditary government were irrational and urged the American colonies to seek complete independence.

Lee Resolution

A proposal presented by Richard Henry Lee on July 2, 1776, pushing the Continental Congress toward declaring independence from Great Britain.

Declaration of Independence

A document drafted by Thomas Jefferson and a committee of five that outlined natural rights, detailed grievances against King George III, and declared formal independence on behalf of the colonies.

Patriots (Whigs)

Colonists who supported the revolutionary movement for independence, representing approximately 40% to 45% of the population during the war.

Loyalists (Tories)

Colonists who supported the British Crown, making up roughly 15% to 30% of the population, often consisting of Anglican members, older generations, and wealthy property owners.

John Dickinson

Pennsylvania political leader known as 'The Penman of the Revolution' who drafted early revolutionary petitions and led the committee for the Articles of Confederation, but chose not to sign the Declaration of Independence.

The American Crisis

A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine during wartime hardships containing the line 'These are the times that try men's souls', designed to encourage soldiers to continue serving.

Battles of Trenton and Princeton

Surprise military victories in December 1776 and January 1777 achieved after George Washington led troops back across the Delaware River into New Jersey.

Battle of Saratoga

A September-October 1777 battle in New York where Continental forces forced British General John Burgoyne to surrender ~5,800 troops, convincing France to form a diplomatic alliance with the United States.

Treaty of Alliance (1778)

A formal diplomatic treaty established in February 1778 in which France officially agreed to provide military assistance, army leadership, and naval forces to the United States.

Treaty of Armed Neutrality

A 1780 coalition led by Russia, Denmark-Norway, and Sweden to maintain passive hostility toward Great Britain while upholding neutral trading rights.

Valley Forge

The Continental Army encampment in Pennsylvania during the winter of 1777-1778 where troops suffered ~1,800 deaths from disease and malnutrition while receiving critical military training from Baron Von Steuben.

Battle of Rhode Island

An August 1778 failed military attempt by Continental forces that created a stalemate in the Northern Theater and slowed post-Saratoga momentum.

General Nathanael Greene

Continental general nicknamed 'The Fighting Quaker' who took command of Southern colonial forces and used strategic maneuvers to wear down British forces under Cornwallis.

Francis Marion

Colonial militia leader known as the 'Swamp Fox' who used guerrilla tactics in South Carolina to disrupt General Cornwallis' army supply lines.

Battle of King's Mountain

An October 1780 battle in South Carolina in which Patriot militia defeated Loyalist forces, severely diminishing regional Loyalist support.

Battle of Cowpens

A January 1781 tactical victory led by Daniel Morgan in South Carolina that severely damaged British strength in the South and served as the true military turning point.

Battle of Yorktown

The final major engagement of the Revolutionary War (Sept-Oct 1781) where allied French naval and American forces trapped British General Cornwallis, leading to his surrender on October 19, 1781.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The peace agreement that officially ended the war, wherein Great Britain recognized United States independence, established national boundaries, and mandated fair treatment and property return for Loyalists.