Blue Cards

Question 1

John Calvin

Answer 1

This French-born intellectual expanded on Martin Luther’s Protestant ideals, which contradicted the practices of the Catholic Church. This man established Calvinism, which promotes the idea that God has supreme power and that humans are predestined to enter Heaven or Hell. His followers settled in MA, CT, RI, and NH.

Question 2

Protestant Reformation

Answer 2

This religious movement against the Catholic Church came about as a result of a German monk, Martin Luther, who published his 95 Theses in 1517. The theses protested the Catholic Church and it’s abuses and promoted the idea that faith was enough to gain salvation.

Question 3

The Treaty of Tordesillas

Answer 3

This document was signed between Spain and Portugal in 1494 and decided how Christopher Columbus’s discoveries of the New World would be divided. It ensured Spain’s claims in the Americas and conquistadores were quickly sent in search of gold and silver.

Question 4

Roanoke

Answer 4

This was the first English settlement in North America. It was established by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1585, by mysteriously vanished without a trace.

Question 5

Virginia Company

Answer 5

This company was established in 1607. Lead by Captain John Smith, it’s first venture was to create a colony in Jamestown (in the New World) in order to find gold, Christianize the natives, and secure a passage to India. More importantly, the company gave settlers a charter that guaranteed them the same rights as their fellow citizens in the Old World, thus setting the foundations for the American Revolution.

Question 6

Encomienda

Answer 6

This was a method established by the Spanish in order to enslave Native American populations. The Spanish Crown would give land to Spaniards, but recipients were obligated to care for their native slaves.

Question 7

John Winthrop

Answer 7

This man was the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and a Puritan minister. Proclaiming in his Model of Christian Charity (1630) that Boston would be a “city upon a hill” for the Christian world to see and emulate, he became one of the most influential of the leaders of the New England colonies.

Question 8

Anne Hutchinson

Answer 8

This person was a non-Puritan, or dissenter. She believed that God’s chosen people were either predestined for Heaven or not, so they did not have to obey God’s or man’s laws. After holding prayer meetings in her home and claiming a direct revelation from God, she was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Question 9

Roger Williams

Answer 9

This person was a non-Puritan, or dissenter. A minister from Salem, he believed that the colonists had no right to live on land that had been unlawfully taken from the Native Americans. He also believe that an individual’s conscience made the rule of civil government or church leadership irrelevant. He advocated a complete separation of church and state. Ultimately, he was ordered out of Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1636. He and his followers traveled southward and established the settlement of Providence in what later became the colony of Rhode Island

Question 10

John Rolfe

Answer 10

An influential leader of the Jamestown colony, this man introduced tobacco to Virginia farmers- it soon became the number one cash crop for the region. To derive a profit from tobacco, farmers had to grow large tracts of the crop. Thus, the plantation system was developed.

Question 11

Lord Baltimore

Answer 11

Also known as George Calvert, this man received a portion of the Virginia colony from King Charles I. This Nan’s charge was to create a colony that would serve as both a haven for Catholics and turn a profit for the Crown. Before he could set forth on his mission, he died,
leaving the colony in the hands of his son, who then established the colony of Maryland.

Question 12

Sir William Berkeley

Answer 12

As governor of the Virginia colony, this man enraged the poor farmers in the backwoods by remaining friendly with the Native Americans and failing to protect the land and lives of those living in the western frontier.

Question 13

Nathaniel Bacon

Answer 13

This man capitalized on the complaints of his fellow poor farmers in the backwoods of Virginia by mobilizing them to form a citizen’s militia. In 1676, his militia engaged in a series of raids against local native villages, massacring inhabitants. The mob was successful in defeating Sir William Berkeley’s (the governor’s) forces, and then set fire to Jamestown.

Question 14

William and Mary

Answer 14

The couple was appointed by Parliament as the successors of King James II. Colonists expected them to rule less directly than James II; however, Parliament continued to restrict self-rule of the colonies.

Question 15

The Church of England

Answer 15

Also known as the Anglican Church, this Church was founded in 1534 by King Henry VIII. The king sought to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon. However, Pope Clement VII refused to dissolve the marriage. Enraged, the king (who had named himself “Defender of the Faith”) broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created this Church.

