Breakdown of Unity & Revolutionary War (1763-1783)

Flashcards created from notes on the Revolutionary War highlight key events, acts, and concepts surrounding the conflict and the formation of the United States.

French and Indian War

A conflict from 1756-1763 where British and Colonists fought against French and Indian forces, resulting in British victory and the French being expelled from North America.

Proclamation Line of 1763

A boundary established by the British government preventing colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act (1764)

An external tax imposed on colonists aimed at paying off British war debt, which caused annoyance but not outrage.

Stamp Act (1765)

An internal tax requiring colonists to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper, which enraged many colonists and led to organized resistance.

Stamp Act Congress

A meeting of representatives from 9 of the 13 colonies in 1765 to protest the Stamp Act, resulting in the Declaration of Rights and Grievances.

Declaratory Act (1766)

An act passed by Parliament asserting its right to tax the colonies after repealing the Stamp Act.

Boston Massacre (1770)

A deadly confrontation between colonists and British soldiers that fueled anti-British sentiment.

1st Continental Congress

A meeting of delegates from 12 colonies in 1774 in response to the Intolerable Acts, aiming to organize colonial resistance.

Olive Branch Petition

A final attempt by the Second Continental Congress in 1775 to avoid war with Britain, shortly after initial conflicts.

Battle of Saratoga (1777)

The turning point battle in the Revolutionary War where American forces defeated the British, leading to French support for the Americans.

Pyrrhic Victory

A victory that costs the winner so much that it is almost like a defeat.

Cornwallis at Yorktown

The surrender of British General Cornwallis to American and French forces in 1781, marking a decisive victory for the colonies.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The agreement that officially ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence.