The American Revolution Flashcards
Proclamation Act of 1763
Outlined the boundries of the colonies and limited westward expansion (cutting some colonies almost in half)
- British perspective: would limit conflicts with Native Americans
- Colonists perspective: contradicted salutary neglect and limited their economic growth
Stamp Act of 1765
A British tax that required colonists to pay, represented by a stamp, on various papers, documents, and playing cards (affected middle and upper classes)
- BP: Seven Years War cost a lot of money and this was a good way to make revenue
- CP: Being punished for helping win the Seven Years War. They weren’t represented in Parliament so they shouldn’t be taxed without consent
Stamp Act Congress
Delegates from 9 colonies meet to discuss how to approach appealing the Stamp Act. Recognized British authority to regulate trade but not taxing because they weren’t represented in British Parliament
The Sons of Liberty
Take radical approached to British policies. Held rallies, meetings, and even physically harmed (tar and feathering) or threatened tax collectors/governors/ and other British officials
Samuel Adams
the leader of the Sons of Liberty and
would call on his “Patriots” to target any tax
collector or British official who would not comply (extreme but effective). Promoted ideas of considering independency
The Quatering Act of 1765
Due to violence in the streets of Boston: British soldiers could quarter/house in Boston buildings/warehouses/ and other private establishments without the consent of those who lived there
Townshend Acts of 1767
Suspending Act, Revenue Act, Commisioners Customs Act, Indemnity Act
Suspending Act
Suspended the New York Assembly until they complied with the Quatering Act
(Townshend Acts)
Revenue Act
Placed taxes on British imports like lead, glass, paint, paper, and tea
(Townshend Acts)
Commissioners Customs Act
Created British agencies that would control the price of imports, selected by Britain, in effort to raise taxes
(Townshend Acts)
Indemnity Act
Forced colonists to buy tea from the East India Company, in an effort to restore stability in England’s most prominent country
(Townshend Acts)
East India Company
Controlled 1/2 of the world’s trade; verge of bankrupcty; corruption
Boston Massacre 1770
Street fight between “patriot” mob and squad of British soldiers. Soldiers went on trial for murder, but John Adams defended them and found them not guilty
John Adams
Patriot; One of Boston’s greatest and fastest lawyers; very vocal for independence after Boston Massacre trial
Boston Tea Party 1773
Nearly a million dollars of British Tea (from East India Company) was thrown into the Boston Harbor by the Sons of Liberty
Coercive Acts 1774
Response to Boston Tea Party: Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Adminstration of Justice Act, Quatering Act of 1774
Boston Port Act
Closes the port of Boston until the damages were paid for
Coercive Acts
Massachusetts Government Act
Resticrs town meetings and turns governing power to an appointed council
(Coercive Acts)
Administration of Justice Act
Made British officers immune to criminal persecution in Massachusetts
(Coercive Acts)
Quatering Act of 1774
British soldiers could quater in private homes
Coercive Acts
First Continental Congress
1774; in Philadelphia; formed in response to the Coercive Acts; organized a boycott of British goods
Benjamin Franklin
Writer, scientist, inventor, printer, statesman, and diplomat; after the Stamp Act he went to Britain to try to convince for inclusion in British Parliament; part of First Continental Congress
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense 1775
pamphlet in which Paine advocated for independence from Britain
Lexington & Concord
British army set out to capture Samuel Adams and John Hancock, as well as destroy American store of weapons; marks the start of the American Revolutionary War
Olive Branch Petition
Colonists final attempt to aviod going to war sent to King George; King George replies saying anyone who is at the meeting will be put on trial for treason and hung
Second Continental Congress 1776
Pushed over the edge by King George’s response to the Olive Branch Petition so they decide to declare independence (Declaration of Independece); first true government - Articles of Confederation (The AoC were not written yet. I’m adding this cause it confused me -TK)
Thomas Jefferson (American Revolution)
Viewed as one of the youngest and brightest minds in the American colonies; Author of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
Declaration of war; explains the colonists’ rights to revolution
George Washington (American Revolution)
Commander in Chief of Continental Army
*becomes first president
The Northern Campaign
Battles of: Boston, NYC, Saratoga, Philadelphia, and Monmouth
Our armies were unprepared; our money meant nothing yet because we were not a real nation yet
Battle of Yorktown 1781
British surrender ended the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War (summarized)
Colonists lost a lot of battles but kept fighting; French helped; British get tired of fighting in the colonies and want peace so they surrender
Articles of Confederation
America’s first government; designed to strengthen the rights of state governments over the federal government; adopted in 1777
Problems with Articles of Confederation
The federal government was powerless against state governments who could print their own currency (different exchange rates, money becomes worthless and cheap), create their own trade laws (trade comes to a standstill), control their own militias
Shay’s Rebellion 1786
- Armed uprising in Massachusetts in response to a debt crisis among the citizenry and in opposition to the state government’s efforts to collect taxes (on individuals and trade).
- Exposed the weakness of the Articles of Confederation and led many to call for strengthening the federal government in order to put down future uprisings.
Alexander Hamiltion (American Revolution)
Lawyer, writer; George Washington’s most trusted officer/advisor during American Revolution; believed the US needed a much stronger federal government and a National Bank
James Madison (American Revolution)
Thomas Jefferson’s right hand man; became Virginia’s foremost thinker and speaker, in the absence of Thomas Jefferson (Ambassador to France); believed the fed gov should be stronger, but not too strong that it would infringe on the rights of individuals
John Marshall (American Revolution)
Believed in strong federal government; would become very loyal to Washington and Hamilton
James Monroe (American Revolution)
Believed federal government should not have too much power; Jefferson’s brightest pupil
The Constitutional Convention
Delagates meet in Philadelphia; a series of compromises are made that will create a new system known as the U.S. Constitution
The Compromises of the Constitutinal Convention
The Great Compromise, the Three Fifths Compromise, the Commerce Compromsie, the Slave Trade Compromise, the Electoral College Compromise
The Great Compromise
A bi-cameral legislature composed of a House of Representatives (based on population) and a Senate (based on representation; 2 per state)
The Three Fifths Compromise
3/5 of slaves will be counted towards a state’s population in terms of representation in Congress
The Commerce Compromise
Tarrifs will be imposed on imports, but not exports; fed gov now has authority to regulate interstate commerce; any commerce legislation must be passed by 2/3 a vote of Congress
The Slave Trade Compromise
The Slave Trade would continue until 1808 (20 more years) and a Fugitive Slave Law would be enacted: Runaway slaves caught anywhere in the United States are to be returned to their owners, anyone helping a runaway slave would face criminal action
The Electoral College Compromise
An electoral college was created that would take a popular vote to determine how many electoral votes would be casted for each canidate
The Federalist Papers
A series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to convince people to support the federal gov; Hamiliton begins to argue for National Bank
Bill of Rights
first 10 amendments; Jefferson and Madison alarmed that fed gov might become to powerful so they argue for Bill of Rights to protect individual rights against the fed gov
Federalist Party
Promote a strong federal government; George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Marshall, John Adams
Anti-Federalist Party
Promote states rights and the rights of individuals; Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe
