Chapter 5 Terms

Sons of Liberty

A group of colonists that were American Patriots created this political group. They wanted to keep the British from passing more unfair laws against the colonists. They were very active in the Boston Tea Party. This term is political because The Sons of Liberty wanted the British to stop passing unfair laws and acts that were harming the colonists way of life.

Lord North

From 1770 to 1782 Lord North was the Prime Minister of England. When the revolutionary war was going on, lord North was on the British side deciding things. He resigned form office after the colonists refused to sign an agreement to end the war but still be under British rule. This term is diplomatic because Lord North had to be a diplomat while dealing with the Revolutionary War and the colonists.

Lexington and Concord

Lexington and Concord were the first battles in the Revolutionary War. The British had planned to capture the colonists supplies and take them by surprise but the colonists heard of this and moved their supplies. The British army came and three British army companies defeated by the colonists. This term is political because the colonists and the British were fighting over the independence of the colonists and this turned into a very heave battle for the British political system.

Loyal Americas (Tories)

Loyal Americans were colonists that stayed true to England during the Revolutionary War. They were the opposites of the Patriots. Many of the Loyal Americans went back to England when the Americans won the Revolutionary war. This term is political because the Tories were a group of people who supported the king opposed to the Patriots who supported America.

Nonimportation

Nonimportation is the decision to not let certain imports come into the country. In 1806 the untied states congress passed an act that did not allow some British merchandise and other items to enter the United States of America. This term is economical because the act didn't allow certain British goods to enter in the US and that is an economic situation.

Popular Sovereignty

Popular Sovereignty means that the people should get to decide who rules the country and this way the people are the ones getting what they want because it will impact them the most. This also allows for the people to have a say in what they want done in the government. This term is political because it deals with a political situation in electing official and people's votes.

Virtual Representation

Prime Minister George Grenville used virtual representation to explain why the colonists were not able to elect members of Parliament but they were taxed anyway. Grenville stated that the members of Parliament were not representing different regions but the people as a whole. This term is political because the colonists were unhappy that the British would have the right to tax them but the colonists themselves didn't have the right to elect members of Parliament.

Sam Adams

Sam Adams was a representative at the continental congress and was very persistent in wanting independence from Britain. He signed the Declaration of Independence. He became governor of Massachusetts after retiring from the congress. This term is political because Sam Adams wanted freedom from England and was very active in doing so.

Boston Massacre

The Boston Massacre is a Massacre that happened in Boston when British troops were positioned there to protect the British officials in the colonies. Many colonists crowded around a group of British Soldiers and began to throw rocks and insults at the British. The British finally had enough and shot into the crowd killing five. This term is political because it had to do with the tense political situation at the time. People were unhappy with the British Government and this caused the massacre.

Coercive Acts

The Coercive acts were put in place because the British were trying to punish the Massachusetts colonists for what happened during the Boston Tea Party. The British put on more restrictions and tried to make Massachusetts an example of what could happen to the rest of the colonies if they didn't change. This backfired however and added more to the Revolution to come. This term is political because the British wanted to control the colonies but it was getting harder and harder to do so. They kept putting more laws in place but it didn't work.

Quebec Act (1774)

The Quebec Act gave the providence territory that is much of today's Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. This punished the colonists because they weren't able to expand westward. It also allowed the people from Quebec to practice Catholicism which the British hoped would push against the protestant beliefs that colonists had. This term is political because it was another way for the British to try and control the colonists.

Stamp Act

The Stamp Act was put into effect because the English were in dept hugely and were taxing their citizens so much that they were afraid that they were going to cause a revolution. This act was then put on the colonies as the first real attempt at governing the colonies. The act put a direct tax on the colonies and they had to used stamped paper made in England to print many most things on. This term is economical because the tax was put on the colonists to try to help with England's dept.