Question 16

Puritans

Answer 16

This group in England protested against the similarities between the Anglican Church and the Catholic Church. Encouraged by the teachings of John Calvin, this group sought to “purify” the Anglican Church by ridding it of the ceremony and regalia of the Catholic Church. King James I believed these people to be a threat to his power and vigorously attempted to expel them from England.

Question 17

New England Confederation

Answer 17

The New England colonies formed this organization in 1643 to provide collective security from attack by surrounding Native American tribes. This organization aided in the development of colonial self-leadership and widened the differences between the Mother country and her colonial citizens.

Question 18

Separatists

Answer 18

This is another name for Puritans who felt that they needed to abandon the Church of England altogether and set up a new church independent of the monarchy. This group of Puritans, more commonly known as Pilgrims, set out in 1620 aboard the Mayflower bound for Virginia.

Question 19

Nonseparatists

Answer 19

This is another name for the Puritans who arrived in New England in 1629 due to oppression and persecution by the English Crown. While in England, these Puritans believed they must remain within the Church of England to reform it.

Question 20

Quakers

Answer 20

This small group of dissenters (non-Puritans) believed in the power of one’s “inner light,” or that the power of God resided in the soul of the individual. They were ordered to leave the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Several were executed, and several joined William Penn of England in the founding of Pennsylvania or “Penn’s Woods.”

Question 21

The Great Migration

Answer 21

This occurred when large numbers of Puritan families ventured across the Atlantic, seeking religious freedom and a fresh start. It occurred in the 1630s and the destination was the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Question 22

Holy Experiment

Answer 22

This project, established by William Penn, sought to explore the establishment of a liberal state while advertising to attract a wide array of potential settlers to the colony. Settlers from all walks of life and from many northern and western European nations were lured to Pennsylvania, a haven for Quakers, by the promise of land, religious freedom, and democracy.

Question 23

Bacon’s Rebellion

Answer 23

This event occurred in 1676 when a citizen militia engaged in a series of raids against local native villages, massacring inhabitants. The mob was successful in defeating Sir William Berkeley’s forces, and then set fire to Jamestown. This occurrence was significant in that it signaled the problems of social division, resistance on the part of colonists against royal governance, and, most importantly, the difficulty of controlling former indentured servants. This led to an increase in the demand for black slaves.

Question 24

Pueblo Revolt

Answer 24

This event, which occurred on August 10,1680, in modern-day Santa Fe, New Mexico, was the most successful uprising against Spanish authority in the New World. The Native Americans took over he governor’s residence as their own and remained there to protect their land. Spain was unable to reclaim its New Mexico colony for nearly 50 years.

Question 25

Glorious Revolution

Answer 25

This event occurred in 1688 when Parliament overthrew King James II and replaced him with his daughter Mary and her Dutch husband, William III of Orange.

Question 26

Mayflower Compact

Answer 26

This agreement, drafted while the Pilgrims were sailing toward the New World, set up a secular body to administer the leadership of the colony. This document also set the stage for the concepts of the separation of church and state an the rule of the majority. Despite this division between governance and church, religion remained the most important aspect of the Plymouth colonists.

Question 27

Halfway Covenant

Answer 27

This agreement, established in 1662, gave nonconverted Puritans partial membership in the Church. The reason was that many young Puritans in the Massachusetts Bay Colony were not full members of the Congregational Church; thus, the children of these people could not be baptized and the Church was losing membership.

Question 28

Dominion of New England

Answer 28

This method of control was established by King James II in 1686. It aimed at bringing the New England colonies under stricter royal control. According to the king, the colonies existed purely for the economic benefit of the Mother country (England). Navigation Laws were instituted by Parliament to restrict colonial trade relationships with countries other than England. The colonists reacted with distaste and quiet rebellion. Smuggling and large black markets for smuggles goods became very common during this time.

Question 29

Act of Toleration

Answer 29

This act, which was a result of Lord Baltimore’s (George Calvert’s) efforts in persuading the legislative assembly, was passed in 1649. It ensured “religious freedom” in Maryland for all Christians. The act was not tolerant of all religions, however. It provided the death penalty for any non-Christian. Eventually the majority Protestants rebelled and were successful in repealing the act. The victory was short-lived, however, as Oliver Cromwell restored the act in 1650.

