American Revolution- The Colonies fight for their rights
Townshend Acts
(Revenue Acts) Put new custom duties on glass, lead, paper, paint and tea imported by the colonies.
5 reasons Britain lost the war
-Failure to capture Washington's army -Parliament opinion split on the war -France and american alliance -lack of loyalist support -inability to supply British army
Disadvantages of the British Army
-Fighting in unfamiliar territory -Fighting far from Britain -Half-hearted support at home
Advantages of the Continental Army
-Fighting on home ground -Fought for their freedom -French Alliance -Good Decisions by generals
Causes of the American Revolution
-Proclamation Line -French & Indian war -Coercive Acts (Sugar, Stamp,) -Intolerable Acts
Disadvantages of the Continental Army
-Untrained soldiers -Food and ammunition shortages -Weak and divided central government
Advantages of the British Army
-Well trained -Well supplied -Wealthy nation with resources -Strong central government
Boston Tea Party
1773 protest in which colonists dressed as Native Americans dumped British tea into the Boston harbor
General Burgoyne
A British General who surrendered to the Americans after the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Bunker Hill
A battle in Massachusetts in which the British won, but had more casualties than the Americans; showed American potential and helped build their confidence
Declaration of Independence
A document proclaiming American freedom from Britain. (Colonies were now independent)
Battle of Lexington and Concord
A group of British army marches to Lexington to seize weapons from militias where fighting soon broke out (this became known as the first battle of the American Revolution)
Guerrilla Warfare
A hit-and-run technique used in fighting a war; fighting by small bands of warriors using tactics such as sudden ambushes
Common Sense
A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that criticized monarchies and convinced many American colonists of the need to break away from Britain.
Sons of Liberty
A radical political organization for colonial independence which formed in 1765 after the passage of the Stamp Act.
Stamp Act
A tax that the British Parliament placed anything that was printed (Papers, Books, Printed Materials) First Direct tax from Britain placed on the Colonists
French and Indian War
A war fought by French and English on American soil over control of the Ohio River Valley-- English defeated French in 1763. Historical Significance: established England as number one world power and began to gradually change attitudes of the colonists toward England for the worse.
Proclamation of 1763
Act passed by England prohibiting colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains
Treaty of Paris (After War)
Agreement signed by British and American leaders that stated the United States of America was a free and independent country, also gave Florida back to Spain
Coercive Acts
Aka: Intolerable Acts. Several British laws designed to punish colonists for their role in the Boston Tea Party and end colonial challenges to British authority (Boston Port Act, Massachusetts gov act, Administration of Justice Act, Quartering Act)
Writs of Assistance
Allowed England to search colonists' ships and other private property without an individual warrant (violation of their rights)
Minutemen
American colonial militia members ready to fight at a minute's notice
Loyalists
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
Battle of Saratoga
American victory over British troops that was a turning point in the American Revolution.
Saratoga
Battle which was the "turning point" in the Revolutionary War, American victory
William Howe
British Commanding General at the start of the American Revolution, original general for British
General Charles Cornwallis
British general who surrendered at Yorktown
Boston Massacre
Clash between unruly Bostonian protesters and locally stationed British redcoats, who fired on the jeering crowd, killing or wounding 11 citizens.
Intolerable Acts
Coercive Act + Quebec Act, (No Elected Assembly in the West)
Non-importation agreement
Colonists Pledge not to buy any British goods until Parliament repealed the Stamp Act
John Paul Jones
Commanded the ship Bonhomme Richard, Naval officer for Americans, defeated the British on the oceanfront
Charles Cornwallis
Commanding general of the British forces that were defeated at Yorktown in 1781, ending the American Revolution
Continental Army compared to British Army
Con- Fought on homeland, not very experienced British- Fought away from home, strong central government and very experienced
Benedict Arnold
Considered a traitor buy colonists because he sold secrets to British and then became a British general
2nd Continental Congress
Created a Continental Army with George Washington as the leader, signed the Olive Branch Petition, started working towards freedom
Treaty of Paris
Ended the French and Indian War. England got Canada and all French land east of the Mississippi River except New Orleans. Spain gave Florida to England. Booted France out of North America
Taxation without Representation
England can't tax the colonists with out representation in Parliament
Sugar Act
English Parliament placed a taxes on imported sugar, coffee, wines, and molasses.
Who joined the American cause after the Battle of Saratoga?
France
Why was the colonial victory at Saratoga a turning point in the war?
France allied up with the American colonists
Marquis de Lafayette
French soldier who served under George Washington in the American Revolution
Writ of Assistance
General search warrants that enabled customs officers to enter any location during the day to look for evidence of smuggling
How did George Washington indirectly cause the French and Indian war?
He signed a document saying that he murdered a French general
What was special/different about the Stamp Act?
It was the first direct tax on colonists
King George III
King of England during the American Revolution
Battle of Yorktown
Last major battle of the Revolutionary War; site of British general Charles Cornwall's surrender to the Patriots in Virginia
First Continental Congress
Met in Philadelphia and passed Suffolk Resolves telling colonists not to obey the Intolerable Acts, boycott of British goods, voted to issue the Declaration of Rights and Grievances and the Confidential Association
Battle of Trenton
On Christmas night in 1776, George Washington and 2400 Patriots crossed the Delaware River and attacked; total surprise; captured 900 soldiers; boosted morale of American troops
Valley Forge
Place where Washington's army spent the winter of 1777-1778
Winter at Valley Forge
Place where Washington's army spent the winter, 1/5 of his army died
Albany plan of Union
Proposal by Benjamin Franklin for the creation of a grand council of representatives from Britain's American colonies. (Form of government, JOIN OR DIE)
Gaspee Affair
Rhode Island colonists boarded the HMS Gaspee, a British ship, looted it, then burned and sank it in 1772.
Paul Revere
Rode through the countryside warning local militias of the approaching of British troops were coming to attack
Nathan Hale
Spy for the Americans, caught by the British and was hung
Thomas Paine
Supported the American colonist's fight for independence and wrote Common Sense
How did the colonies protest the taxes/acts imposed on them?
They protested, had boycotts, demonstrations and pamphlets
Main Result of French & Indian War for British and what where they left with
This war kicked the French out of America and also left British in major debt
Battle of Kings Mountain
Turning point in the war for the south, they begin to organize their own forces against the British ('"Over mountain men")
Committee Of Correspondence
colonial organization organized in 1770 to spread news of Great Britain's actions and acts throughout the colonies, also spread political ideas
Letter of Marque
licenses issued by Congress to private ship owners authorizing them to attack British merchant ships
