APUSH Unit 2 Subject Vocab

French and Indian War	French and English both claim the land in the Ohio River valley, colonists ran out of land, Indians and French are upset that English are taking their land.
Albany Congress / Albany Plan	The Albany Plan of Union was a plan to place the British North American colonies under a more centralized government.
Quartering	The housing of British soldiers in colonial homes during wartime.
Prime Minister William Pitt	He was the English secretary of state, and the future prime minister. He brought, in the second phase of the French and Indian War, for the first time, full control under British control.
Battle of Quebec	a battle between the British and the French who occupied Quebec at the time, ending with the British as the victors and Quebec being surrendered.
Proclamation of 1763	An edict made by King George III after the conclusion of the French and Indian War, declaring that colonists could not settle west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Pontiac’s War	An Indian uprising after the French and Indian War, led by an Ottowa chief named Pontiac. They opposed British expansion into the western Ohio Valley and began destroying British forts in the area. The attacks ended when Pontiac was killed.
George III	The king at the time of the American Revolution.
French and Indian War Debt	Britain had immense debt from the war, forcing its government to extract funds from its colonies in any way possible.
Stamp Act and Stamp Act Congress	A requirement for the colonists to pay for a stamp to go on many of the documents essential to their lives, including deeds, mortgages, liquor licenses, playing cards, and almanacs. The Stamp Act Congress was the first convention called for by the American Colonies, with the purpose to discuss a unified response to the Stamp Act
Non-importation	An agreement not to import certain goods; in the case of the American Revolution, it was to not import British goods and instead manufacture American goods.
Sons of Liberty	A radical organization in Colonial America created to carry out public demonstrations against British policies of taxation without parliamentary representation.
Daughters of Liberty	An organization formed by women prior to the American Revolution to protest treatment of the colonies by their British Rulers, albeit in a less radical manner than the Sons of Liberty.
Massachusetts Circular Letter	In response to the Townshend Acts, the letter written by Samuel Adams was circulated to assert that Great Britain had no right to tax the Thirteen Colonies without their representation in government.
Committees of Correspondence	A system of communication between patriot leaders in New England and throughout the colonies, providing the organization necessary to unite the colonies in opposition to Parliament.
Boston Tea Party	The American colonists believed Britain was unfairly taxing them to pay for expenses incurred during the French and Indian War, more specifically the Tea Act.
Coercive/Intolerable Acts	Parliament’s response to the Boston Tea Party, acting as a punishment on the Massachusetts Bay colony.
First Continental Congress	A convention of delegates (minus the province of Georgia) to discuss a unified response to the Intolerable Acts.
Lexington and Concord	The Battle of Lexington and Concord marked the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War on April 19, 1775. This confrontation was significant as it symbolized the beginning of armed resistance against British rule, showcasing the colonists' resolve to defend their rights and liberties.
Second Continental Congress	The Second Continental Congress assumed the normal functions of a government, appointing ambassadors, issuing paper currency, raising the Continental Army through conscription, and appointing generals to lead the army.
American strengths and weakness at the beginning of the American Revolution	Strengths included better leadership, French aid, and the moral cause of the war being at home. Weaknesses included no professional army, disunity among colonies, inflation and debt, scarce military supplies, unreliable troops/desertion, and a population ⅓ of the British.
British strengths and weakness at the beginning of the American Revolution	British strengths included a population of 7.5 million, one of the top 3 armies, the best navy, a proper treasury to tax money to pay for the war, and loyalists in the colonies. Weaknesses included poor, overconfident leadership, parliamentary Whig support for colonists, fighting on foreign soil, distance led to difficult communication, and trouble at home with Ireland.
John Adams	Delegate to the first and second continental congress, and one of the founding fathers.
Abigail Adams	An advocate for women’s rights and the American Revolution.
Sam Adams	One of the founders of the sons of liberty.
Patrick Henry	Another founding father, famous for the words, “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Benjamin Franklin	One of the main founding fathers of
Paul Revere	Famous for warning of the British’s arrival, leading to the patriot victory at Lexington and Concord.0
Thomas Jefferson	The main writer of the Declaration of Independence, and later the third president of the United States.
George Washington	Commander of the Continental army during the revolutionary war, and later the first president of the United States.
Marquis de Lafayette	Major general of the Continental army and secured French aid.
Baron von Steuben	Major/inspector general of the Continental army and trained the army.
Thayendanegea / Joseph Brandt	Joseph Brant was a Mohawk chief who made a big push to get the Iroquois Indians into the Revolutionary War. He visited England years before the war started and saw that the British were against American expansion.
Charles Cornwallis	Cornwallis held commands in the colonies throughout the duration of the war and was frequently George Washington's battlefield counterpart. He is best known for his surrender at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which effectively ended hostilities and led to peace negotiations between Britain and America.
Alexander Hamilton	Founding father of the United States, who fought in the American Revolutionary War, helped draft the Constitution, and served as the first secretary of the treasury. He was the founder and chief architect of the American financial system.
Olive Branch Petition	The colonies made a final offer of peace to Britain, agreeing to be loyal to the British government if it addressed their grievances (repealed the Coercive Acts, ended the taxation without representation policies).
Common Sense - Thomas Paine	Common Sense made a clear case for independence and directly attacked the political, economic, and ideological obstacles to achieving it. It essentially led to the drift for independence in the colonies.
Declaration of Independence	A formal document in which the Continental Congress representing the American colonies detailed its reasons for breaking political bonds with Great Britain.
Enlightenment Ideas in the Declaration of Independence	Equality, natural rights, and a government by consent, reflecting the influence of philosophers like John Locke and Montesquieu, emphasizing a social contract and balanced governance.
