US History: French & Indian War to Early Republic Key Events

French and Indian War

Competition between Britain and France over the Ohio River Valley.

Effect of the French and Indian War

Britain won, France lost most of its North American territory, and Britain gained debt → taxed colonies.

Pontiac's Rebellion

Native uprising against British in 1763; led to the Proclamation Line of 1763.

Proclamation Line of 1763

Banned colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Albany Plan of Union

Ben Franklin's idea to unite colonies; rejected but showed early unity.

Stamp Act

A tax on paper goods in the colonies (1765).

Virtual Representation

Britain's claim that Parliament represented all subjects, even without colonial reps.

No taxation without representation

Colonists shouldn't be taxed without having elected representatives in Parliament.

Sons of Liberty

A secret group (led by Sam Adams) that protested British taxes.

Intolerable Acts

Punishments for the Boston Tea Party, including closing Boston Harbor.

Boston Tea Party

Colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor (1773).

Battles of Lexington & Concord

The first battles of the American Revolution (1775).

Declaration of Independence

Written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776.

American Revolution timeline

Started in 1775 and ended in 1783.

Continental Army

Colonial army led by George Washington.

Loyalists and Patriots

Loyalists = supported Britain. Patriots = supported independence.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

No power to tax, no executive branch, weak central gov.

Shay's Rebellion

Farmer uprising against taxes; showed Articles of Confederation were weak.

Great Compromise

Created a two-house Congress (Senate = equal, House = population).

Three-Fifths Compromise

Counted enslaved people as 3/5 of a person for representation & taxes.

Federalists

Supported the Constitution and wanted a strong central government.

Anti-Federalists

Did not support the Constitution without a Bill of Rights.

Proclamation of Neutrality (1793)

Washington declared U.S. would stay neutral in European wars.

Impressment

British practice of kidnapping American sailors for their navy.

Whiskey Rebellion

Farmer protest against whiskey tax; Washington sent troops to stop it.

XYZ Affair

French demanded bribes from U.S. diplomats → angered Americans.

Alien and Sedition Acts

Laws that targeted immigrants & limited criticism of the government.

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Argued states could nullify unconstitutional federal laws.

Quasi War

Undeclared naval war between the U.S. and France (1798-1800).

Common Sense

Written by Thomas Paine (1776); convinced many colonists independence was necessary.

Federalist Party characteristics

Strong central gov, loose interpretation of Constitution, supported by wealthy/urban.

Democratic-Republican Party characteristics

Strong state govs, strict interpretation of Constitution, supported by farmers/rural.

Treaty of Paris 1763

Ended French & Indian War; Britain gained land east of Mississippi, France lost colonies.

Father of the Constitution

James Madison.

First and last battles of the American Revolution

First = Lexington & Concord (1775). Last = Yorktown (1781).

Washington's 4 warnings in his Farewell Address

Avoid political parties, foreign alliances, sectionalism, and too much debt.

Federalist Papers

Written by Hamilton, Madison, Jay.

Bank of the United States proposal

Proposed by Alexander Hamilton.

Thomas Jefferson's role in Washington's cabinet

Secretary of State.

Alexander Hamilton's role in Washington's cabinet

Secretary of Treasury.