Historical Context
What was the Enlightenment?
An intellectual movement that emphasized reason, individualism, and the belief in natural rights.
Who were the Patriots?
Colonists who wanted independence from Britain
What happened at Valley Forge?
Place where Washington's army spent the winter of 1777-1778
Who were the Loyalists?
Colonists who were loyal to Britain
passed by the British Parliament to raise tax money.
The Sugar Act
Why did colonists resist British rule?
They resisted due to taxation without representation and violations of their rights.
What did colonists believe about their basic rights?
They believed their basic rights were being violated by the British government.
What was the significance of Yorktown?
Battle that gave Americans victory in the American Revolution
British general who surrendered at the Battle of Yorktown
Charles Cornwallis
.......passed by British Parliament to make colonists buy a stamp to place on items such as wills and newspapers.
The Stamp Act
How did the Declaration justify independence?
It justified independence by stating that the government was violating the colonists' rights.
What did Loyalists think of independence?
They wanted to remain loyal to Britain and saw independence as a rebellion.
Why was Saratoga a turning point?
It convinced the French to join the fight on the side of the colonists.
Main author of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson
What led to the Boston Tea Party?
Protest against increased tea prices
What was the role of tea in colonial protests?
Tea was a symbol of British oppression, leading to protests like the Boston Tea Party.
What were the colonists' grievances?
Grievances included taxation without representation and lack of basic rights.
What was the Boston Tea Party?
Protest against increased tea prices in which colonists dumped British tea into Boston Harbor.
Who wrote Common Sense?
Thomas Paine
What was the main purpose of taxes?
British needed to collect taxes because they were in debt from war.
What impact did French support have?
French support provided military resources and helped secure victory at key battles.
What ideas did Common Sense promote?
It promoted the idea that independence from Britain was necessary and justified.
What did the Treaty of Paris accomplish?
Treaty that officially ended the American Revolution
Enlightenment thinker who stated that people have natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
John Locke
What was the Tea Act?
It allowed a British company to sell tea tax-free.