HistoryC5Dstrn Flashcards
from Mr. Tier's Quizlet group, created by Dstrn
Proclamation of 1763
Passed by Parliament which prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains
Reasons for the Proclamation of 1763
To avoid conflict with Native Americans on the frontier; to keep the colonists near the east coast for trading; to allow Britain to control the fur trade in the frontier
Problem with winning the French and Indian War
Britain was left with a huge debt from the French and Indian War and needed revenue to pay off the debt. Britain issued new taxes on the colonies to pay off this debt.
Writs of Assistance
Legal documents allowing customs officers to enter any location to search for smuggled goods (similar to search warrants)
Reason for the Writs of Assistance
Colonial merchants were smuggling goods to avoid paying high prices and taxes to Britain.
Sugar Act
Law passed by Parliament which lowered the tax on imported molasses to convince colonists to pay the tax instead of smuggling and allowed officers to seize smuggled goods without going to court.
Taxation Without Representation
Parliament taxed colonists without their consent or representation in Parliament
Violation of rights as English citizens
Colonists were angry because the acts violated their rights to be secure in their homes and a trial by jury.
Stamp Act
Tax on almost all printed material including newspapers, wills, playing cards. All printed material had to have an official stamp on it once the tax was paid.
Samuel Adams
Started the Boston Sons of Liberty group that formed to protest the Stamp Act.
Sons of Liberty
Groups that formed in the colonies to protest the acts passed by Parliament. Burned effigies and destroyed houses of royal officials.
Effigies
Rag figures representing tax collectors that were burned to protest the unfair acts passed by Parliament.
Stamp Act Congress
Representatives (delegates) from 9 colonies met in New York to protest the stamp act together. They drafted a petition to the king and Parliament declaring the colonies could not be taxes except by their own assemblies.
Boycott
Colonists refused to buy (British goods) as an act of protest against the acts passed by Parliament
Nonimportation agreements
Pledges signed by colonial merchants stating they would not buy or use goods imported from Britain. Hurt the British merchants because they were losing business.
Repeal
To cancel or take back
Declaratory Act
Passed by Parliament the same day the Stamp Act was repealed. Stated that Parliament had the right to tax and make decisions for the British colonies in all cases.
Townshend Acts
Set of laws passed by Parliament applying tax to imported goods such as glass, tea, and paper with the tax being paid at the port of entry.
Redcoats
Nickname given to British soldiers who occupied Boston due to the threat of rebellion by the colonists.
Boston Massacre
Fight between Bostonians and British soldiers in front of the customhouse (where British taxes were collected) due to the increasing tension between colonists and opposition to the laws passed on them by Parliament.
Result of the Boston Massacre
5 colonists were shot and killed. The event was used as propaganda to rally opposition to the British presence in Boston and the colonies.
Propaganda
Information used to influence public opinion. Ex. Paul Revere’s Patriot engraving of the Boston Massacre showing troops firing on an orderly crowd.
Committees of Correspondence
Organization revived by Samuel Adams to protest the acts passed by Parliament. Wrote grievances and complaints against Britain to spread news around the colonies and later sent out calls for volunteers to join the militias.
Tea Act
Law allowing the British East Indian Company to have sole control, a monopoly, of the trade for tea in America. Let the company sell tea directly to shopkeepers and bypass colonial merchants who normally distributed the tea.
Resistance to the Tea Act
Colonists forced ships carrying tea to turn back to England at several colonial ports like New York and Philadelphia. At Boston, the ships stayed resulting in the Boston Tea Party.
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Sons of Liberty organized the event to protest the Tea Act. Men disguised as Native Americans boarded three ships carrying tea from Britain and threw 342 chests overboard into Boston Harbor.
Intolerable Acts
Also known as the Coercive Acts. Harsh laws passed by Parliament intended to punish the people of Massachusetts for their resistance to British law and isolate Boston. Closed Boston Harbor until the Massachusetts colonists paid for the ruined tea. Banned most town meetings in New England. Forced Bostonians to shelter soldiers in their own homes.
Colonial response to the Intolerable Acts
Colonists believed the acts violated their rights as British citizens and the other colonies sent food and clothing to support Boston.
Coercive Acts
Also known as the Intolerable Acts. Harsh laws passed by Parliament intended to punish the people of Massachusetts for their resistance to British law and isolate Boston. Closed Boston Harbor until the Massachusetts colonists paid for the ruined tea. Banned most town meetings in New England. Forced Bostonians to shelter soldiers in their own homes.
