The American Revolution APUSH Review

25 vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, figures, events, and concepts from the American Revolution and early U.S. government.

John Locke's Second Treatise of Government

A philosophical work that heavily influenced Thomas Jefferson in writing the Declaration of Independence, advocating for natural rights and consent of the governed.

Declaration of Independence

A document primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, asserting the American colonies' independence from Britain and outlining principles of liberty and self-governance.

Natural Rights

Fundamental human freedoms, articulated by John Locke as life, liberty, and property, and by Thomas Jefferson as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Consent of the Governed

The principle that a government's legitimacy and moral right to use state power is only justified and lawful when consented to by the people or society over which that political power is exercised.

Hessians

German mercenaries hired by the British to fight against the Americans during the Revolutionary War.

Loyalists

American colonists who remained faithful to the British Crown during the American Revolution.

Patriots

American colonists who supported independence from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War.

Continental Army

The unified military force of the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War.

Baron von Steuben

A Prussian military officer who significantly trained and disciplined the Continental Army, particularly during their encampment at Valley Forge.

Attrition (British Military Strategy)

A military strategy employed by the British which aimed to wear down the American forces over time, leveraging Britain's longer supply lines.

Guerilla Tactics (American Military Strategy)

Irregular warfare strategies used by Americans to harass and exhaust British forces, avoiding large-scale direct confrontations.

Battle of Bunker Hill (1775)

An early battle of the Revolution where the British suffered heavy casualties (over 40%) while taking the fortified American positions.

Valley Forge

The Continental Army's winter encampment (1777-1778) in Pennsylvania, known for severe cold and disease that caused thousands of deaths.

Battle of Trenton (1776)

A decisive victory for George Washington's Continental Army over Hessian forces, boosting American morale and recruitment.

Battle of Saratoga (1777)

A pivotal American victory that convinced France to form a military alliance with the United States, marking a turning point in the war.

Nathanael Greene

A highly competent American general known for his successful command of the Continental Army in the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War.

Count de Rochambeau

The French general who commanded the French expeditionary force that aided the American colonists in the Battle of Yorktown.

Admiral De Grasse

The French naval commander whose fleet blockaded the Chesapeake Bay, preventing British escape and resupply during the Battle of Yorktown.

Battle of Yorktown (1781)

The decisive last major battle of the American Revolution, resulting in the surrender of British General Cornwallis to combined American and French forces.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The agreement that officially ended the American Revolutionary War, recognizing American independence and defining its new borders.

Republicanism

A political ideology promoting a government based on elected representatives rather than a monarch, emphasizing civic virtue, liberty, and equality.

Articles of Confederation

The first governmental framework of the United States (1781-1789), characterized by a weak central government and strong state sovereignty.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

A significant accomplishment of the Confederation Congress, establishing procedures for adding new states and prohibiting 'new slaves' in the Northwest Territory.

Annapolis Convention (1786)

A meeting of representatives from five states to address interstate trade barriers, which led to the call for a broader Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.

Shays’ Rebellion (1786–1787)

An armed uprising of Massachusetts farmers protesting debt and tax collection, which highlighted the significant weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.