Key Individuals Flashcards
King George III
Monarch of Britain during the Revolutionary War - often depicted as the initiator of the American Revolution
George Washington
General of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States. Washington was one of the largest slave-holders in the South.
Samuel Adams
Significantly influential in the Revolution - organized the Sons of Liberty, wrote the ‘Journal of Events’, the ‘Massachusetts Circular Letter’, ‘A Short Narrative of the Horrid Massacre of Boston’, organized Committees of Correspondence and Boston Tea Party.
John Hancock
Most important contribution was sending money and supplies to the Continental Army - was a well-known smuggler from Boston - had the first and largest signature on the Declaration of Independence
John Adams
A Boston lawyer, John Adams was a more conservative member of the Founding Fathers, and was the Second US President in 1797.
Thomas Paine
Influential writer of Common Sense (1776) and American Crisis (1776). Common Sense brought revolutionary ideas to the common man.
Benjamin Franklin
A famous Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin was an early advocate of colonial liberty (Albany Plan 1754). Convinced France to join the war.
Lord North
A Tory British Prime Minister who led from 1770 until 1782 - passed the Coercive Acts to try and shut down Boston, but only succeeded in increasing tensions.
Paul Revere
An active member of the Sons of Liberty, famous for his propaganda (such as the Boston Massacre engraving) and his ‘midnight ride’ on the eve of the Battle of Lexington-Concord.
John Dickinson
Wrote ‘Letters from a Farmer’ despite being a lawyer, which argued against the Townsend Duties in 1767.
Patrick Henry
Member of the Virginian House of Burgesses - often articulated radical ideas, famous for saying “Give me liberty, or give me death”
