Chapter 6: Making War and Republican Governments Flashcards
Battle of Long Island
first major engagement of the New Continental Army, defending against 32000 troops in NYC
Battle of Saratoga
a multistage battle in New York ending with the surrender for General Burgoyne. The victory ensured the diplomatic success of American representatives in Paris who won a military alliance with the French
Valley Forge
a military forge in which George Washington’s army of 12000 soldiers suffered horribly in the winter of 1777-1778
Philipsburg Proclamation
a 1779 proclamation that declared that any slave who deserted a rebel master would receive protection, freedom, and land from Great Britain
Guerrillas
people who participated in improper fighting with a small independent force. Led by General Francis Marion
Battle of Yorktown
a battle in which French and American troops and a French fleet trapped the British army under the command of Charles Cornwallis. The Franco-American victory broke the resolve of the British government
Currency Tax
a hidden tax on the farmers and artisans who accepted Continental bills in payment for supplies and on the thousands of soldiers who took them as pay. Because rampant inflation, Continental currency lost much of its value during the war-thus the implicit on those who accepted it as payment
Treaty of Paris of 1783
the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. In the treaty, Great Britain recognized American independence and relinquished its claims to lands south of the Great Lakes and East of the Mississippi River
Pennsylvania Constitution of 1776
a Constitution that granted all taxpaying men the right to vote and hold office. It created a unicameral legislature with complete power; there was no governor to exercise a veto. Other provisions mandated a system of elementary education and protected from imprisonment from debt.
Mixed Government
called for three branches of government, each representing one function; executive, legislative, and judicial. This system dispersed authority and was devised to maintain a balance of power and ensure the legitimacy of governmental procedures