Question 30

Fundamental Orders

Answer 30

This was the “first constitution” in colonial America. It was drafted in 1639 by the citizens of Connecticut. While it modeled itself after the government of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the document called for the power of government to be derived from the governed.

Question 31

Salem

Answer 31

In 1692, this city in Massachusetts was the site of mass hysteria relating to witchcraft. Twenty people were executed, and the prestige of the traditional Puritan clergy was damaged beyond repair.

Question 32

Headright system

Answer 32

This system was established in Chesapeake to deal with labor shortages due to disease and low birth rates. A landowner would pay the passage from England for a white “indentured servant” and receive 50 acres of land in return. These servants were bound by the indenture until their passage was paid back in the form of labor- usually a term of seven years.

Question 33

Jonathan Edwards

Answer 33

This “New Light” preacher is credited with starting the Great Awakening in 1734 by giving sermons that encouraged parishioners to absolve their sins and pay penance by praying for salvation. His most famous sermon was titled “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” which he delivered in 1741.

Question 34

New Light preachers

Answer 34

These preachers crisscrossed the colonies speaking to large crowds about the “fire and brimstone” eternity all sinners would face if they did not absolve their sins publicly. These preachers sought to undermine the power and prestige of “Old Light” ministers by proclaiming that ordinary people could understand the gospel of The Lord without the leadership of a man of the cloth.

Question 35

Triangular Trade

Answer 35

This network worked like this: the New England colonies provided timber, fish, and manufactured goods to Caribbean islands in exchange for molasses that would be used to make rum in New England. The rum would make its way to Africa in exchange for African slaves. Slaves would then eventually make their way to the colonies, thus completing the network.

Question 36

The Great Awakening

Answer 36

This religious fervor of the 1630s had three main effects: First, historians believe this religious experience was one of the foundations of the democratization of colonial society that occurred after the 1740s. Second, new sects within the Protestant faith arose as a result of the religious rebirth. Baptists and Methodists, who emphasized emotion in their sermons, attracted many followers, which led to competition in attracting congregants. Finally, many universities were founded to educate “New Light” ministers who were in high demand.

Question 37

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

Answer 37

In this sermon given by “New Light” preacher Jonathan Edwards in 1741, churchgoers were told that God was angry with the sinners of the Earth, and only those who obeyed God’s word would be free from damnation.

Question 38

stratification

Answer 38

This social structure of the English colonies became more apparent as the seventeenth century came to a close. The influx of more affluent immigrants and the further development of the plantation economy in the South further distanced the gap between the rich and the poor. The Puritans in New England viewed wealth and success as a sign that one was a member of the elect, and in the South this social structure had been carried over from the old feudal society of England.

Question 39

Mercantilism

Answer 39

This concept showed that the colonies existed solely to provide raw materials and as a market of consumers for the Mother country. This was especially true after the ascension of James II to the throne and the establishment of the Dominion of England in 1686.

Question 40

Benjamin Franklin

Answer 40

This man helped the Albany Congress construct the Albany Plan of Union, which called for a confederation of colonies to provide for defense from attack by European and native foes during the French and Indian War. He also used his newspaper, The Pennsylvania Gazette, to encourage colonists to support the union plan with a political cartoon titled “Join, or Die.”

Question 41

John Locke

Answer 41

The British philosopher created a theory of natural rights that challenged the absolute and divine rule of kings and queens by asserting that all men should be ruled by natural laws and that sovereignty was derived by the will of those governed. He also asserted that the governed have a responsibility to rebel against a government that fails to protect the natural rights of life, liberty, and property.

Question 42

Stamp Act Congress

Answer 42

This body, with representatives from 9 of the 13 colonies, sent word to England in 1765 that only colonial legislatures had the authority to tax the colonists. The colonists agreed that external taxes- levies imposed throughout the empire on traded goods- were within the rights of the Crown to impose.

