The two global powers who fought this war for colonial control of North America
Great Britain and France
The primary colonial slogan used to protest new British taxes
"No taxation without representation"
Why was Common Sense said to be read/heard by everyone in the colonies?
It was written in plain English/ common language
George Washington crossed the icy Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776 to launch a surprise attack and defeat a camp of these German mercenary soldiers
Hessians
At least 5,000 free and enslaved members of this group enlisted in Patriot militias, believing that an American victory would help secure their own rights and freedom
African Americans
The specific territorial dispute that caused the war to break out
Ohio River Valley disputes
Issued by Britain as a direct result of Pontiac’s War, this decree banned all colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains
Proclamation of 1763
This Virginian was chosen as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence because of his writing skills and because he represented a populous, wealthy colony
Thomas Jefferson
This battle is considered the turning point of the war because the American victory demonstrated to the French that the Continental Army could win, securing the French alliance
Battle of Saratoga
This s famous American diplomat served as an ambassador in Europe and was huge in securing the vital French Alliance, turning the war in America's favor with French military and financial aid
Benjamin Franklin
Although fought in North America, this conflict was actually just a small part of this massive, expensive global war waged between England and France
7 years war
Passed in March 1765, this was the first direct tax placed on the colonists, taxing every paper document in the colonies
Stamp Act
Thomas Jefferson drew heavily on the ideas of this British philosopher regarding "natural rights" and the "Social Contract Theory" when drafting the Declaration
John Locke
At the Battle of Saratoga, British General John Burgoyne attempted to lead his troops south from Canada to New York to accomplish this specific, high-stakes strategic objective
Cut the colonies in half
This professional military officer from Prussia arrived at Valley Forge to train Washington's cold, undersupplied troops in close-order drills, firing tactics, and wrote a standard military drill manual
Baron Von Steuben
The 1763 treaty that ended the war and what France was forced to forfeit
Treaty of Paris; Canada and lands east of the Mississippi
This Daughters of Liberty supported the colonial boycott of British goods by holding
"spinning bees" to make their own local cloth
What are natural rights
universal entitlements that all people possess simply by being human, rather than by the laws or customs of any government
This freezing encampment is considered the ultimate test of Washington’s leadership, where his army managed to survive brutal winter conditions that threatened to completely destroy them
Valley Forge
This young French officer deeply believed in the American cause, served as a crucial connection for the French Alliance, and helped Washington and Von Steuben train soldiers at Valley Forge
Marquis de Lafayette
The four ways this war fundamentally altered the colonists' relationship with Britain
Land, Debt, Soldiers, and Taxes
Parliament passed the Intolerable Acts in 1774 to punish Boston for the Tea Party, list 3 of them
closing the port, enforcing martial law, and requiring the quartering of British soldiers
What is the Social Contract Theory
the relationship between people and their government relies on mutual rights and responsibilities, giving citizens the right to rebel if the government fails to protect them
Under the terms of the 1783 Treaty of Paris, Great Britain recognized American independence, but which two European nations retained control of Canada and Florida?
Great Britain (kept Canada) and Spain (retained Florida)
While Franklin focused on securing French aid, this American diplomat made his greatest impact by securing formal recognition of the United States and a critical financial loan from the Netherlands
John Adams