1st Continental Congress
Meeting of 55 delegates from all colonies (except Georgia) in Philadelphia to establish a political body to represent American interests and challenge British control. Drafted a statement calling for the repeal of 13 acts of Parliament believing the laws violated the principles of English constitution and their rights as British citizens. Voted to boycott British trade all together. Also asked the colonists to arm themselves against the British.
Patrick Henry
Outspoken defender of colonial rights who attended the Continental Congress. Stated that he is not a Virginian, but an American to show the colonies should come together.
Militias
Groups of citizen soldiers formed in the colonies.
Minutemen
groups of militias who boasted they would be ready to fight in a minute’s notice
Boston, Massachusetts
Town in the New England colonies showing the most acts of resistance to the laws passed by Parliament. Thousands of British troops occupied the city as a result.
Lexington, Massachusetts
Location where the British troops met 70 minutemen who were alerted by Revere and Dawes. A shot was fired and after an exchange of bullets, 8 minutemen lay dead.
Concord, Massachusetts
Location where a colonial arsenal of weapons was located. The weapons were moved before the British arrived. Shots were exchanged at Concord’s North Bridge to trigger the British retreat back to Boston.
British retreat back to Boston
Colonial militia lined the road from Concord to Boston, MA. As the British marched down the road, the militia fired and the British troops suffered over 200 casualties.
Paul Revere
Well-known Patriot for creating the engraving of the Boston massacre and member of the Boston Sons of Liberty who rode to Lexington, Massachusetts to alert the militia the British troops were on the move.
William Dawes
Member of the Boston Sons of Liberty who rode to Lexington, Massachusetts to alert the militia the British troops were on the move with Paul Revere.
Shot heard ‘round the world
First shot fired of the Revolutionary War at Lexington, MA. It is unknown which side fired the first shot.
Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle fought on Breed’s Hill overlooking Boston. The British charged up the hill two times and were held off until the Americans ran out of ammunition during the British’s third charge up. It was a British victory but they suffered heavy casualties.
Significance of the Battle of Bunker Hill
The British learned that defeating the Americans would not be quick or easy.
Loyalists
Colonists who chose to remain loyal to Britain because they did not consider unfair taxes and regulations good reasons for rebellion.
Patriots
Colonists who supported the war for independence believing the British rule was unbearable.
2nd Continental Congress
Meeting of delegates from the colonies in Philadelphia who began to govern the colonies. Authorized the printing of money, set up a post office, established committees to communicate with Native Americans and other countries, and created the Continental Army.
Benjamin Franklin
Attended the Second Continental Congress and served on the committee to draft the Declaration of Independence.
John Hancock
Wealthy merchant who funded many Patriot groups in Boston like the Sons of Liberty. Chosen as president of the 2nd Continental Congress.
Thomas Jefferson
Representative from Virginia to the 2nd Continental Congress. Main author of the Declaration of Independence using the idea that people were born with certain natural rights.
Continental Army
Created by the 2nd Continental Congress to fight against Britain in a more organized way than colonial militias could.
Problems with the Continental Army
Men lacked discipline, organization, and leadership
George Washington
Chosen unanimously by the 2nd Continental Congress to become the commander of the Continental Army.
Olive Branch Petition
Formal request sent by the 2nd Continental Congress to King George III of England. It assured the king of the colonist’s desire for peace and asked him to protest the colonists’ rights. The king refused to receive the petition and instead prepared for war.
Thomas Paine
Published a pamphlet, Common Sense, calling for complete independence. Helped to influence opinion throughout the colonies.
Declaration of Independence
Document drafted by a committee of 5 members of the 2nd Continental Congress. Stated the colonists’ rights as citizens, problems with British rule over the colonies and that they were now a separate nation.
07/04/76
Date the Declaration of Independence was approved by the 2nd Continental Congress.
Preamble
Introduction to the Declaration of Independence stating that people who wish to form a new country should explain why.
Declaration of Rights
Part of the Declaration of Independence stating the rights the colonists believed they should have.
Grievances against the King and Parliament
Part of the Declaration of Independence stating the complaints the colonists have against Britain such as imposing taxes on the colonists without their consent.
Resolution of Independence
Part of the Declaration of Independence proclaiming the existence of the United States of America as a new nation.
