American Revolution Flashcards
Stamp Act
The stamp Act of 1765 was the first internal tax levied directly on American colonies by the British Parliament.
Declaratory Act
Was an Act of the British Parliament in 1766 that declared that parliament had full power and authority to make laws and pass laws for the American colonies
Coercive (or Intolerable) Acts
Were a series of four laws passed by the British parliament to punish the colony of Massachusetts Bay for the Boston Tea Party. the four acts were the Boston Port Act, the Massachusetts Government Act, the Administration of justice Act, and the Quartering Act.
Common sense
Writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “common sense”setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. He begins by distinguishing government and society. Society is everything constructive and good that people join together to accomplish. Government, is an institution whose sole purpose is to protect us from our own vices. Government has its origins in the evil of man and is therefore a necessary evil at best. Governments sole purpose is to protect life, liberty and property and that a government should be judged solely on the basis of the extent to which is accomplished this goal.
Sons of liberty
A group most famous for their role in the Boston Tea Party. They used violence to demonstrate and ouch back against British rule.
Boston tea party
The Boston tea party was an American political and mercantile protest by the sons of liberty in Boston. The target was the tea act which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying taxes apart from those imposed by the Townsend Acts. The sons of liberty strongly opposed the taxes in the Townshend act as a violation of their rights. in response, the sons of liberty destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company.
Boston massacre
The Boston Massacre was a deadly riot that occurred on King Street in Boston. It began as a street brawl between American colonists and a lone British solders, but quickly escalated to a chaotic, bloody slaughter. A lot of “normal people” died as we saw on the painting you showed in class.
Natural rights
Jefferson revealed his idea of natural right in the phrases, “all men are created equal” “inalienable rights” and “ life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”
Townshend Duties
Were a series of British acts of parliament passed introducing a series of taxes and regulations to fund administration of the British colonies in America.
Thomas Paine
Was an English-American writer and political pamphleteer. His common sense pamphlet and crisis paper were important influences on the American Revolution
John Dickinsons farmers letters
John Dickinson, a lawyer and landowner in Pennsylvania, published a series of twelve letter in opposition to the Townshend Acts. These letters, all signed “A Farmer,” laid out a case against the acts. Dickinson argued that the acts were an unjustified expansion of British authority over the colonies, which was not only bad for the colonies but bad for the entire imperial system.
Continental Congress
The continental congress served as the government of the 13 American colonies, and later the United States. Five years later, the congress ratified the first national constitution, the articles of confederation, under which the country would be governed until it was replaced by the U.S. Constitution.
Tea Act
Acts main purpose was to create monopoly on sale of tea from East India company to help British economy
Navigation Acts
Were a long series of English laws that developed, promoted, and regulated English ships, shipping, trade, and commerce between other countries and with its own colonies.
Edenton Ladies
In 1774, fifty women in Edenton, North Carolina, signed and published a statement declaring their intention to boycott all British goods. It was the first women’s public collective political action in American history.
