Leading up to War
What was Taxation without Representation?
The British Parliament taxed the colonists without giving them any representation in Parliament.
What was the Stamp Act?
The British Parliament placed a tax on all paper goods.
What was the purpose of the First Continental Congress?
Delegates gathered in 1774 to discuss their grievances of the British Parliament and to organize boycotts of British goods.
Boycott. How did the colonists use this?
To refuse to buy something from a specific business for a particular reason.
Ex: Refusing to buy tea from the British because of taxation without representation.
What was the battle that ultimately started the Revolutionary War?
The Battle of Lexington-Concord
What war was Great Britain trying to pay debt off from by heavily taxing the colonists?
The French and Indian War
What was the Sugar Act?
Lowered the tax on molasses imported into the colonies so that colonists would pay the tax instead of smuggling.
What was the pamphlet, Common Sense, by Thomas Paine about?
Thomas Paine wrote this pamphlet to persuade colonists to seek independence. He wrote about why it would be in the colonies best interest to be an independent nation out of British control.
Patriot
People who wanted to fight for the "American" cause against the British
What is the common saying about the Battle of Lexington-Concord?
The shot heard 'round the world
Colonists were protesting outside of a British customs house where they were guarding the king’s money. Angry colonists began to throw snowballs, rocks, and sticks. A redcoat (British soldier) heard the word, “fire” and shot at the colonists. 6 colonists were wounded and 5 died.
What was the Declaratory Act?
The act was made right after the repeal of the stamp act. It allowed Parliament to make decisions for the colonies and gave Parliament the right to tax the colonist for whatever they felt was necessary.
What was the purpose of the Second Continental Congress?
The second continental congress was to fight against the British in a more organized way and to create a continental army.
Loyalist
Somebody that didn't believe Britain was doing anything wrong and did not align with the patriot cause to fight against high taxes and unfairness.
What was significant about the Battle of Saratoga?
It was a major Patriot victory and it earned colonists allies in France. October 7th, 1777
American forces defeated and captured British General Burgoyne's army, preventing Britain from splitting the colonies and, crucially, convincing France to form a military alliance with the U.S.
The Boston Tea Party was when the Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Native Americans and snuck onto a British ship importing tea. They dumped 342 chests of tea into the Boston Harbor.
Townshend Acts
The Townshend Acts was when Parliament passed a tax on imported goods like glass, tea, lead, and paper.
What was the Albany Plan of Union? When was it created and what did it mean?
Benjamin Franklin proposed a plan during the French and Indian War to unite the colonies against the French.
They reused this plan during the Revolutionary War against the British.
Militia
Small local military of laypeople willing to help a cause
Explain the seige of Yorktown and why it was signifcant to the war?
The French helped surround the British in Yorktown and block off naval support. This led to lack of resources for the British and they had to surrener. It was at this time when the British began to rethink the point of fighting this war. 1781
What was the Writs of Assistance?
A legal document that allowed British officers to search any location to find smuggled goods (businesses and homes), no warrant needed.
The Intolerable Acts - explain why they were passed and explain what all five did
Passed after the Boston Tea Party as punishment to Massachusetts Colonists for the damages they did.
Boston Port Act: Closed the Boston Harbor until they paid for the ruined tea
Massachusetts Government Act: Stated that Massachusetts colonists could not hold town meetings - a major part of their self-governance.
Administration of Justice Act: British officers could choose to be tried by another colony’s court or in Britain - this could lead to an easier trial.
Quartering Act: British soldiers could be housed in a colonist’s home - no option
Quebec Act: Set up a permanent government for Quebec and granted religious freedom to French Catholics. Gave the Quebec area west of the Appalachian Mountains and north of the Ohio River Valley.
This is a 3 part Question:
1. What is the popular saying from the Declaration of Independence?
2. Who wrote the document?
3. Who was the first to sign it?
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, All men are created equal"
Thomas Jefferson
John Hancock
Guerrilla warfare
An irregular, unconventional conflict waged by small, independent, or paramilitary forces against larger, traditional armies to wear them down through speed, surprise, sabotage, and hit-and-run tactics.
When was the Treaty of Paris signed? What were two major terms of the treaty?
September 1783
Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent nation
The British had to withdraw their troops from the states.