American Revolution Flashcards
Define Proclamation of 1763:
After the French and Indian War, Great Britain set this line as a boundary for colonists/settlers around the Appalachian Mountains; not enforceable
French and Indian War:
Who fought in it?
French/Native Americans vs Great Britain
French and Indian war
What were they fighting over?
Control of North America; especially the Ohio River Valley
French and Indian war
Who won?
Great Britain
How did this war lead to the American Revolution?
Great Britain went into debt because of the war and began to tax the colonists to pay the debt
Events leading to war
Tea Act:
allowed Great Britain to ship tea directly to colonies, cutting out colonial merchants; led to the Boston Tea Party
Events leading to war
Define Stamp Act:
direct tax on all legal documents, stamps, playing cards; led to many boycotts and protests in the colonies
Events to the war
Define Intolerable Acts:
after the Boston Tea Party, Parliament passed this law: closing Boston Harbor, allowing quartering of troops, taking away self-government in Massachusetts, and moving trials of British officials to be moved to Great Britain
Sons of Liberty:
Founder:
Samuel Adams
Sons of Liberty
Purpose:
political organization that wanted independence and used petitions, rallies, intimidation and propaganda
Boston Massacre:
What really happened?
A mob of Bostonians confronted British troops; soldiers fired on them killing 5 colonists
Boston massacre
Why is it significant?
Paul Revere and other Sons of Liberty used this to spread anti-British propaganda, convincing more people to support independence
Boston Tea Party:
What happened?
Sons of Liberty snuck into Boston Harbor and dumped tea into as a form of protest against the Tea Act
Boston Party tea
Who did this?
Sons of Liberty
Boston tea party
What were they protesting?
Tea Act was hurting colonial merchants
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
battle of Lexington and Concord:
first shots of the war; “Shot heard ‘round the world”
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Define battle of Saratoga
turning point of the war
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Define battle of Trenton:
major victory for the Continental Army; surprising and defeating the British/Hessians
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Battle of Valley Forge:
where Washington’s army camped for the winter of 1777-1778; they faced harsh conditions but trained with Von Steuben and Marquis de Lafayette to become a well-trained army
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Battle of Yorktown
the final battle of the Revolutionary War when Washington’s army and the French Navy surrounded the Cornwallis’ army; Cornwallis surrendered
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Define General George Washington
commander of Continental Army
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Define Lord Cornwallis
commander of British troops
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each
Define Marquis de Lafayette:
French nobleman that helped Washington train and fight in the Revolution; helped convince the French to send their Navy to aid the colonists
Revolutionary War: explain the significance of each.
Define Baron Von Steuben:
Prussian military genius who helped Washington train his army
Declaration of Independence:
What is it?
Document stating the reasons for independence and officially declaring the colonies independent from Great Britain
Declaration of Independence:
Why was it written?
To justify independence
Declaration of Independence
Who did they write it to?
King George III and Parliament
Declaration of Independence
When was it signed?
July 4, 1776
Articles of Confederation:
What is it?
First US constitution written by the Second Continental Congress
Articles of Confederation:
What were its weaknesses?
No executive or judicial branch, laws and amendments were too difficult to pass; Congress did not have the power to tax or regulate foreign/interstate trade; overall, the federal government was too weak
Articles of Confederation:
What were its strengths?
Established peace with Great Britain and set up the process for western lands to apply for statehood
Articles of Confederation:
Northwest Ordinance: what did it say?
Established the process for adding new states to the US; was a success and allowed for westward expansion
Articles of Confederation:
Shays’ Rebellion: why did they rebel? Why is it significant?
Revolutionary War veterans were losing their farms to foreclosure; the government was unable to stop the rebellion for months, showing how weak the US government was
US Constitution:
When and where was the convention?
May- Sept 1787
US Constitution:
What was their original purpose?
To amend (fix) the Articles of Confederation
US Constitution:
Define 3/5 Compromise:
settled the dispute between Northern and Southern states over whether slaves will be counted for taxation and representation purposes; decided 3/5 would be counted for both
US Constitution:
Define Great Compromise:
settled the dispute over representation in Congress; Big states wanted representation based on population and small states wanted it equal; the compromise created a bicameral legislation; House of Representatives (population) and Senate (equal)
Battle over ratification:
Define Federalists
in FAVOR of the Constitution
Battle over ratification:
Define Anti-Federalists:
AGAINST the Constitution
Bill of Rights:
What are they?
Amendments 1-10 of the Constitution, giving people and the states powers/rights over the federal government
Bill of Rights:
Which group wanted them included in the Constitution?
Anti-Federalists because they believed the Constitution created a federal government that was too strong.