Question 43

Sons and Daughters of Liberty

Answer 43

This group, led by Samuel Adams, intimidated tax collectors by attacking their homes, burning them in effigy, and even tarring and feathering them. They even ransacked warehouses that held stamps and burned them to the ground.

Question 44

The French and Indian War

Answer 44

This war, also known as The Seven Years’ War, started when the French began fortifying the Ohio Valley region to deter the British from settling further west. In 1754, Lt. Colonel George Washington’s men were sent to prevent the French from putting finishing touches on Fort Duquesne. Washington’s forces proved weak, and finally surrendered. The British were more successful when they turned to conquering Canada. The French surrendered Quebec and Montreal, resulting in the Peace of Paris. The British took control of Canada and Florida, effectively removing the French presence in North America.

Question 45

Pontiac’s Rebellion

Answer 45

This event occurred in 1763 when the Ottawans, led by Chief Pontiac, launched an attack on the new colonial settlements from the Great Lakes region, of what is now Michigan, all the way to Virginia. The damage to British forts and colonial settlements was significant, with many lives lost and homes destroyed. British regular forces were sent to protect the colonies, and the situation ended after 18 months of fighting.

Question 46

Boston Massacre

Answer 46

This event took place in March 1770. The residents of Boston were particularly angered about the enforcement of the Quartering Act. Many British regulars had been stationed in the city to protect the port and collect customs duties from imported British goods. A crowd of disgruntled Bostonians began to harass the troops guarding the customs house by throwing rocks and frozen oysters. The guards fired upon the crowd, killing five and wounding six protesters.

Question 47

Boston Tea Party

Answer 47

This event occurred in 1773 in response to the Tea Act. As a new tea shipment sat in Boston Harbor, a group of colonists dressed as Native Americans boarded the ship, broke open the crates, and dumped the tea into the water. Colonists disputed whether this should be applauded as a protest against oppression or if it was simply a childish destruction of property. Lord North was not pleased. He persuaded Parliament to pass the Coercive Acts, which would close Boston Harbor until the tea was paid for, and revoke the charter of the colony of Massachusetts.

Question 48

The Albany Plan of Union

Answer 48

This plan, constructed by the Albany Congress, called for a confederation of colonies to provide for defense from attack by European and native foes during the French and Indian War. Unfortunately, the colonies rejected the plan because they felt it was too restrictive; the British felt it allowed for too much colonial independence.

Question 49

Peace of Paris

Answer 49

This treaty, which ended the French and Indian War in 1763, allowed the British to take control of French Canada and Spanish Florida, effectively removing the French presence in North America.

Question 50

Proclamation of 1763

Answer 50

This document, signed by King George III in 1763, set line of demarcation that barred American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains. The British saw this as a quick and easy way to make peace with the Native American tribes of the region. British colonists, on the other hand, were incensed by the apparent permanent interference of the Crown in their ability to rightfully take land they had won in battle. Most colonists simply ignored the line and settled west in larger numbers than before the French and Indian war.

Question 51

Sugar Acts

Answer 51

These acts of 1764 raised the previous amount demanded on sweeteners (molasses and sugar) from the older Molasses Act of 1733. Britain wanted to collect the tax revenue they had been losing to the Triangular Trade by taxing molasses from the West Indies and abroad, but mainly the tax was elites to make money for the Crown.

Question 52

Quartering Act

Answer 52

This act of 1765 required colonial citizens to provide room and board for British soldiers stationed in the colonies. This act was tame in the eyes of the colonist- it was laxly enforced and rarely affected their everyday lives.

Question 53

Stamp Act

Answer 53

This act of 1765 was an attempt by Britain to collect revenue for a new colonial army. The act required that all paper (including death and marriage certificates and newspapers) was to have a stamp affixed, signifying tax had been paid. This was the first time the colonists had been subjected to a direct tax- paid directly by the consumer of the paper good produced in the colony- as opposed to paying an indirect tax on an imported good. British Prime Minister George Grenville felt this was fair, as the colonists were paying their fair share of the burden of war.

Question 54

Declaratory Act

Answer 54

When the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766, it was replaced by this act, which maintained the right of the Crown to tax the colonies in the future.

