American Revolution Key Terms

Huguenots

French Protestants who faced persecution in Catholic France and some of whom immigrated to North America, contributing to colonial society and culture.

King William's War

A colonial conflict (1689-1697) between England and France in North America, part of a larger European struggle, which saw Native American alliances and territorial raids.

Queen Anne's War

The North American theater (1702-1713) of the War of Spanish Succession, involving British, French, and Spanish forces, leading to British gains in Canada and the Caribbean.

King George's War

The American phase (1744-1748) of the War of Austrian Succession, marked by British colonial capture of Louisbourg, later returned to France in the peace treaty.

Acadians

French settlers in Nova Scotia expelled by the British during the French and Indian War, many of whom resettled in Louisiana as Cajuns.

Iroquois

A powerful confederacy of Native American tribes in the Northeast that played a strategic role in colonial conflicts, often allying with the British.

The Albany Congress

A 1754 meeting of colonial representatives aiming to unify efforts against French threats, resulting in the Albany Plan of Union.

Albany Plan of Union

A proposal by Benjamin Franklin to create a unified colonial government for defense, rejected by both the colonies and the British Crown.

French and Indian War (The Seven Years' War)

A major conflict (1754-1763) between Britain and France in North America, ending with British dominance over French territories.

Edward Braddock

A British general who led a disastrous expedition against Fort Duquesne in 1755, suffering a major defeat by French and Native forces.

William Pitt

British Prime Minister who shifted war strategy in the French and Indian War, leading to British victories and eventual French defeat.

Battle of Quebec (1759)

A decisive British victory over French forces that secured British control of Canada during the French and Indian War.

The Treaty of Paris (1763)

The agreement ending the French and Indian War, ceding French Canada to Britain and reshaping colonial power in North America.

Chief Pontiac

An Ottawa leader who organized a Native American resistance against British policies after the French and Indian War.

Pontiac's Uprising

A 1763 Native American rebellion against British expansion and policies, leading to the British issuing the Proclamation of 1763.

The Proclamation of 1763

A British decree forbidding colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent conflicts with Native Americans.

King George III

The British monarch during the American Revolution, whose policies and taxes fueled colonial resistance.

George Grenville

British Prime Minister who imposed taxes like the Sugar Act and Stamp Act to pay for war debts, angering American colonists.

The Sugar Act

A 1764 tax on sugar and molasses intended to reduce smuggling and raise revenue for Britain.

Quartering Act

A law requiring American colonists to house and supply British troops, increasing colonial resentment.

The Currency Act

A 1764 British law restricting colonial paper money to stabilize British economic control over the colonies.

The Stamp Act (Stamp Tax)

A 1765 tax on printed materials in the colonies, sparking widespread protest and the cry of 'no taxation without representation.'

Stamp Act Congress

A 1765 meeting of colonial representatives that petitioned against the Stamp Act, helping unify colonial resistance.

Nonimportation agreements

Colonial boycotts of British goods in response to taxes, pressuring Britain to repeal unpopular laws.

The Sons of Liberty

A radical colonial group that protested British taxation through demonstrations, riots, and the Boston Tea Party.

Daughters of Liberty

A colonial women's organization that supported boycotts and produced homemade goods to resist British policies.

The Declaratory Act

A 1766 British law asserting Parliament's authority to tax and govern the colonies despite repealing the Stamp Act.

Townshend Acts

A series of British taxes (1767) on glass, paper, and tea, leading to colonial protests and increased tensions.

Charles Townshend

The British official behind the Townshend Acts, which fueled colonial anger and resistance.

Lord North

British Prime Minister who supported taxation of the colonies and led Britain during the American Revolution.

The Boston Massacre

A 1770 confrontation where British soldiers killed five colonists, fueling anti-British sentiment.

Samuel Adams

A radical colonial leader and organizer of the Sons of Liberty who pushed for independence.

Crispus Attucks

A Black sailor and the first person killed in the Boston Massacre, becoming a martyr for the patriot cause.

Committees of Correspondence

Colonial networks established to share information and organize resistance against British policies.

The Tea Act

A 1773 British law allowing the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies, leading to the Boston Tea Party.

The Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest in which colonists, dressed as Mohawks, dumped British tea into Boston Harbor.

Intolerable Acts

British laws punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, closing Boston Harbor and restricting self-government.

The Quebec Act

A 1774 law extending Quebec's territory and granting religious rights to Catholics, angering Protestant colonists.

First Continental Congress

A 1774 gathering of colonial delegates to respond to British policies, leading to coordinated resistance.

Lexington and Concord

The first battles of the American Revolution (1775), where colonial militias resisted British troops.

Valley Forge

The harsh winter encampment (1777-1778) where Washington's army trained and reorganized with aid from European officers.

Lord Dunmore

The royal governor of Virginia who offered freedom to enslaved people who joined the British army.

Baron von Steuben

A Prussian officer who trained and disciplined the Continental Army at Valley Forge.

Marquis Lafayette

A French noble who provided military support to the American Revolution and became a key ally.

Second Continental Congress

The colonial assembly that managed the war effort and declared independence from Britain.

Bunker Hill

A costly British victory in 1775 that proved the strength and determination of colonial forces.

Olive Branch Petition

A final colonial attempt to reconcile with Britain, rejected by King George III.

Hessians

German mercenaries hired by Britain, many of whom deserted or settled in America.

Common Sense

A 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine urging independence and the creation of a republic.

Trenton & Princeton

Key Revolutionary War victories where Washington's surprise attacks boosted American morale.

Women in War

Women played vital roles as nurses, spies, and home front supporters during the American Revolution.

African Americans in War

Enslaved and free African Americans fought on both sides, with some gaining freedom through service.

Declaration of Independence

The 1776 document officially declaring the American colonies' separation from Britain.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain, often facing persecution and exile after the war.

Patriots

Colonists who supported independence and actively fought against British rule.

Battle of Long Island

A major British victory in 1776 that forced Washington's army to retreat.

Battle of Trenton

A surprise American victory in 1776 that revived the patriot cause.

Battle of Saratoga

The turning point of the war in 1777, convincing France to ally with the colonies.

Treaty of Ft. Stanwix

A 1784 treaty forcing the Iroquois to cede lands to the U.S. after the war.

Privateers

Colonial ships authorized to attack British vessels, disrupting British supply lines.

Battle of Yorktown

The final major battle of the Revolution in 1781, leading to British surrender.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The treaty that ended the Revolution, recognizing U.S. independence.

Ethan Allen

Leader of the Green Mountain Boys who captured Fort Ticonderoga.

Benedict Arnold

A Continental Army officer who later defected to the British.

Richard Montgomery

A general who led the failed American invasion of Canada.

Thomas Paine

A radical writer who inspired revolution with Common Sense.

Abigail Adams

Advocate for women's rights and wife of John Adams.

Richard Henry Lee

Proposed the resolution for independence in 1776.

Lord Charles Cornwallis

The British general who surrendered at Yorktown.

William Howe

A British general who captured New York and Philadelphia.

Benjamin Franklin

A diplomat who secured French support for the Revolution.

Paxton Boys

A group of frontier settlers who attacked Native Americans in Pennsylvania.