AOS 1 Flashcards
1
Q
What was the purpose of the Tea Act of 1773
A
- Not to raise revenue or assert authority over America.
- It was designed to prevent the British East India Company from going bankrupt by allowing it to sell tea directly to the colonies.
- Made tea cheaper in the colonies, but still kept the tea tax from the Townshend Duties.
2
Q
What did the Stamp Act of 1765 require?
A
- Colonists had to pay a tax on printed materials such as newspapers, legal documents, and playing cards.
- Passed to help cover the costs of defending the colonies after the French and Indian War.
- Led to colonial protests, particularly by the Sons of Liberty.
3
Q
What was the colonial reaction to the Stamp Act?
A
- Colonists opposed it, believing they should only be taxed by their own representatives.
- The Sons of Liberty organized protests, including violent actions against tax collectors.
4
Q
What did the Townshend Duties (1767) tax?
A
- Goods like glass, paper, paint, tea, and lead.
- The purpose was to raise revenue to pay British officials in the colonies.
- Colonists resisted, believing it was another form of taxation without representation.
5
Q
What were the Sons and Daughters of Liberty?
A
- Organized groups that led protests, boycotts, and acts of resistance against British policies.
- The Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams, used direct action, while the Daughters of Liberty helped with home-front boycotts.
6
Q
What was the Circular Letter of 1768?
A
-A letter written by Samuel Adams criticizing the Townshend Acts.
-Called for a unified colonial response and stated that the duties were unconstitutional.
7
Q
What led to the Boston Massacre in 1770?
A
- Tensions between British soldiers and colonists escalated after soldiers were stationed in Boston and took jobs from locals.
- The massacre occurred after a snowball fight led to British soldiers firing into a crowd, killing five colonists, including Crispus Attucks.
8
Q
What was the significance of the Boston Tea Party (1773)?
A
- A protest against the Tea Act of 1773, which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales.
- Colonists, disguised as Native Americans, boarded British ships and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor.
9
Q
What were the Coercive Acts (1774)?
A
- A series of punitive laws passed in response to the Boston Tea Party.
- Aimed to punish Massachusetts, recover the cost of the destroyed tea, and remove power from radical colonists.
- Known in America as the Intolerable Acts.
10
Q
What was the First Continental Congress?
A
- A meeting of 56 delegates from 12 colonies (Georgia did not attend) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1774.
- The purpose was to discuss the situation in Massachusetts and form a unified colonial response to the Coercive Acts.
11
Q
What were the Committees of Correspondence?
A
- Groups formed to coordinate communication about British actions and colonial grievances.
- Played a key role in spreading revolutionary ideas and uniting the colonies against British policies.
12
Q
What happened during the Lexington and Concord skirmishes (1775)?
A
- British troops attempted to seize colonial gunpowder and arrest revolutionary leaders.
- Colonists were alerted in advance by Paul Revere and others, leading to resistance.
- The first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired, marking the start of the American Revolution.
13
Q
What was the Battle of Bunker Hill (1775)?
A
- A significant early battle in the Revolutionary War.
- Though the British won, they suffered heavy losses, proving that the colonial forces could stand up to them.
- The battle showed the resilience of the American forces and boosted morale.
14
Q
Who was Crispus Attucks?
A
- A free Black man who was the first person killed in the Boston Massacre in 1770.
- He became a symbol of the American struggle for independence.
15
Q
What was the Galloway Plan of Union?
A
- A proposal presented at the First Continental Congress by Joseph Galloway.
- It suggested that the colonies should form a unified government with a colonial assembly that would work with a royal governor appointed by the British Crown.
- It was rejected by the Congress in favor of a more radical stance.
16
Q
What was the purpose of the Power Alarms (1774)
A
- A series of rumors and tensions leading up to the Revolutionary War.
- After British General Thomas Gage attempted to seize gunpowder from colonial stores, the news spread quickly, causing panic and mobilization among the colonies.
- Led to the formation of militias and the “express riders” to warn about possible British troop movements.
17
Q
What were the Intolerable Acts?
A
- The term used by the colonists to refer to the Coercive Acts of 1774.
- These laws were aimed at punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party and included measures like closing Boston’s port and reducing the colony’s self-governance.
- They led to widespread resistance and helped spark the convening of the First Continental Congress.
18
Q
What was the outcome of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
A
- The British won the battle, but it was a costly victory, losing 226 men, while the Americans lost fewer than half that number.
- The battle showed that colonial forces could stand up to the British army, boosting morale for the American cause.
19
Q
What were the Committees of Safety?
A
- These were local groups formed to monitor British troop movements and prepare for potential conflict.
- They were crucial in organizing resistance during the lead-up to the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
-Helped to ensure the colonists were ready in case of British aggression.
20
Q
Why did the British East India Company need help from the British government in 1773?
A
