American Revolution

militia

A group of civilians trained to fight in emergencies

Articles of Confederation

A weak constitution that governed America during the Revolutionary War.

Loyalist

American colonists who remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war for independence.

Patriot

American colonists who were determined to fight the British until American independence was won

John Hancock

He was a leader of the Continental Congress, a governor of Massachusetts, and the person with the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.

John Adams

He was one of the writers and signers of the Declaration of Independence, the first vice president, and second U.S. President.

George Washington

He was our first president, father of the nation, founding father, and Commander of the Continental Army in the victory over Britain in the Revolutionary War.

Intolerable Acts

The Boston tea Party by the British Parliament in 1774. Those laws included the Massachusetts Government act, Administration of Justice Act, Boston Port Act, and the Quartering Act. These acts are considered a significant cause of the Revolutionary War.

Tea Act

The law was passed by Parliament in May of 1773, placing a tax on a major colonial import in order to help fund the British East India Company.

Second Continental Congress

This convened in May of 1775 drafted the Olive Branch Petition, two months later, and eventually drafted the Declaration of Independence over a year later.

Sons of Liberty

This group of Patriots was formed in 1765 and urged colonial resistance to the Stamp Act using all means available... even violence.

Blockade

This is a military effort to cut off food, supplies, war material or communications from a particular area by force, and usually occurs at sea.

Tax

This is money that a government requires people to pay in order to fund services and goods for all people.

July 4, 1776

This is the complete date that the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence.

French and Indian War

This refers to the battles between France and England in the "New World" resulting in the loss of all French possessions and was part of the Seven Years War.

Treaty of Paris

This treaty ended the Seven Years War

Boston Tea Party

This was a political protest by Boston, Massachusetts residents in 1773 against the British parliament led by the Sons of Liberty.

Stamp Act

This was an Act passed inn 1765 by the British requiring all legal documents, contracts, newspapers, etc in the American colonies to carry a tax stamp to help pay for the military presence in the colonies.

Declaration of Independence

This was an act passed by the Second Constitutional Congress on July 4, 1776 declaring the thirteen American Colonies independent of British rule.

Boston Massacre

This was an event that occurred on Monday March 5, 1770 that helped spark the American Revolution.

Yorktown

This was the Virginia site of Cornwallis's surrender in the American Revolution.

American Revolution

This was the first successful colonial independence movement against a European power, 1775-1783

Continental Army

This was the name of the military force that fought for and won independence from Great Britain in the American Revolution.

King George III

This was the ruler of Great Britain during the Seven Years War, American Revolution, and War of 1812.

alliance

a joining together for some common purpose

constitution

a written plan of government

debt

money owed

tarrif

tax on imported goods

Lexington and Concord

Battles where first shots of the American Revolution were fired.

treason

Betrayal of one's country

Thomas Jefferson

He was the third President of the United States, a founding father, and the author of the declaration of Independence.

Natural Rights

This is a political theory that individuals have privileges that no government can deny.