American Revolution Flashcards
Revolution
rapid and significant change in society, politics, technology or the economy
The Enlightenment
a movement of thinkers in eighteenth-century Europe who valued reason and science above faith or authority as a basis for society
Militias
part-time armies
Constitution
set of fundamental rules for running a country that outlines the powers of government and the rights of citizens
Federal Republic
a system of government where power is divided between a central government (usually headed by a president) and various regions or states
Restrictions on American Trade
Relations between Britain and
Of Virginia
the colonies had become tense by the 1750s. Britain wanted a cheap supply of raw materials like cotton for its expanding industries and saw America as a good source for these. However, Britain did not want American competition for its industries. It wanted America as a market to sell the finished goods made by British industry using American materials. The British Parliament had passed a series of Navigation Acts, which forced the colonies to sell some of their products (cotton, sugar, tobacco) to Britain alone. This meant that the British could decide the price, as the Americans had nobody else to sell to. These rules caused a lot of smuggling, which led to clashes with the British navy.
Seven year war
France had also settled colonies in North America. During the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), the British had defeated France and seized a lot of its territory. Huge numbers of British soldiers fought in America, and the British government wanted the colonies to contribute to the cost of the army, as it was there for their protection. The war also meant that many Americans had gained military experience through fighting in the British army.
No Taxation without representation
The British introduced the Stamp Act (1765), requiring all legal documents, wills, newspapers, certificates and playing cards to have a government stamp - which had to be paid for - and the Quartering Act (1765), which imposed taxes to cover the cost of soldiers in the colonies.
The colonists were furious. They did not want to pay more taxes and they especially resented taxes being forced upon them by a parliament in London in which they had no representatives. Opposition groups used the slogan ‘No Taxation without Representation’. There were widespread protests and violence against the Stamp Act in particular. ‘Stamp men’ were beaten up and ‘tarred and feathered.
The act was withdrawn in 1766
Groups such as the Sons of Liberty in Boston attacked British officials, organised boycotts of British goods coming into America and published revolutionary pamphlets and posters demanding changes.
These groups advocated (argued) for Americans to govern themselves.
The Boston massacre
After they had repealed (taken away) the Stamp Act, the British instead imposed the Townshend Acts in 1767, which placed taxes on goods that America imported, such as tea, glass, paint and lead. Tensions and protests continued and in 1770 a Boston mob, protesting at the Townshend Acts, confronted a group of British soldiers. The soldiers opened fire and five people were killed in the ‘Boston Massacre.
Exaggerated accounts soon spread, claiming the soldiers used extreme violence against the citizens.
This led to even more anger among Americans.
The Boston Tea Party
After the Boston Massacre, the British withdrew all the Townshend Acts and other taxes - except a small tax on tea imports, to show they had the right to tax the colonies. However, in 1773 they passed the Tea Act, which exempted the East India Company from paying the tea tax. In December 1773, a group from the Sons of Liberty dressed as Native Americans and dumped 342 crates of East India Company tea into Boston Harbour, an event later known as the Boston Tea Party.
In response, the British government imposed what
The Boston Tea Party
Americans called the ‘intolerable acts’ on Boston and the colony of Massachusetts. The port of Boston was closed until compensation was paid for the tea, the city was put under military rule and the colony’s assembly was suspended.
The First Continental Congress
These actions worried the other colonies: if the British could do that to Massachusetts, they could do it to them. Representatives of the colonies met in the Continental Congress in September 1774.
The Congress opposed all British taxes, urged a boycott of British goods and demanded the removal of British soldiers. Some demanded all-out war, but the majority were not yet willing to go that far.
However, secret groups throughout the colonies began to stockpile weapons and militias (part-time armies) began to train and arm themselves.
The Battle Of Lexington and Concord
The British General Gage tried to stop these developments before they became a full-scale rebellion. In April 1775, he sent 800 troops to seize weapons at Concord, near Boston. An American rebel, Paul Revere, heard about this and organised militiamen to ride throughout the country to warn the rebels that the British were coming. At Lexington, on the way to Concord, a small force of American militiamen engaged the British troops. Ten Americans were killed and eight captured. When the British reached Concord, the weapons were gone. On their way back to Boston there was a larger battle, in which 273 British soldiers died.
The Loss Of Philadelphia
In 1777, the British General Howe’s army of 18,000 men captured Philadelphia, America’s largest city and the home of the Continental Congress. This was a huge blow: many people began to doubt that America could win and they questioned Washington’s leadership.
Turning point
The month after the loss of Philadelphia, the American General Horatio Gates defeated a British army of 8,000 men at Saratoga.
This victory reassured the American people and some of Britain’s European rivals became interested. France, Spain and the Netherlands joined the war against Britain in 1778. French help was particularly key to the colonies’ eventual victory. France sent 6,000 troops and weapons and used its fleet to disrupt British supplies. In addition, more troops had to stay behind in Britain in case of a French attack there.
Valley Forge
After his defeat at Philadelphia, Washington regrouped at a remote base called Valley Forge with his 11,000 men during the winter of 1777-1778. This was one of the harshest winters of the century. The men endured great hardship and hunger in the freezing cold. Disease was rife in the camp and by the end of February, 3,000 men had died.
Hundreds more had deserted (abandoned the army).
However, the army that emerged from Valley Forge at winter’s end had been transformed.
Washington had won the undying loyalty of his men by refusing to abandon them
and sharing in their terrible conditions. During the winter, the professional Prussian soldier Baron Von Steuben had drilled the soldiers until they were as well trained and disciplined as any European army.
