Unit Three Review - AP US History

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Unit Three of AP US History.

French and Indian War

A conflict between British colonists and French forces, with their Indian allies, leading to significant territorial gains for Britain.

Albany Plan of Union

A proposal by Benjamin Franklin for a centralized government for the colonies to coordinate defense and trade, which was ultimately rejected.

Royal Proclamation of 1763

Issued by the British government, it forbade colonists from settling lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to reduce conflicts with Native Americans.

Salutary Neglect

A British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws meant to keep the colonies obedient to England, which ended after the French and Indian War.

Stamp Act of 1765

A law imposing taxes on all paper items in the colonies, leading to significant unrest and protests against taxation without representation.

Boston Massacre

A deadly confrontation in 1770 between British soldiers and Boston colonists, resulting in the deaths of five colonists and escalating anti-British sentiment.

Tea Act of 1773

Legislation that granted the British East India Company the right to ship tea to colonies without the usual colonial taxes, leading to the Boston Tea Party.

Intolerable Acts

A series of punitive laws passed by the British Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party, aimed at limiting colonial autonomy.

Continental Congress

A gathering of colonial representatives that convened to organize resistance against British policies and ultimately led to the Declaration of Independence.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine that argued for independence from Britain, using Enlightenment principles to persuade colonists.

Declaration of Independence

A document drafted by Thomas Jefferson that proclaimed the colonies' independence from Britain, highlighting natural rights and social contracts.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, opposing independence.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, which created a weak federal government with limited powers.

Shays' Rebellion

An armed uprising in 1786-1787 by Massachusetts farmers protesting economic injustices, illustrating the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where delegates drafted the new Constitution, replacing the Articles of Confederation.

Federalists

Supporters of a strong central government who favored the new Constitution and were primarily urban and commercial in background.

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of a strong central government who argued against the Constitution, fearing it threatened individual liberties.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified to guarantee individual freedoms and protections from federal government overreach.

Republican Motherhood

The idea that women were responsible for raising virtuous citizens and imparting the values of republicanism, thus influencing political realities indirectly.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising of farmers in Pennsylvania protesting a federal tax on whiskey, showcasing the strength of the new government under the Constitution.

XYZ Affair

A diplomatic incident between France and the United States in 1797 that led to an undeclared naval war and heightened tensions.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed in 1798 that empowered the government to deport foreigners and prosecute critics, which faced opposition from the Democratic-Republicans.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Statements asserting that states could nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional, responding to the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Indian Trade and Intercourse Act

A law that regulated the relationships between settlers and Native Americans and aimed to ensure fair dealings.

Pinckney Treaty

The agreement between the US and Spain that established the southern border of the US and guaranteed American navigation rights on the Mississippi.

African Methodist Episcopal Church

The first African American church denomination in the US, emerging in Philadelphia and representing a growing community of free blacks.