unit 3 Flashcards
1
Q
French and Indian War
A
- Rivalry between France, Britain, and various Native American tribes over land in the Ohio region
- It was one of a series of wars fought between France and England throughout the world at the time
- Battles continued on European and American fronts until Britain gained control of Canada
- It was in these conflicts that George Washington first appeared as an able military leader
1754-1763
2
Q
Albany Plan
A
- Delegates of seven colonies met in New York to discuss plans for collective defense
- The Pennsylvanian delegate, Benjamin Franklin, proposed a plan for an intercolonial government, but the plan was rejected by the colonial legislatures as demanding too great a surrender of power
- While the other colonies showed to support for Franklin’s plan, it was an important precedent for the concept of uniting in the face of a common enemy
1754
3
Q
William Pitt
A
- Britain’s capable and energetic prime minister
- After several humiliating defeats, he led Britain to virtually destroy the French empire in North America by focusing on the French headquarters in Canada
- The Treaty of Paris of 1763 ended hostilities
1708-1778
4
Q
Treaty of Paris 1763
A
- Ended Seven Years War
- From France, Britain took Canada and some of what would become the United States east of the Mississippi River
- France lost all of its North American holdings
- Spain took the Louisiana Territory
- Treaty marked the end of salutary neglect, a relationship in which the British Parliament had somewhat ignored the colonies, allowing them to develop their character without interference
1763
5
Q
Impact of the French and Indian War on British Colonial Policy
A
- Britain set out to solve the large national debt incurred in recent conflicts
- It created a series of acts that raised taxes on American goods, leading to rebellious activities in the colonies
- Acts included the Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act (1763), Stamp Act (1765), and Quartering Act (1765)
1712-1770
6
Q
Benjamin Franklin
A
- Was a colonial writer, scientist, diplomat, printer, and philosopher
- Published the Pennsylvania Gazette and wrote Poor Richard’s Almanac
- Served in the Second Continental Congress and was a drafter and signer of the Declaration of Independence
1706-1790
7
Q
Writs of Assistance
A
- Court orders that authorized customs officials to conduct non-specific searches to stop colonial smuggling
- Allowed for the searching of homes, warehouses, and shops
- James Otis served as a prosecutor in a failed Massachusetts legal case; he argued that these searched were contrary to natural law
- Later, the Fourth Amendment would protect citizens against “unreasonable searched and seizures”
1750s-1770s
8
Q
Proclamation of 1763
A
- Was a result of pontiac’s Rebellion, a Native American uprising against the British for their mistreatment
- Forbade white settlement west of the Appalachians to reduce friction between Native Americans and the settlers
- Stated that Native Americans owned the land on which they were residing
- Outraged colonists believed that the successful outcome of the French and Indian War should have allowed settlement in the Ohio Valley
1763
9
Q
Sugar Act
A
- It taxed goods imported to America to raise revenue for England
- Meant to assist England in recouping the debt it had taken on during the French and Indian War
- Strictly enforced, unlike the Molasses Act of 1733
- Taxed goods included imports such as wine, cloth, coffee, and silk
1764
10
Q
Quartering Act
A
- Act that required the colonies in which British troops were stationed provide soldiers with bedding and other basic needs
- Colonists reacted negatively because they feared having a standing army in their towns, and they disliked the additional expenses it caused
- After the emergence of the United States Constitution, the Third Amendment protected citizens against the stationing of troops in their homes
1765
11
Q
Stamp Act
A
- An internal tax, the sole purpose of which was to raise revenue
- Required Americans to use “stamped” paper for legal documents, newspapers, and playing cards, among other goods
- Revenue from this tax was to be used solely for the support of the British soldiers protecting the colonies
1765
12
Q
Declaratory Act
A
- Act giving Britain the power to tax and make laws for Americans in all cases
- Followed the repeal of the Stamp Act, which colonists had seen as a victory
- The Declaratory Act suggested that Britain might pass more restrictive acts in the near future
1766
13
Q
Samuel Adams
A
- Revolutionary resistance leader in Massachusetts
- Along with Paul Revere, he headed the Sons of Liberty in Massachusetts
- Worked with the committees of correspondence, which provided communication about resistance among colonies
- Attended both the First and Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence
1722-1803
14
Q
Stamp Act Congress
A
- Delegates of seven colonies met in New York to discuss plans for defense
- Adopted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which stated that freeborn Englishmen could not be taxed without their consent
October 1765
15
Q
Townshend Acts
A
- Created by British Prime Minister Charles Townshend (Grenville’s replacement)
- Formed a program of taxing items imported into the colonies, such as paper, lead, glass, and tea
- Replaced the direct taxes of Stamp Act
- Led to boycotts by Boston merchants and served as a key contributor to the Boston Massacre
1767
16
Q
Virtual Representation
A
- English principle stating that the members of members of parliament represented all of Britain and the British Empire, even though members were only elected by a small number of constituents
- This idea was meant to be a response to the colonial claim of “no taxation without representation,” meaning that parliament was itself representation of those being taxed
1770s
17
Q
Boston Massacre
A
- Occurred when the British attempted to enforce the Townshend Acts
- British soldiers killed five Bostonians, including Crispus Attucks, an American patriot and former slave
- John Adams provided the legal defense for the soldiers
- Though the British soldiers acted more or less in self-defense, anti-Royal leaders used the massacre to spur action in the colonies
March 5, 1770
18
Q
Tea Act and Boston Tea Party
A
- The Tea Act was a concession that allowed the British East India Company to ship tea directly to America and sell it at a bargain
- Because the cheap tea undercut the costs of local merchants, colonists opposed these shipments; they turned back ships, left shipments to rot, and held ships in port
- Led to the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773, where citizens, dressed as Native Americans, destroyed tea on the British ships
1773
19
Q
The Intolerable Acts
The Coercive Acts
A
- Names given by colonists to the Quebec Act (1774) and to a series of acts by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party
- Closed the Port of Boston to all trade until citizens paid for the lost tea
- Increased the power of Massachusetts’ Royal governor at the expense of the legislature
- Allowed Royal officials accused of crimes in Massachusetts to be tried elsewhere
1774
20
Q
Methods of Colonial Resistance
A
- Colonists reacted first with restrained and respectful petitions against the British, suggesting “taxation without representation is tyranny”
- Colonial governments organized “committees of correspondence” to share their view of British actions with neighboring colonies and with foreign governments; this was the start of political organization among the colonies
- Colonial merchants then boycotted British goods (non-importation)
- Colonists finally turned to violence; crowds took action against customs officials and against merchants who violated boycotts
- Some colonists continued to follow British command and became English “Loyalists”
1770s