APUSH Period 3 - Heimler's History

Flashcards covering the transformation of British colonies into an independent nation, including key events, figures, and ideas from 1754 to 1800.

What was the major theme of Unit 3 in AP US History?

The transformation of British colonies into an independent nation with a distinct national identity from 1754 to 1800.

What were the causes of the French and Indian War?

British colonists felt threatened by French encroachment in the Ohio River Valley, while the French felt threatened by British encroachment on their territory.

What was the Albany Plan of Union and who proposed it?

Proposed by Benjamin Franklin, it called for a centralized colonial government to coordinate western defense.

Why was the Albany Plan of Union rejected by the colonies?

Due to concerns about taxation.

What was the outcome of the French and Indian War?

British victory, formalized by the Peace of Paris in 1763; French ousted from North America, Louisiana Territory given to Spain, and British doubled their land holdings.

What did the Royal Proclamation of 1763 stipulate?

Forbade colonists from taking land west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Why did the British enact the Royal Proclamation of 1763?

To protect colonists and maintain favorable trade relations with American Indians.

What was the colonial response to the Royal Proclamation of 1763?

Frustration among colonists who felt entitled to the land after fighting in the war.

Why did the British government begin imposing taxes on the colonies after the French and Indian War?

To recoup the costs of the war, as British debt doubled and the cost of running the colonies increased.

What is Salutary Neglect?

Britain had political sovereignty over the colonies but allowed them to manage their own affairs, largely due to the distance.

What marked the end of the era of Salutary Neglect?

The end of the French and Indian War.

What was the Colonial Response to the Navigation Acts?

Unfavorable. Colonists routinely avoided these laws by smuggling and setting their own terms for trade.

What was the Quartering Act of 1765?

Imperial troops would remain in the colonies, and colonists were responsible for feeding and housing them.

What was the Colonial Response to the Quartering Act?

Increased resentment, as colonists were forced to support the troops.

What goods were taxed under the Sugar Act?

Coffee, wine, and other luxury items; stricter enforcement of existing tax on molasses.

What items were taxed by the Stamp Act of 1765?

All paper items, including newspapers, playing cards, and contracts.

What was the Colonial Response to the Stamp Act?

Sparked widespread outrage due to declining wages and rising unemployment; seen as a direct attack on colonial liberties.

What was 'virtual representation' and why didn't the colonists like it?

British argument that colonists were represented in Parliament because members of Parliament represented all British citizens, not just specific localities; this argument was unconvincing to colonists.

What was the main goal of the Sons and Daughters of Liberty?

Repeal of the Stamp Act.

What was the result of the Stamp Act Congress?

Resulted in a formal petition to Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act, arguing that taxation without representation was tyranny; affirmed loyalty to the British Crown.

How did Parliament respond to the Stamp Act Congress petition?

Repealed the Stamp Act and the Sugar Act due to colonial protests, property destruction, and threats to tax collectors, passed the Declaratory Act, asserting their right to pass any law in the colonies

What goods were taxed under the Townshend Acts?

Paper, glass, and tea.

What was the primary tactic used by colonists to resist the Townshend Acts?

Boycotting British goods.

What was the Boston Massacre?

British troops stationed in the colonies to enforce British law were harassed by a group of colonists in Boston, who threw insults, snowballs, and stones. Shots were fired, resulting in eleven colonists wounded and four dead.

What was the Boston Tea Party?

Colonists disguised as American Indians boarded a merchant ship and dumped approximately 45 tons of British tea into Boston Harbor in response to the Tea Act of 1773.

What legislative acts were passed in retaliation for the Boston Tea Party?

The Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts).

Which actions were mandated by the Coercive Acts?

Closed Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for and approved a new quartering act.

What was the purpose of the Continental Congress of 1774?

To address the growing crisis with Britain and resist further violations of their liberties while still remaining British subjects.

Name three Enlightenment principles that guided the Continental Congress.

Natural Rights, Social Contract, Republicanism and Separation of Powers

What pamphlet did Thomas Paine publish in 1776, and what was its message?

Common Sense, arguing for independence.

What is a Loyalist?

A person who remained opposed to separation from Britain.

What challenges did the Continental Army face?

Being ill-equipped, ill-trained, and ill-paid.

Why was the Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the American Revolution?

It convinced the French to ally with the Americans against the British.

What battle led to the surrender of the British army and secured American independence?

Battle of Yorktown in 1781.

What document established the first government of the newly independent United States?

The Articles of Confederation.

Name three weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.

No judicial branch, no national military force, and limited power to tax.

What was the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

The federal government's most significant achievement under the Articles of Confederation. It provided a plan for territories to be occupied and apply for statehood and abolished slavery in the Northwest Territory.

What event exposed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation?

Shays' Rebellion.

What was the original purpose of the Constitutional Convention of 1787?

To revise the Articles of Confederation.

What were the Virginia and New Jersey Plans?

Virginia Plan: Representation by population (favored larger states). New Jersey Plan: Equal representation for all states (favored smaller states).

What was the Great Compromise?

Bicameral Congress: House of Representatives: Representation by population. Senate: Equal votes per state (two votes per state).

What did the Three-Fifths Compromise entail?

Counted three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation purposes.

Why did Anti-Federalists oppose the ratification of the Constitution?

Lack of a Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties.

What was 'Republican Motherhood'?

The idea that women could influence politics by raising virtuous, liberty-minded sons.

Who was the first Secretary of the Treasury?

Alexander Hamilton.

What was the Elastic Clause and how did Hamilton use it?

Hamilton invoked the Elastic Clause, arguing that a bank was "necessary and proper" for Congress to carry out its responsibilities.

What was the Whiskey Rebellion and how did Washington respond?

Hamilton's tax on whiskey angered poor frontier farmers who attacked tax collectors. Washington federalized four state militias and crushed the rebellion, demonstrating the power of the new federal government.

What two things did Washington warn against in his Farewell Address?

Political parties and entangling alliances with foreign nations.

What was the XYZ Affair?

A diplomatic incident in which French officials demanded a bribe from U.S. diplomats, leading to public outrage in the United States.

What did the Alien and Sedition Acts do?

Alien Acts: Made it easier to deport non-citizens. Sedition Acts: Criminalized public criticism of the government.

What was the idea of 'nullification' as put forth in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions?

The idea that a state can declare a federal law unconstitutional and refuse to enforce it within its borders.

What was the Pinckney Treaty?

Resolved border tensions with Spain by establishing the boundary at the 31st parallel.

What was the status of slavery in the Northern and Southern states at the end of this period?

Northern States: Rapid growth of free black population; some states, like New Jersey, granted voting rights black property owners. Southern States: Majority of the black population was enslaved, with the enslaved population growing rapidly