Tea Act

The Tea Act was an act put in place by Parliament. They allowed the British East India Company to ship tea directly to the colonies and the colonists would have to pay a tax on it. This enraged the colonists, which caused the Boston Tea Party. This term is economical because the British wanted to make more money but the colonists were fighting back and this caused a lot of problems

Quartering Act

The quartering act made it so that the colonists had to house and provide necessities to British soldiers. Many colonists felt that this were very unfair and wanted the soldiers out of their houses. This term is political because the colonists were very unhappy with England and the fact that they were being forced to house British soldiers in their own homes.

Minute Men

They were a group of gifted fighters who would arrive first at a battle or war and were trained to fight first. They were used often during the Revolutionary War. This term is political because by sending these men in first they were able to forestall the opponents and have a better resistance.

Sugar Act

This act was passed to revise the previous Sugar and Molasses Act. The Sugar Act lowered the tax on molasses but put more taxes on things like sugar, coffee and wines. The British also expected that this tax be followed because previously the tax had not been. This term is economical because the tax on molasses and other items dealt directly with the economy in England and the colonies.

Second Continental Congress

This congress meet just after the Revolutionary war started. People from the thirteen colonies attended. They met in Philadelphia and discussed and managed the war for the colonists. This term is political because the colonists were at war with the British and this congress was managing the politics involved.

First Continental Congress

This congress was held to try and establish an authoritive power to stand up to England. Many of the colonists were not seeking the same things though. One of the things that were decided was that the British had to hear the problems that the colonists were having. The colonists decided to have a congress and to meet again if their problems had not been resolved by then. This term is political because the colonists were getting tired of having the unfair rules being put on them by the British and were finally making a congress to deal with it.

Treaty of Paris

This is the treaty that formally ended the French and Indian war. France, Spain, Great Britain and Portugal signed it. This treaty stated that the English had won the war and that they now had dominance of the lands outside Europe. This term is economical because the Treaty of Paris was signed over the land of North America. This is economical because the land offered riches, and imports and exports and were valuable to the economy.

Proclamation of 1763

This proclamation was to stop the expansion westward into the Indian's territories. After the French and Indian War the Indian's were worried that since the French had been defeated the settlers would now move into the Indian's land and take over. This British government calmed the Indians with this proclamation even though the settlers were unhappy. This term is economical because it had to deal with the valuable land that the settlers wanted and that the Indians to wanted to keep.

Boston Tea Party

This was when the colonists found out that the British were planning on bringing tea straight to the colonies and charging them a tax on it. The colonists were outraged and went onboard the ships and through the tea overboard. This term is economical because this was one more tax the Colonists were having to pay and they were very unhappy about it.

Patrick Henry

Was a founding father of the United States. He said the words "Give me liberty or give me death" which became very memorable. He also supported the colonists in the dislike of the stamp act. This term is political because Patrick Henry opposed the British and helped the colonists with the stamp act.

Townshend Acts

Was a series of acts that was passed by Parliament to raise money to be able to pay judges and governors so that the colonists would be more manageable for trade. The acts also acted as a reminder that England was able to tax the colonies if they liked and the colonies had to obey and take it. This term is economical because the British was looking for another way to tax the colonists and get away with it.

Declaration of Independence

Was a statement to England that the colonies were now free from British rule. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the Declaration. It described the problems the colonists had with the British government and why they deserved their freedom. This term is political because it is the statement that let America become free for British rule.

George Grenville

Was the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was the one who made the Stamp Act possible. He authorized it and this caused a huge problem with the colonists. This term is political because Grenville caused many problems with the colonists and this later led to the Revolutionary war.

Common Sense (1776)

Was written by Thomas Paine and was published during the American Revolution. Many people read the book especially because it was written by an American. Thomas Paine described the fight for freedom here in plain English that everyone could understand. This term is political because the pamphlet was written to educate people on the fight for freedom against England that was taking place at the time.

Stamp Act Congress

With all the taxes being imposed on the colonists they finally had enough. They stated "No taxation without representation". All the colonies prepared to come together to meet so they could send parliament the message that they were unhappy. The stamp Act Congress was held in New York in October of 1765. Not all the colonies sent people to represent them and the congress was divided between moderates and radicals. This term is political because the colonists were unhappy with the British rule imposing all these taxes on them.