APUSH - Unit 3 Vocab

Salutary Neglect

A period in the early 1700s when Britain loosely enforced laws in the colonies, letting them govern themselves. It ended after the French and Indian War (1763) when Britain needed money and started taxing the colonies more strictly, leading to colonial resistance.

Albany Plan of Union

The 1754 proposal by Benjamin Franklin for a unified colonial government, aiming to coordinate defense and Indian affairs during the French and Indian War, but rejected by the colonies and the Crown.

French & Indian War (Seven Years War)

A conflict from 1754 to 1763 between Britain and France over North American territory, resulting in Britain gaining control of French lands in North America. This war strained British finances, leading to increased colonial taxation, which contributed to the American Revolution.

Pontiac’s Rebellion

A 1763 Native American uprising led by Chief Pontiac against British control of lands east of the Appalachian Mountains, following Britain’s victory in the French & Indian War. The rebellion aimed to resist British policies and settlement that threatened Native American territory and way of life.

Proclamation of 1763

Issued after Pontiac’s Rebellion, it prohibited settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains in the newly acquired territory to prevent conflicts with Native Americans, angering colonists eager for land and contributing to rising tensions with Britain.

Stamp Act of 1765

A British tax on paper goods in the colonies, imposed to help pay for the debts and costs of maintaining British troops after the French & Indian War. AS the first direct tax on the colonies, it led to widespread protests and the slogan "No taxation without representation."

Townshend Acts

The 1767 British taxes on imported goods like tea and glass, sparked boycotts and heightened tensions leading to increased British military presence in the colonies and events like the Boston Massacre.

Sons of Liberty / Daughters of Liberty

Colonial groups that protested British policies, with the Sons organizing actions like the Boston Tea Party and the Daughters promoting boycotts of British goods, playing key roles in mobilizing colonial resistance.

Tea Act/Boston Tea Party

The 1773 Tea Act was passed to help the British East India Company sell its extra tea and raise money for Britain. It let the company sell tea cheaply in the colonies, but still included a tax. Colonists didn’t like it because it hurt local merchants and they believed any tax without representation was unfair. In protest, they dumped the tea into Boston Harbor in the Boston Tea Party, which led to harsh British punishments.

Common Sense

The 1776 pamphlet written by Thomas Paine advocating independence from Britain, criticizing monarchy and hereditary succession and promoting the idea of a republic.

Declaration of Independence

The 1776 document, primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, that officially declared the American colonies’ independence from Britain. It listed the colonists’ grievances against King George III and asserted unalienable rights like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, drawing heavily on Enlightenment ideas about natural rights and government by consent.

Continental Congress

The governing body during the American Revolution, organizing resistance to British policies and eventually declaring independence. It coordinated the war effort and served as the national government until the Articles of Confederation were adopted.

Recession of 1780

An economic downturn following the American Revolution, highlighting the need for a stronger federal government to manage economic policy and leading to calls for revising the Articles of Confederation.

Treaty of Paris

The 1783 treaty ending the Revolutionary War, recognizing American independence and establishing borders for the new nation. It granted the U.S. significant western territory and fishing rights off the coast of Canada.

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the US, was ratified in 1781, creating a weak central government with limited powers, such as no power to tax or regulate commerce. This led to issues like economic instability and the inability to respond effectively to internal conflicts like Shays' Rebellion.

Shay’s Rebellion

The 1786-87 uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting debt and taxes, highlighting weaknesses in the Articles of Confederation and prompting calls for a stronger federal government, leading to the Constitutional Convention.

Northwest Ordinance

The 1787 law that established procedures for western territories to become states, banning slavery in the Northwest Territory and promoting orderly settlement and education. It set a precedent for the expansion of the United States.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, resulting in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, and establishing a stronger federal government with checks and balances among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Great Compromise of 1787

The agreement to create a bicameral legislature, combining the Virginia Plan (representation by population) and the New Jersey Plan (equal representation). This resulted in the House of Representatives (population-based) and the Senate (equal representation).

Three-Fifths Compromise

The agreement to count three-fifths of enslaved people for representation and taxation, addressing disputes between Northern and Southern states during the Constitutional Convention.

Federalist Papers

Essays written by Hamilton, Madison, and Jay during the ratification debates supporting the Constitution, arguing for a strong federal government and the benefits of the new Constitution.

Federalist

Originally a faction in the debate over ratifying the U.S. Constitution in 1787–1788, Federalists like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison supported a strong central government to maintain order and stability. They argued that the new Constitution was necessary to fix the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. After ratification, the Federalists became one of the first political parties, promoting policies like a national bank, strong executive leadership, and closer ties with Britain.

Anti-Federalists

The faction that opposed ratifying the US Constitution, fearing centralized power and demanding a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the Constitution, ratified in 1791, guaranteeing fundamental rights like freedom of speech and religion. It was added to satisfy Anti-Federalists' concerns about protecting individual liberties.

Electoral College

The system for electing the U.S. president, a compromise between election by Congress and popular vote, giving each state a certain number of electors based on its representation in Congress. This system was designed to balance the influence of populous and less populous states.

First Bank of the U.S.

Established in 1791 to stabilize the American economy, proposed by Alexander Hamilton to manage debt and create a standard currency, facing opposition from those favoring limited federal power like Thomas Jefferson.

Neutrality Proclamation of 1793

Issued by President Washington, declaring the U.S. neutral in the conflict between Britain and France. It established a precedent for American foreign policy, emphasizing the importance of avoiding entangling alliances.

Jay’s Treaty

The 1794 treaty with Britain to resolve post-Revolution conflicts, addressing issues like British forts on American soil and trade disputes.

Whiskey Rebellion

The 1794 protest against a federal tax on whiskey, suppressed by President Washington, demonstrating the power of the new federal government to enforce its laws.

Pinckney’s Treaty

The 1795 treaty with Spain granted Americans navigation rights on the Mississippi River, settling border disputes, and allowing duty-free transport of goods.

Washington Farewell Address

George Washington's 1796 speech advising against political parties and foreign alliances, setting a precedent for future presidents and emphasizing national unity and the dangers of sectionalism.

XYZ Affair

The 1797 diplomatic incident where French agents demanded bribes from American envoys, leading to the Quasi-War with France and increased anti-French sentiment in the U.S.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Passed in 1798 during the Quasi-War with France, these Federalist laws made it harder for immigrants to become citizens and punished speech critical of the government. They were meant to silence Democratic-Republicans and led to the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, which claimed states could nullify federal laws.

Democratic-Republic

One of the first political parties founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, advocating for states' rights and a limited federal government.

Republican Motherhood

The idea that women should teach republican values to their children, emphasizing women's role in nurturing virtuous citizens after the American Revolution. This concept helped justify women's education and their role in shaping the new nation's moral character.