Unit 2 History Vocab

Common sense

Common sense

Book Written by Thomas Paine and it inspired people to push for independence from Britain. It challenged the rule of the American colonies

Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson John adams, Benjamin Franklin (The founding fathers) on and was ratified on July 4th 1776 in Philadelphia. It summarized the colonists motivation for seeking independence.

Natural Rights

The idea that all people were born with rights that can’t be taken away. Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Enlightenment

A new way of thinking in 1650s-1700s which used science and reasoning to look at problems in society.

French and Indian War

Fought in the Ohio valley in 1754-1763 between the French and Indian allies vs the British and Indian allies. Provided great britain enormous territorial gains in north america

Proclamation of 1763

Said that no Americans could settle in the west of the Appalachian Mountains and it limited colonists for taking over that land

Stamp Act

In 1795, Required the colonists to pay a tax on papers,cards, documents. It helped pay for British troops stationed in the colonies during the 7 years war

Boston Massacre

On March 5, 1770, in Boston. It was a turning point in Americans’ Quest for Independence. and helped galvanize boston and the colonies against the mother country

Treaty of Alliance

formalized France's financial and military support of the revolutionary government in America. Believing that they would benefit militarily by allying themselves with a powerful nation, the Colonies formed an alliance with France against Great Britain during the Revolutionary War.

Battle of Yorktown

(September 28–October 19, 1781), joint Franco-American land and sea campaign that entrapped a major British army on a peninsula at Yorktown, Virginia, and forced its surrender. The siege virtually ended military operations in the American Revolution.

Articles of Confederation

adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777. This document served as the United States' first constitution.

Virginia Declaration of Rights

was the first state declaration establishing the fundamental human liberties that government was created to protect, and it had a profound impact on America's founding documents.

Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom

is a statement about both freedom of conscience and the principle of separation of church and state. Written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia General Assembly on January 16, 1786, it is the forerunner of the first amendment protections for religious freedom.

John Locke

among the most famous philosophers and political theorists of the 17^th century. Locke's ideas would be used as the basis for the American Revolution. He is known as the "Father of liberal philosophy." Locke's theories challenged the idea that monarchs gained their power from God and therefore their decisions were the will of God.

James Madison

America's fourth President (1809-1817), made a major contribution to the ratification of the Constitution by writing The Federalist Papers, along with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. In later years, he was referred to as the “Father of the Constitution.”

George Mason

(born 1725, Fairfax county, Va. [U.S.]—died Oct. 7, 1792, Fairfax county, Va., U.S.) was an American patriot and statesman who insisted on the protection of individual liberties in the composition of both the Virginia and the U.S. Constitution