US History - America's War for Independence, 1775-1783

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the US History lecture on America's War for Independence (1775-1783).

American Colonies (1770s)

Provided raw materials and were profitable consumers for Great Britain's vast empire.

American Revolutionary War

An eight-year conflict (1775-1783) in which the thirteen American colonies gained independence from Great Britain to form the United States.

Patriots

Colonists from various economic and social backgrounds who united against Great Britain for independence, also known as Whigs.

Declaration of Independence

A document signed in July 1776 by the Continental Congress, embodying the spirit of unity among colonists pledging support for independence from British rule.

Minutemen

Colonial militia who were prepared to act at a moment's notice in response to British military actions around Boston in 1774-1775.

Battles of Lexington and Concord

The initial skirmishes of the American Revolution in 1775, triggered by British attempts to seize colonial munitions and arrest rebel leaders.

Guerrilla Warfare

A form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants use tactics such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, and hit-and-run attacks, famously employed by American forces during the British retreat from Concord.

Shot Heard Around the World

A phrase referring to the opening shot of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, symbolizing the start of the American Revolution and its global impact.

Battle of Bunker Hill

A costly British victory in 1775, fought primarily on Breed's Hill, where American rebels eventually ran out of ammunition.

Second Continental Congress

The governing body that convened in 1775, making George Washington Commander in Chief of the Continental Army and later signing the Declaration of Independence.

George Washington

Appointed Commander in Chief of the Continental Army by the Second Continental Congress.

Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation

A British decree issued in 1775 offering freedom to enslaved people who abandoned Patriot masters and joined the British military.

Common Sense

A pamphlet published by Thomas Paine in 1776, written in simple language to convince ordinary colonists of the need for independence, republicanism, and popular sovereignty.

Republicanism

A political ideology, advocated by Thomas Paine, which calls for elected officials rather than monarchy.

Popular Sovereignty

The principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, through their elected representatives, who are the source of all political power.

Thomas Jefferson

The primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

Consent of the Governed

A foundational principle of American government, paramount in the Declaration of Independence, meaning that a government's legitimacy and moral right to use state power is only justified and lawful when consented to by the people.

Continental Army

The military force established by the Second Continental Congress, which faced severe challenges including lack of equipment, undermanning, hunger, and irregular pay.

Crossing the Delaware

George Washington's desperate Christmas night operation in 1776 to capture Trenton, leading to much-needed American victories.

Battle of Trenton

A crucial American victory in December 1776, where Washington's forces captured 1,500 Hessian mercenaries.

Battle of Princeton

Another important American victory in January 1777, following Trenton, which boosted colonial morale and recruitment.

Valley Forge

The winter encampment of Washington's army during 1777-1778, characterized by severe suffering due to lack of supplies, disease, and desertions.

Baron von Steuben’s Regulations

A manual for the order and discipline of the troops of the United States, which helped professionalize the Continental Army at Valley Forge.

Battle of Saratoga

A significant American victory in 1777, proving that Patriots could defeat a sizeable British army and leading to the crucial French Alliance.

French Alliance

An agreement forged after the Battle of Saratoga, where France provided money, weapons, leadership, and a naval fleet to aid the American cause, weakening the British empire and dividing British efforts.

British Southern Strategy

A shift in British military focus to the Southern colonies after 1778, based on the belief of strong loyalist support and abundant resources there.

Capture of Charleston, SC (1780)

The largest American loss of the war, where British forces took control of the key Southern port.

Nathanael Greene

Placed in command of American troops in the South in late 1780, he led his forces to crucial victories by stretching British supply lines and countering loyalist recruitment.

Battle of Yorktown

The decisive battle of the war in October 1781, where American and French forces trapped Lord Cornwallis's army in Virginia, leading to his surrender.

Lord Cornwallis

A British general who surrendered his army at Yorktown in 1781, effectively guaranteeing the end of the Revolutionary War.

Treaty of Paris (1783)

The agreement signed between the United States and Great Britain, formally ending the American Revolutionary War and recognizing American independence.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown during the American Revolution, with many serving on the British side or emigrating after the war.

Confiscation Acts

Laws passed during the Revolution that allowed for the seizure of property belonging to Loyalists.

African Loyalists

Enslaved people who joined the British forces during the Revolution, often promised freedom, with many later emigrating to places like Sierra Leone, Canada, or England.

Continental Currency

Paper money issued by the Continental Congress to fund the American Revolutionary War, which quickly lost its value due to over-issuance and lack of backing.

Runaway Inflation

A severe economic problem during the American Revolution, exacerbated by the printing of currency by both the Continental Congress and individual revolutionary states, leading to a rapid decrease in money's value.

Camp Followers

Women who traveled with the Continental Army, performing crucial roles such as cooking, washing, and nursing.

confiscation acts

state-wide acts that made it legal for state governments to seize Loyalists' property to help fund the war effort and redistribute resources.

Continental currency

the paper currency that the Continental government printed to fund the Revolution which quickly lost value due to lack of backing and rampant inflation.

Dunmore's Proclamation

the decree signed by Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, which proclaimed that any enslaved or indentured servants who fought on the side of the British would be rewarded with their freedom and encouraged enslaved people to join British forces as soldiers.

Hessians

German mercenaries hired by Great Britain to put down the American rebellion during the Revolutionary War, known for their battle skills and effectiveness in combat.

Mecklenburg Resolves

North Carolina's declaration of rebellion against Great Britain in 1775, considered one of the first formal assertions of independence in the colonies. It reflected the growing sentiment for independence from British rule.

minutemen

colonial militias prepared to mobilize and fight the British with a minute's notice during the American Revolutionary War, known for their speed and readiness.

popular sovereignty

the practice of allowing the citizens of a state or territory to decide issues based on the principle of majority rule and self-determination, particularly in relation to slavery and statehood during the antebellum period.

republicanism

a political philosophy that holds that states should be governed by representatives, not a monarch; as a social philosophy, republicanism required civic virtue of its citizens and emphasized the importance of the common good over individual interests. It promotes a system of government where elected officials represent the interests of the people.

thirteen colonies

British colonies in North America that declared independence from Great Britain in 1776, uniting against British policies to form the United States.

Thirteen colonies list.

Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, the province of Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Yorktown

The Virginia port where British General Cornwallis's army was trapped by American and French forces, leading to his surrender in October 1781. This decisive battle effectively guaranteed the end of the Revolutionary War.