Question 55

Townsend Acts

Answer 55

These acts, passes in 1767, brought harsh taxes on goods such as glass, paper, and tea. In addition, a board of customs officials was appointed to enforce writs of assistance that allowed a search of colonial homes, businesses, and warehouses for smuggled goods without a warrant. While the colonists felt that any increase in taxes signaled an abuse of Parliament, they were slow to react to these duties as they were external, rather than internal, taxes. Eventually, boycotts of British goods began. Wishing to avoid economic troubles, Prime Minister Lord North repealed these acts in 1770.

Question 56

Massachusetts Circular Letter

Answer 56

This letter, written by Samuel Adams in 1768, explained that there was no distinction between external and internal taxes, and that the Townsend Acts must be immediately repealed. The letter was copied and distributed throughout the colonies, sparking the rejuvenation of boycotts of British goods.

Question 57

Tea Act

Answer 57

This act, passed in 1773, actually lowered the price of tea. However, colonists were wary at any attempt by Britain to collect revenue and refused to purchase the tea.

Question 58

Coercive Acts

Answer 58

These acts, passed in 1773, closed Boston Harbor until the tea ruined during the Boston Tea Party was paid for, and it also revoked the charter of the colony of Massachusetts. This put the colony under the control of the Crown and expanded the scope of the Quartering Act, which allowed soldiers to be boarded in private homes.

Question 59

Quebec Act

Answer 59

This act, also known as the Intolerable Acts of 1774, basically allowed the former French region to be self-sufficient and expanded its borders, taking away potential lands from colonists in the Ohio River Valley.

Question 60

Intolerable Acts

Answer 60

These acts, also known as the Quebec Act of 1774, basically allowed the former French region to be self-sufficient and expanded its borders, taking away potential lands from colonists in the Ohio River Valley. This name was given to the acts by enraged colonists who were angered more by the provision to allow Québécois to freely practice Catholicism than by the other acts of this era.

Question 61

Salutary neglect

Answer 61

This practice, supported by British Prime Minister Robert Walpole, meant that the British would protect the colonies and provide trade opportunities, but other than that, the colonists were left to their own devices. This practice encouraged the colonists to develop their own systems of governance, economic networks, and ideologies.

Question 62

Writs of assistance

Answer 62

These documents, related to the Townsend Acts, allowed customs officials to search colonial homes, businesses, and warehouses for smuggled goods without a warrant from a judge.

Question 63

Thomas Paine

Answer 63

In 1776, this man, a recent English immigrant to the colonies, published a pamphlet that would shift the radical notion of independence from England to the mainstream. Titled Common Sense, the pamphlet used John Locke’d natural rights philosophy to justify that the citizens of the colonies were obligated to rebel against the oppression of Britain and that it would be contrary to common sense to allow the injustices to continue.

Question 64

Daniel Shays

Answer 64

This man, along with a band of Massachusetts farmers, rose up during the summer of 1786 and demanded restitution and tax relief. His rebellion escalated in January 1787 when the mob undertook a seizure of the state arsenal.

Question 65

James Madison

Answer 65

At a convention in Annapolis in 1786, this political heavyweight, along with Alexander Hamilton, secured the calling of another convention, this time to be held in Philadelphia, where the focus of the meeting was to revise and repair the Articles of Confederation.

Question 66

Alexander Hamilton

Answer 66

At a convention in Annapolis in 1786, this political heavyweight, along with James Madison, secured the calling of another convention, this time to be held in Philadelphia, where the focus of the meeting was to revise and repair the existing Articles of Confederation.

Question 67

First Continental Congress

Answer 67

This meeting of representatives from 12 colonies took place in Philadelphia in 1774. The group met to discuss possible reactions to the Intolerable Acts. First, the urges colonies to build military reserves and organize boycotts of British goods. Second, the Declaration of Rights and Grievances was sent to urge the king to correct wrongs incurred by colonists; it also acknowledged Parliament’s authority to regulate trade and commerce. Finally, they created the Association, which called for the creation of “boycott committees” throughout the colonies.

Question 68

Patriots

Answer 68

This is the name given to colonists who fought for independence from the British.

Question 69

Loyalists

Answer 69

This is the name given to colonists who sided with the British. They are also known as Tories.

