Study Guide: Colonial and Revolutionary Eras and the Critical Period (1607–1780's)

Core Vocabulary and Foundational Principles

Imperialism: Stronger countries or governments gaining power by taking areas that have valuable resources.
Mercantilism: An economic system that produces wealth and power for the oppressors country.
Salutary Neglect: British policy of avoiding strict enforcement of parliamentary laws, meant to keep the American Colonies profitable and obedient to Great Britain.
Key Political Concepts:
- Natural rights: Fundamental rights inherent to all individuals from birth (such as life, liberty, and property) that cannot be surrendered or denied by any government.
- Social contract: An agreement among members of a society to establish a government and abide by its rules in exchange for the protection of their natural rights.
- Consent of the governed / Popular sovereignty: The principle that government authority and legitimacy derive entirely from the will and approval of the people.
- Right to revolution: The foundational principle that citizens possess the moral and political right to alter or overthrow a government that systematically abuses power and fails to protect their fundamental rights.
- Democracy: A system of government in which supreme power is held by the people and exercised either directly or through freely elected representatives.
- Republic: A form of government in which power is held by the people and their elected representatives, operating under a constitution and rule of law rather than a monarch.
- Confederation: An alliance or union of sovereign, independent states joined together for common purposes while preserving their separate independence and autonomy.

Colonial Settlement and Early Development (1607–1763)

Motivations for Settlement: Distinct economic, religious, and political factors driving colonial migration to North America.
Geographic Influence: Geographic factors dictating settlement patterns, regional economies, and the development of distinct labor systems across the colonies.
Impact on Indigenous Peoples: Consequences of European colonization on Native American populations and territories.
Imperial Economic Policies: Application of imperialism and mercantilism to regulate trade and maximize British North American wealth.
Foundational Governance Traditions: Integration of Enlightenment ideas, limited monarchy, democratic principles, and republicanism into colonial political systems.

The Imperial Crisis and the Road to Revolution

Salutary Neglect: Initial adoption by Great Britain to sustain trade profitability without direct domestic interference.
French and Indian War: Causes, primary outcomes, and its role as the critical turning point in British–colonial relations.
British Tightening of Control (Post-1763): British economic and political measures enacted after 1763 and the organized resistance and responses from the colonists.

The Revolutionary Era and Independence

Influential Literature and Foundations:
- Thomas Paine's Common Sense: Main arguments, purpose, and widespread impact on public sentiment favoring separation.
- The Declaration of Independence: Core principles, justification for independence, and enduring influence.
The Revolutionary War:
- Strategic advantages and disadvantages of both Great Britain and the American forces.
- Essential military and diplomatic importance of French support in achieving victory.
Treaty of Paris (1783): Specific diplomatic and territorial gains recognized for the United States.

The Critical Period and Early National Government (1774–1780's)

Continental Congress: Leadership, governance, and organizational role from 1774 through the 1780's.
Articles of Confederation:
- Design & Rationale: Decentralized structure intentionally designed to avoid centralized tyranny.
- Strengths: Achievements and governance capabilities under the confederation frame.
- Weaknesses: Structural limitations, financial weaknesses, and inability to enforce national laws, prompting calls for reform.