Alliance with France	The single most important diplomatic success of the colonists during the War for Independence was the critical link they forged with France. Representatives of the French and American governments signed the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce on February 6, 1778.
Washington’s defensive strategy	Keeping his army together was always his focus. If it was not necessary to fight, he avoided battle. If retreat was the best option, he took it; however, when he saw the chance to turn and strike his foes from a position of relative advantage and security, he seized that chance as well. He kept the war prolonged to make it harsh on the British funds.
Battle of Saratoga	The Battle of Saratoga was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The American defeat of the superior British army lifted patriot morale, furthered the hope for independence, and helped to secure the foreign support needed to win the war.
Battle of Yorktown	Victory at Yorktown led directly to the peace negotiations that ended the war in 1783 and gave America its independence.
African Americans in the American Revolution	During the American Revolution African American men, both enslaved and free fought in the Continental Army. Some sought to flee or took refuge with the British.
Native Americans in the American Revolution	They were divided in allegiance; some supported the colonists while others supported the British.
Women in the American Revolution	Women supported the American Revolution by making homespun cloth, working to produce goods and services to help the army, and even serving as spies. While the men were at war, the women ran everything at home.
Treaty of Paris	This treaty, signed on September 3, 1783, between the American colonies and Great Britain, ended the American Revolution and formally recognized the United States as an independent nation.
Republicanism	The ideology of governing the nation as a republic, where the head of state is not appointed through hereditary means, but usually through an election; a philosophy of limited government with elected representatives serving at the will of the people. The government is based on consent of the governed.
Republican Motherhood	The idea that gave women more purpose to educate and nurture the future of america. It was the women's new job to educate and instill republican ideals in the young minds of the youth.
Articles of Confederation government - how did it function?	The Articles created a national government centered on the legislative branch, which was comprised of a single house. There was no separate executive branch or judicial branch. The delegates in Congress voted by state—with each state receiving one vote, regardless of its population.
Problems with the Articles of Confederation	The major problem with the Articles of Confederation was the lack of a strong central government. Each state was represented equally and the lack of a central authority made conflicts between the states difficult to resolve. States disputed border lines with their neighbor states. The national government could not tax citizens directly, only request money from the states. The states rarely contributed money, meaning the national government could not pay its debts or fund initiatives. The national government could not regulate international or interstate trade.
Northwest Ordinance	The Northwest Ordinance chartered a government for the Northwest Territory, provided a method for admitting new states to the Union from the territory, and listed a bill of rights guaranteed in the territory.
Constitutional Convention	The Constitutional Convention was a gathering of delegates in 1787 aimed at addressing the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and creating a new framework for the U.S. government. They intended to revise the articles.
Federalism	A system where political power is divided between a central (national) government and smaller government units called states or provinces
Great Compromise	Established proportional representation of the states in the House of Representatives but equal representation in the Senate. Solved the dispute over the adoption of the Virginia Plan or the New Jersey Plan in regards to representation.
⅗ Compromise	It determined that three out of every five slaves were counted when determining a state's total population for legislative representation and taxation.
Compare the Constitution to the frame of a house	The constitution was to be a base, a foundation for the nation’s government and how it functions. It was yet to be applied, interpreted, or amended.
Criticisms of the Antifederalists	They feared a strong federal government would lead to tyranny like the British monarchy. They were also concerned about rights unlisted being taken.
The Federalist Papers	A collection of 85 articles and essays written by Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay in 1787 and 1788 arguing for the ratification of the Constitution and were published under the pseudonym Publius.
Ratification of the Constitution	Each state had to choose whether or not to accept the constitution, 2/3rds, or 9/13 of the states had to accept for the Constitution to be put into effect. Ratification occurred from 1787-1790.
Washington’s precedents	Establishing a cabinet system, recognizing foreign governments and negotiating treaties, avoiding foreign entanglements and neutrality.
Hamilton’s financial plan	An ambitious financial plan that would establish a national bank, create a federal mint, and impose excise taxes. The bank was conceived as a way to improve and build the nation's credit, as well as create a common currency.
Explain why we got caught in the conflict between Britain and France starting in Washington’s presidency	The U.S. was trading with both Britain and France, and neither side wanted the Americans to help the others in the midst of a war.
Federalist Party	The first political party of the U.S. The party favored centralization, federalism, modernization, industrialization, and protectionism. The Federalists called for a strong national government that promoted economic growth and fostered friendly relationships with Great Britain in opposition to Revolutionary France.
Democratic Republican Party	The first opposition party developed in response to the federalists, emphasizing republicanism, decentralization, and state rights. In foreign policy it was hostile to Great Britain and in sympathy with the French Revolution.
Washington’s Farewell Address	A document by George Washington in 1796, when he retired from office, leaving advice for the future of the government and placing more precedents.
Alien and Sedition Acts	Four laws passed by the Federalist-controlled Congress and signed by President John Adams intended to reduce foreign influence in the United States and public criticism of the government.
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions and nullification	Anonymous criticisms of the Alien and Sedition Acts written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, claiming that states have the right to overturn unconstitutional laws of congress.
Separation of Church and State	The policy of keeping government and religious functions separate and not establishing a single religion as the official one of the nation. It was one of the ways the U.S. developed different from European nations.
Movement in the Early Republic	Cumberland Gap past the Appalachian Mountains, a natural barrier. Kentucky and Tennessee became the first settlements after the revolution.
Development of an American Identity	Emphasis on education (republican motherhood), republicanism, neoclassicism, separation of church and state.
The Revolution of 1800	The election of 1800 was against the 2 parties, Republican Jefferson and Federalists Adams. After much debate, Jefferson was rewarded victory. It's called a revolution because it produced the first orderly transfer of power from one party to another- without violence.