Question 70

Tories

Answer 70

This is the name given to colonists who sided with the British. They are also known as Loyalists.

Question 71

Battle of Saratoga

Answer 71

This battle, which took place in October 1777 and was fought by Generals Benedict Arnold and Horatio Gates, was the most important battle of the American Revolution. American forces were able to cut off the British charge on New England and secure the surrender of British General Burgoyne’s army, thus convincing the French of America’s military viability. The French had been waiting for evidence of an American success so they could justify entering the war on behalf of the revolutionaries.

Question 72

Shay’s Rebellion

Answer 72

This uprising, fought by Daniel Shays and a band of Massachusetts farmers, took place during the summer of 1786. The rebels demanded restitution and tax relief. This uprising escalated in January 1787 when the mob undertook a seizure of the state arsenal. At this stage, the Massachusetts militia marched in and quelled the uprising.

Question 73

Constitutional Convention

Answer 73

This meeting, which took place in Philadelphia in 1787, was meant to revise and repair the existing Articles of Confederation, but in fact resulted in the creation of a new government and the United States Constitution.

Question 74

Declaration of Rights and Grievances

Answer 74

This document, sent to King George III by the First Continental Congress in 1774, urged him to correct the wrongs incurred by the colonists, but did not acknowledge the authority of Parliament to regulate trade and commerce.

Question 75

Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Arms

Answer 75

This document, drawn up by the Second Continental Congress in 1775, urged by King George III a second time to consider colonial grievances and provided for the raising of a professional colonial military force.

Question 76

Olive Branch Petition

Answer 76

This document, sent by the Second Continental Congress to Britain in July 1775, was a last gesture of peace and a preventative measure against total war. This document reasserted colonial loyalty to the Crown and asked King George III to intervene with Parliament on their behalf. The king, however, refused once again to recognize the legitimacy of the Congress.

Question 77

Common Sense

Answer 77

This pamphlet, published by Thomas Paine in January 1776, used John Locke’s natural rights philosophy to justify that the citizens of the colonies were obligated to rebel against the oppression of Britain and that it would be contrary to common sense to allow the injustices to continue. Members of the Second Continental Congress read this pamphlet with great interest, thereby integrating Paine’s arguments into their deliberations in Philadelphia.

Question 78

Declaration of Independence

Answer 78

This document, which would reiterate the resolution of June 7, 1776, to declare the colonies independent, was drafted by Thomas Jefferson and four other delegates. The document in its original form was a labor of love for Jefferson. It contained a preamble that heavily reflected the philosophy of John Locke regarding natural rights. Jefferson listed 27 grievances and charges of wrongdoing directed at the Crown and Parliament. This document was the official break of the colonies from England, this making the Unites State a country in its own right.

Question 79

Treat of Paris

Answer 79

This treaty, signed in 1783, was a peace settlement that ended the American Revolution. The treaty included a formal recognition of the United States as a county, a boundary that stretched west to the Mississippi River, and the retention of American fishing rights in Newfoundland. For their part, the Americans agreed to repay debts to British merchants and promised not to punish Loyalists who chose to remain in the United States.

Question 80

Articles of Confederation

Answer 80

This document, slightly altered from John Dickinson’s draft national constitution, was created by the Second Continental Congress and sent to the states in 1777. After a dispute between coastal and inland states over the administration of westward lands, it was ratified in 1781 and provided a necessary template for government. It provided for a central government with a unicameral legislative branch which could wage war, make treaties, and borrow money to pay debts. It also established policies regarding the settlement and statehood of newly acquired westward lands.

Question 81

The Land Ordinance of 1785

Answer 81

This ordinance required new townships to set aside a parcel of land for public education and stipulated that the sale of public lands would be used to pay off the national debt. The settlement of the Old Northwest would thus be orderly in contrast to relatively unorganized settlement in the South.

Question 82

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787

Answer 82

This ordinance established guidelines for attaining statehood, whereby territories with at least 60,000 people could apply for statehood; if accepted by Congress, the new date would have equal status with other states. Moreover, this ordinance banned slavery north of the Ohio River, thereby guaranteeing future free states in the Midwest.