AP United States History Period 3

French and Indian War

A conflict between the British and the French over territory in North America, with Native Americans allied with the French. The war was expensive, nearly doubling the British national debt. The British government decided to tax the colonies to pay for the war, which led to major tensions and protests.

The Seven Years’ War

a larger global conflict that was a major cause of the French and Indian War.

What was the cause of the French and Indian war?

The French and Indian war was caused by British colonists moving into the Ohio River Valley, which was land claimed by the French. This led to territorial disputes and increased tensions between Native American tribes and European settlers.

The Albany Congress

convened in 1754 to discuss colonial responses to frontier defense, trade, and westward expansion

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Albany plan of Union

Proposed by Ben Franklin. Called for a council of colonial representatives to decide on defense and trade, but was rejected.

Fort Duquesne

The French took control of **Fort Duquesne**, prompting Washington and his allies to attack in **1754**. The French recaptured the fort, sparking the **French and Indian War**.

Peace of Paris

1763. Gave the British control of the land in the Ohio River Valley, though intensified conflicts with Native Americans.

Proclamation of 1763

prevented colonists from moving West of the Appalachian Mountains. Largely ignored.

How was the immense debt of the French and Indian War paid

The war debt from the French and Indian War was paid through a series of taxes imposed on the American colonies by the British government, including the Stamp Act, the Townshend Acts, and the Tea Act. These taxes ultimately led to the American Revolution.

Grenville Plan

Series of measures calling for stricter law enforcement and extending wartime provisions into peacetime, including the Quartering Act of 1765.

Sugar Act

law passed by the British Parliament in 1764 that imposed taxes on sugar, wine, coffee, and other goods imported to the American colonies.

Stamp act of 1765

taxed paper items like newspaper and playing cards

What was virtual representation?

Virtual representation was the idea that members of Parliament represented not only their own constituents, but also the interests of all British subjects, including those who did not have the right to vote.

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

societies formed by American colonists in 1765 to protect their rights and protest British taxation policies. They organized boycotts, protests, and acts of civil disobedience.

Stamp Act congress of 1765

Event held in New York City where representatives from nine colonies protested against the Stamp Act, a tax on printed materials. They argued that only their own elected representatives could tax them. This was the first unified colonial response to British authority and helped to unite the colonies against further taxation without representation.

Repeal of the Stamp and Sugar acts

The Repeal of the Stamp and Sugar Acts was a victory for the American colonists in their fight against British taxation. The Stamp Act imposed taxes on printed materials, while the Sugar Act taxed goods like molasses. The colonists protested these taxes, arguing that they were being taxed without representation. The protests eventually led to the repeal of both acts in 1766. This was a significant moment in the lead up to the American Revolution, as it showed the colonists that they could successfully challenge British authority.

Townshend acts of 1767

taxed imported paper, tea, and glass, leading to widespread protests and resistance.

The Boston Massacre in 1770

event that occurred on March 5, 1770, in which British soldiers fired on a group of colonists, killing five and injuring six. This event became a turning point in the American Revolution, as it fueled anti-British sentiment and helped galvanize the colonists toward independence.

Boston Tea Party in 1733

The Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773 when colonists, disguised as Native Americans, dumped British tea into the harbor to protest against the Tea Act. This event led to the Coercive Acts, which closed down the harbor and instituted another Quartering Act, further fueling tensions between the colonists and the British government.

Continental Congress (1774)

delegates discussed Britain's growing tyranny and the need for colonists to resist violations of their liberty. Despite attempts to negotiate with the British, they refused to compromise, leading to the eventual Declaration of Independence.

John Locke’s Two Treatises

Legitimate government is only present when the power to govern lies with the people, meaning no monarchies, and the people consent to its existence. Natural rights, such as life, liberty, and property, are not granted by the government but by a creator, and cannot be taken away by the government. Self-rule is achieved through elected representatives.

Rousseau’s Social Contract

The authority to govern is held in the hands of people, who voluntarily give a portion of their power to the government in exchange for the government's promise to safeguard their inherent rights.

Montesquieu

3 branches of government and checks and balances between them

Common Sense (Thomas Paine)

pamphlet published in 1776 advocating for American independence from Great Britain. It argued that it was common sense for Americans to break away from British rule and form their own democratic government.

* Common Sense became an instant bestseller, reaching a wide audience and influencing public opinion in favor of independence.
* Paine's arguments helped shift the focus of the American colonists from seeking reconciliation with Britain to demanding complete independence.

Second Continental Congress (1776)

* Meeting of delegates from the thirteen British colonies that took place in Philadelphia in May 1775.
* Called to discuss how to respond to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War and to coordinate a united resistance against British rule.
* Appointed George Washington as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
* Appointed Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

 accepted on July 2, 1776, made public on July 4th