American colonist who remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war for independence
Loyalist
100
Civilians sworn to be ready to fight with only one minute's notice
Minutemen
100
Who was the commander of the Continental Army?
George Washington
100
In what two cities were the first shots of the Revolutionary War fired?
Lexington and Concord
100
Convention delegates broke the deadlock between large and small states when they approved what?
The Great Compromise
200
Ideas or information intentionally spread to harm or help a cause
Propaganda
200
American colonist who favored independence
Patriot
200
What did writs of assistance allow British customs officers to search?
Homes for smuggled goods
200
Which foreign troops helped defeat the British at Yorktown?
French
200
Which law helped stop the spread of slavery to the West?
Northwest Ordinance
300
A system by which each branch of government limits the powers of other branches so that one branch does not become too powerful
Checks and balances
300
Who was the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence?
John Hancock
300
Paul Revere's engraving of which event was an example of propaganda that led to more intense anti-British feelings among the colonists?
Boston Massacre
300
Shay's Rebellion forced courts to close so judges could not take away what?
Farmer's land
300
Why does the Constitution divide power among branches of government?
So that no one branch gains too much power
400
Who was the presiding officer at the Constitutional Convention?
George Washington
400
A change, correction, or improvement added to a document
Amendment
400
When Britain learned that the colonists were on the brink of rebellion in 1768, what was Parliament's response?
Parliament sent troops to Boston
400
What was the Treaty of Paris?
A document that ended the Revolutionary War
400
In 1787 the U.S. Constitution was written. What document did the framers of the Constitution reference?
Declaration of Independence
500
To approve of
Ratify
500
A settlement of a dispute or disagreement reached by either side giving up some of what it wants in order to reach an agreement
Compromise
500
What did colonists call the Coercive Acts? Why did Britain pass these laws?
Colonists called the Coercive Acts the Intolerable Acts. Britain passed these laws because their tea was destroyed at Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party.
500
What was the purpose of the Continental Congress?
The delegates met to discuss complaints against the British
500
At the Constitutional Convention, the New Jersey Plan proposed what?