APUSH Period 3 Study Guide

A set of vocabulary flashcards focusing on key events, concepts, and figures from APUSH Period 3, covering the American Revolution through the establishment of the government.

Albany Plan of Union

A meeting organized by Benjamin Franklin aimed to unite the colonies under one governing body, which ultimately failed.

French and Indian War

An important conflict that sparked the American revolution, known in Europe as the Seven Years War, involving British colonies fighting against the French and their Native American allies.

Proclamation of 1763

A decree passed by Parliament that forbade colonial expansion west of the Appalachian Mountains, viewed by colonists as a restrictive act.

Boston Massacre

An incident in 1770 where British soldiers killed five colonists during a riot, portrayed by colonists as a brutal attack.

Boston Tea Party

A 1773 protest by colonists against British taxation where they dumped tea into Boston Harbor.

Declaration of Independence

A document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776 declaring the colonies' independence from Great Britain.

John Locke’s Social Contract

A theory asserting that government legitimacy comes from the consent of the governed, protecting their natural rights to life, liberty, and property.

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

A pamphlet arguing for independence from Britain, stating it was essential for the colonies to separate due to failing mercantilist relations.

Articles of Confederation

The first governing document of the United States, creating a weak government without the power to tax or raise a military.

Shay’s Rebellion

A revolt by American farmers protesting economic injustices, demonstrating the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

Virginia Plan

A proposal for a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population.

New Jersey Plan

A proposal for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population.

Three-Fifths Compromise

An agreement counting slaves as three-fifths of a person for legislative representation, balancing the interests of Southern and Northern states.

Federalists

A political faction led by Alexander Hamilton, advocating for a strong central government and a business-oriented economy.

Democratic-Republicans

A political faction led by Thomas Jefferson, emphasizing state power and an agrarian economy.

Whiskey Rebellion

A 1794 uprising against a federal tax on whiskey, demonstrating the power of the new government under Washington.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws passed during John Adams's presidency that allowed the government to arrest and deport non-citizens and criminalize criticism of the government.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Political statements asserting that states could nullify federal laws deemed unconstitutional, introduced during opposition to the Alien and Sedition Acts.

Republican Motherhood

The ideology suggesting that women should instill virtue and morality in their children, emphasizing the role of mothers in the new republic.