Road to Revolution
What slogan summarized the colonists’ frustration with British taxes and lack of representation?
“No taxation without representation.”
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
What treaty ended the Revolutionary War?
Treaty of Paris (1783)
What was the nation’s first written plan of government?
The Articles of Confederation
What principle divides government power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches?
Separation of Powers
What act taxed printed materials like newspapers and legal documents?
The Stamp Act
In what year was the Declaration of Independence adopted?
1776
What was a major advantage the colonists had during the war?
Familiarity with the land and motivation for independence
Why did the Articles create a weak national government?
Fear of tyranny and strong central authority
What principle means that the government’s power comes from the consent of the governed?
Popular Sovereignty
Which event occurred in 1770 and was used as propaganda to unite colonists against Britain?
The Boston Massacre
What are the three “unalienable rights” mentioned in the Declaration?
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness
How did France’s involvement change the course of the Revolutionary War?
France provided military aid, naval support, supplies, and troops after the American victory at Saratoga, helping turn the tide and leading to the eventual victory at Yorktown.
Name one major weakness of the Articles.
No power to tax, no executive branch, no national army, or no control over trade
What compromise created a two-house legislature?
The Great Compromise
What group organized protests and boycotts against British goods?
The Sons of Liberty
According to the Declaration, what should people do if the government abuses its power?
Alter or abolish it and create a new one
How did the Revolution affect Native Americans?
Many lost land and power as settlers expanded westward.
What event exposed the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation?
Shays’ Rebellion
What principle divides power between the national and state governments?
Federalism
Explain how Enlightenment ideas influenced the colonists’ decision to rebel.
Ideas about natural rights, social contract, and government by consent inspired independence.
How did the Declaration change the purpose of the war for the colonists?
It shifted the goal from getting rights within the British Empire to achieving full independence.
Why are the battles of Lexington and Concord often called “the shot heard ’round the world”?
They marked the first armed conflict between colonial militias and British troops in 1775, officially beginning the American Revolution and inspiring other struggles for self-government around the world.
Despite its weaknesses, what was one success of the Articles?
Naming the United States of America
Explain how the Constitution both limits government power and protects individual rights.
Through limited government, rule of law, and the Bill of Rights, which ensure that government actions are restricted and citizens’ freedoms are protected.