Social Studies for Mahi

British Colonies/ American Revolution/ Branches of Government

French and Indian War

France gave up all its North American territories.

Jamestown 1607

first British colony

salutary neglect

relaxed laws in exchange for loyalty

Proclamation of 1763

restricted colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains

Stamp Act 1764

taxed legal papers, newspapers, pamphlets, and cards

Townshend Duties 1776

import taxes paid on items such as paint, tea, and lead

Boston Massacre 1770

A soldier fired into the crowd, killing five colonists

Boston Tea Party 1773

breaking into Griffin's Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts and dumping 342 chests of tea into the water

Intolerable Acts 1774

Britain closed Boston Harbor, replaced the elected governing board with an appointed one, and increased the powers of the military government

Quartering Act

gave the colonial governor the right to take unoccupied buildings to house British troops

Common Sense by Thomas Paine 1776

47 page pamphlet explaining why it was common sense that the colonists should not remain a colony and declare independence from England

Declaration of Independence 1776

Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it officially announced the colonists' break from Great Britain.

commerce

The exchange, trade, or purchasing things

representatives

People who represent, or speak for, others and their interests. The people elected to Congress

responsibilities

The tasks that someone is expected to do

separation

When things are divided, or taken apart from one another

aristocracy

the most wealthy class

veto

to say no, to reject a bill and prevent it from becoming a law

impeach

when the government forces a leader to step down or quit

constitution

a document that has all the laws of a country written down

amendment

a addition or change to the constitution

legislative branch

Congress = Senate and House of Representatives, write bills that become laws

executive branch

the president and vice president, make the budget, carry out laws

judicial branch

the Supreme Court of 9 justices, decides the meaning of the law

veto

to say no

treaties

an agreement with another country

checks and balances

the system that makes sure one branch of government does not have more power than another

Supreme Court

the federal court that serves the whole country and is the judicial branch

federal

over all 50 states, the entire nation

House of Representatives

part of the legislative branch, one half of Congress, elected for 2 year terms

Senate

part of the legislative branch, one half of Congress, elected for 6 year terms

national

referring to an entire country