Unit 2 Lectures 5-8: The American Revolution to The Missouri Compromise

Flashcards covering the major political and military events of the American Revolution, the formation of the U.S. government, and the early years of the republic through the War of 1812.

Paul Revere

One of the midnight riders who warned that the "British are coming" (Regulars) before being captured by the Brits.

Lexington

The first engagement of the Revolution involving the Midnight Riders and John Pitcarin against 70 minutemen who were ordered to disperse before a shot was fired.

Concord

A site where British troops were sent to seize munitions storage and arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock; Pitcarin eventually retreated to Boston while colonials attacked them.

2nd Continental Congress

A body more militant than the 1st, which inherited the American Revolution, authorized the invasion of Canada, dealt with Native problems, and authorized the Navy.

John Hancock

The 1st president of the 2nd Continental Congress, a hero and traitor who financed troops and provided a large signature on the Declaration of Independence.

Fort Ticonderoga

A location where Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen captured British forts and broke commerce between Canada and Boston.

Ethan Allen

A leader of the Green Mountain Boys involved in capturing British forts.

Bunker (Breeds) Hill

A battle where colonial forces surrounded British troops; although the Brits captured the hill on their 3rd attack after colonials ran out of ammunition, it showed that defeating the colonials would be harder than expected.

Olive Branch Petition

A document drafted by delegates like Jefferson and Dickinson that declared loyalty to the King and asked him to repeal the Intolerable Acts; it was rejected by the King.

Declaration of the Cause - Necessity of Taking up Arms

A document by Jefferson stating that Americans sought only their rights as British subjects.

Common Sense

A pamphlet by Thomas Paine that fueled the desire for independence, arguing that an island should not rule a continent.

Committee of 5

The group that drafted the Declaration of Independence, consisting of Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Livingson, and Sherman.

Thomas Jefferson

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence who originally wrote an attack on slavery that was later deleted.

John Adams

A delegate who stated the population was divided: $1/3$ for revolution, $1/3$ against, and $1/3$ undecided.

Loyalists

Also known as "Tories," these were individuals loyal to the British who were often tarred or feathered.

Battle of Long Island

A conflict where the Brits invaded Long Island, leading to a British victory and subsequent occupation of New York, forcing Washington to retreat.

Trenton

A battle where Washington's forces bayonetted Hessian troops who were hungover on Christmas.

Pincer Movement

A military tactic used to demolish Washington's troops by attacking from 2 sides to encircle and defeat the enemy.

Philadelphia

The capital of the U.S. that was occupied by the Brits after they gained control through the battles of Brandywine and Germantown.

John Burgoyne

A British general who took Fort Ticonderoga but had his supply line dismembered by militia before Saratoga.

Saratoga

A battle where Horatio Gates outnumbered the Brits, leading to a victory that sparked French Intervention.

French Intervention

Historical support from King Louis XIII where French troops were sent with gunpowder and warships to weaken Britain.

Franco-American Treaties

Treaties that granted the U.S. trading with France, recognized American independence, and disavowed territorial ambitions in America.

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuban

A Prussian from V. F. who kept American morale up.

Benedict Arnold

An American officer who betrayed the fort at West Point; his contact was the British officer John Andre.

Tarleton's Quarter

A term referring to the slaughter of American soldiers who had already surrendered at Waxhaws by Banastre Tarleton's troops.

Nathanael Greene

The man Washington chose for the Southern Department of the Continental Army who used flat boats and a march of exhaustion to defeat the Brits.

Francis Marion

Known as the "Swamp Fox," he was skilled at navigating the lowlands and swamps.

Cowpens

A victory where Daniel Morgan used unorthodox moves by putting militia out front to fire into the Brits, resulting in an American force outfighting a similar-sized British troop.

Yorktown

The "Siege of Yorktown" where American and French forces trapped Cornwallis, leading to a British surrender while "The World Turned Upside Down" played.

Comte de Grasse

The leader whose French troops defeated the Brits at the Battle of the Capes, blocking them from escaping Chesapeake Bay.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The treaty where Brits recognized U.S. independence, established the Mississippi River as the boundary, and returned Florida to the Spanish.

Articles of Confederation

A framework for a weak national government where states held more power, featuring a unicameral legislature and requiring $2/3$ majority or unanimous votes.

Shay's Rebellion

A protest by farmers against high taxes and foreclosures that highlighted the need for a strong central government.

Land Ordinances of 1784-85

Legislation for selling and surveying land into $6$ square mile townships with $36$ sections, requiring $60,000$ people for statehood.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A law stating there would be no slavery north of the Ohio River.

James Madison

Known as the "father of the Constitution" and author of the Virginia Plan.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a 2 house legislature with representation in Congress based on population, supported by large states.

New Jersey Plan

The "small state plan" proposing a unicameral legislature with equal representation to Congress.

Connecticut Plan

Also known as the Great Compromise, it established a 2 house legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House.

$3/5$ compromise

An agreement where Southern slaves would count as $3$ people for taxation and representation purposes.

Whiskey Rebellion

An insurrection by farmers fighting a whiskey tax which Washington stopped by sending troops, proving the federal government could quell rebellions.

Neutrality Proclamation

An order issued by Washington declaring the U.S. neutral in the fight between Britain and France.

Jay's Treaty

A "Pro-Brit" treaty where Brits surrendered NW forces, vacated military posts, and established commissions to resolve debt.

Pickney's Treaty

Also known as the "Treaty of San Lorenzo," it set the north boundary of Florida at the $31$st parallel and opened the Mississippi River to American traffic.

XYZ Affair

An incident where France demanded a $12$ million loan and $250,000$ tribute to see TallyRan; the U.S. refused.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Acts that increased residency for citizenship from $5$ to $14$ years, allowed the president to deport dangerous non-citizens, and criminalized publishing comments holding the government in contempt.

Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions

Secretly penned by Jefferson and Madison, these argued that states have fundamental rights and can nullify unconstitutional federal laws.

Marbury v. Madison

The Supreme Court case that established judicial review, allowing the court to declare laws passed by the executive and legislative branches unconstitutional.

Louisiana Purchase

A deal where Napoleon offered the Louisiana territory to Jefferson for $15$ million, or approximately $.03$ per acre.

Tripoli

The site where the U.S. flag was raised on foreign soil for the first time following a victory against Barbary pirates.

Impressment

The British practice of seizing sailors, exemplified by the Chesapeake v. Leopard incident.

Embargo Act of 1807

A law that stopped trading with Caribbeans and other nations until they respected American rights.

War of 1812

A conflict caused by trade restrictions, impressment, and British support of Native Americans; often called the second war of independence.

Francis Scott Key

A prisoner of the Brits who wrote the "Star Spangled Banner" during the bombing of Ft. McHenry.

Treaty of Ghent

The agreement that ended the War of 1812 in a stalemate without addressing the issue of impressment.

Hartford Convention

A meeting of Federalists who resented the embargo and the war, threatening to secede from the Union and proposing changes to weaken the power of the South and West.

American System

Henry Clay's plan involving high protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements (roads, bridges, canals) to unite the nation.

McCullough vs. Maryland

A Supreme Court ruling that states cannot tax the federal government and upheld the idea of implied powers.

Missouri Compromise of 1820

An agreement that Maine would be a free state, Missouri a slave state, and established the $36^\text{o} 30'$ line as the boundary for future slavery.