Revolutionary war notes
Columbian Exchange
Transfer of plants, animals, and diseases from Europe to America.
Mercantilism
An economic system where a nation exports more than it imports.
Salutary Neglect
British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of laws in the American colonies.
Taxation without Representation: Colonists were subjected to taxes imposed by the British Parliament, where they had no elected representatives.
Great Awakening
Religious revivals that swept through the American colonies in the 18th century.
Enlightenment
A movement in the eighteenth century that emphasized reason and science over blind faith.
The main ideas served as fuel for the colonists’ desire for independence from British rule.
French and Indian War (Seven Years’ War)
A colonial conflict in North America from 1754 to 1763.
Pitted Great Britain and the British colonists against France, French colonists, and their Native American allies.
The war was rooted in territorial disputes, particularly in the Ohio Valley.
Resulted in significant territorial gains for Great Britain.
Proclamation of 1763
Also known as the Royal Proclamation.
A declaration issued by the British government following the end of the French and Indian War.
Prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Aimed to establish a boundary line and limit westward expansion.
Intended to protect Native American lands and prevent further conflict between colonists and indigenous peoples.
Stamp Act
A tax imposed by the British Parliament on the American colonies in 1765.
Required colonists to purchase stamps for legal documents, newspapers, and other printed materials.
Passed to help finance the British Empire after the Seven Years' War.
Met with significant colonial opposition due to its perceived violation of the principle of "taxation without representation".
“No Taxation Without Representation”
A political slogan that refers to the idea that people should not be taxed by a government without having a say in the government’s policies.
Sons of Liberty
A group of American colonists who resisted British rule in the 1760s and 70s, particularly during the period leading up to the American Revolution.
They helped organize protests against British taxation, including the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party.
Common Sense (Thomas Paine)
Written by Thomas Paine and first published in Philadelphia in January 1776.
A scathing (severely critical) polemic against the injustice of rule by a king.
Argued for American independence from British rule and the establishment of a democratic republic.
Argued that Americans should have the right to create their own government.
Significantly influenced public opinion by making the case for independence in accessible language and appealing to common sense, inspiring colonists to embrace the idea of revolution.
Declaration of Independence (Main Ideas)
Key ideas include:
The belief in inherent human equality.
The right to unalienable rights like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
The right of people to alter or abolish a government that fails to protect these rights.
Loyalist
During the Revolutionary War, the loyalists, also known as Tories, were American colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown.
Patriots
During the Revolutionary War, they were colonists who supported independence from Great Britain.
Battle of Saratoga (Significance)
A turning point in the Revolutionary War.
Boosted Patriot morale.
Led to France becoming an ally of the US.
Ultimately led to American independence.
Articles of Confederation(strengths/weaknesses):
Strengths: Established a framework for a national government, allowed for the conduct of foreign affairs, and facilitated the negotiation of treaties.
Weaknesses: Lacked the power to levy taxes, regulate trade, or enforce laws, leading to financial difficulties and disunity among the states.
Shays’ Rebellion(significance): This uprising revealed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation by demonstrating the inability of the federal government to maintain order and protect property, ultimately leading to calls for a stronger central government.
Constitutional Convention: A gathering held in 1787 to address the inadequacies of the Articles of Confederation, resulting in the drafting of the United States Constitution, which created a more robust federal government with a system of checks and balances.
Great Compromise:An agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature, balancing the representation of both large and small states by creating the House of Representatives, based on population, and the Senate, with equal representation for each state.
Three-Fifths Compromise : A compromise reached during the Constitutional Convention that determined that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted for the purposes of congressional representation and taxation, leading to significant implications for the political power dynamics between northern and southern states.
Federalism: A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units, allowing states to maintain certain powers while surrendering others to the national government, ensuring a balance of power that is essential in the functioning of the United States.
Separation of Powers : A principle of governance that divides the responsibilities of government into distinct branches—executive, legislative, and judicial—to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power, thus safeguarding democratic principles and ensuring accountability among the different arms of government.
Checks and Balances: A fundamental principle of the United States government that ensures no single branch becomes overpowerful by requiring the different branches (executive, legislative, and judicial) to oversee and limit each other's functions, thereby maintaining equilibrium and protecting against potential abuses of power.
Popular Sovereignty: The doctrine that the government derives its power from the consent of the governed, emphasizing that the authority of the state is created and sustained by the will of its people, highlighting the importance of citizen participation in democratic governance.
Limited Government: A foundational concept in which governmental powers are restricted through a constitution or similar authority, ensuring that individual rights and freedoms are protected from government overreach, thus promoting liberty and personal autonomy.
Federalists: Advocates for a strong central government who supported the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, believing it was essential for maintaining order and unity among the states.
Anti-Federalists: Opponents of a strong central government who argued that the Constitution would jeopardize individual liberties and state sovereignty, advocating instead for a Bill of Rights to protect citizens from potential government abuses.
Bill of Rights: The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, which were ratified in 1791, they guarantee essential rights and civil liberties such as freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to bear arms, ensuring a check on governmental power.
Loose Constructionism vs Strict Constructionism:
Loose Constructionism: The belief that the Constitution should be interpreted flexibly, allowing for changes and interpretations that address contemporary issues and challenges, which enables the federal government to adapt to new circumstances.
Strict Constructionism: The view that the Constitution should be interpreted literally and narrowly, emphasizing that the federal government has only the powers explicitly granted by the Constitution, thereby limiting federal authority and protecting states' rights.
Whiskey Rebellion
A significant event in 1794 where farmers in Pennsylvania protested against a federal excise tax on whiskey, which was seen as an unfair burden on their livelihoods. The uprising demonstrated the tensions between federal authority and local resistance, ultimately leading to a stronger assertion of governmental power by President George Washington.
Alien and Sedition Acts: Enacted in 1798, these laws aimed to suppress dissent against the government by making it more difficult for immigrants to become citizens and allowing for the imprisonment of individuals who criticized the federal government, raising issues regarding free speech and civil liberties.
Marbury v. Madison(1803): A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to declare legislation unconstitutional and asserting its role as a co-equal branch of government.
Louisiana Purchase(1803): A significant expansion of the United States territory, this acquisition from France doubled the size of the nation and greatly influenced westward expansion, providing vast lands for settlement and exploration.
War of 1812: Often referred to as the "Second War of Independence," this conflict against Great Britain was driven by maritime disputes and national sovereignty issues, ultimately galvanizing American nationalism and leading to a resurgence of patriotism.
Sectionalism:A growing divide between the Northern and Southern states in the early 19th century, characterized by differences in economy, culture, and political views, which eventually contributed to tensions leading up to the Civil War. Missouri Compromise(1820):An agreement aimed at maintaining the balance of power between slave and free states, it admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while establishing the 36°30′ parallel as the dividing line for future states.
Compromise of 1850: five laws passed in September 1850 aimed at resolving issues related to slavery and territorial expansion in the United States.