ALL APUSH IDs

Townshend Act (1767)

The Townshend Act of 1767 was the act imposed by Prime Minister Townshend. It levied taxes on tea, paper, paint, glass, and lead (for window-making). It was crafted to look like an indirect tax when it acted more like a direct tax since those are items that everyone used. The colonists quickly caught onto this idea. This revived the boycott on British goods, and American-made goods became a symbol of the growing resistance. This act angered the colonists and, once again, they banded together to resist the taxation.

Consequences of exploration (good and bad)

European exploration of the 15th and 16th centuries into North and South America had a positive and negative impact not only on the Americas, but on the world. European explorers brought over many diseases that Natives of America were not immune to, leading the Native population to dwindle after being ravaged by ailments including smallpox and the measles. The decline in population would be an important factor in why slaves were brought to the Americas as labor. Also, the sudden influx of gold and silver damaged European economies, causing inflation, weakened economic climates, and deeper colonial rivalries.The largest positive impact of exploration was the multi-continental exchange of goods, often referred to as the Columbian Exchange, bringing more sources of food, animals, and raw materials to the eastern and western hemispheres. The newly founded exchange made Europe, and therefore America, less dependent on Asian products.

Georgia

Georgia, now part of the United States, began as one of England's 13 colonies. Georgia is located in the southeast, near Florida and was associated with the southern colonies. It was originally part of the Carolinas, but in 1729 England became interested in making Georgia a separate colony. At the time, only native tribes occupied the region and it was considered to have a harsh landscape. In 1732, even though Spain considered the Georgia land part of Florida, King George II sent James Oglethorpe and few others to start planning for it to become part of England's colonies, and it was named in honor of the king that same year. England used Georgia as a colony for the poor, some of which were former prisoners, and as a military post to protect the other colonies from Spain. Georgia also used prison labor and the main crop grown was rice.

Walking Purchase

In the 1680s, William Penn acquired Pennsylvania as a colony where the Quakers could practice their religion freely. Upon negotiation with the Indians just east of Pennsylvania in Delaware, Penn gained as much land as a man could walk in a day and a half. On September 17th, 1737, a mere 50 years after this negotiation, the government demanded that the Indians living in the Delaware let the colonial boundaries be reconsidered because the white men living in Pennsylvania felt that they needed more land. In two days time, three trained athletes were able to cover 66 miles, expanding the Pennsylvania territory by 1,200 square miles. The Walking Purchase is a prime example of the unfair treatment of the Native Americans and how white men were able to easily manipulate them because of the lack of communication between the two sides in terms of coming to an agreement.

Winter of Valley Forge (1777)

In the 1770s, the Continental Army had experienced a summer of losing battles, lowering their morale significantly. That winter, however, George Washington marched the army into battle at Valley Forge, where many soldiers died of cold, sickness, and insufficient food supply. However, General von Steuben came to the army's aid and trained the soldiers, shaping them into well-disciplined fighters. Though the winter of Valley Forge was tough on the army, the army that came out of the winter was ("Very strong, very tough"—Dr. Jack Henderson) stronger, more disciplined, and more resilient.

"Boston Massacre" (1770)

The Boston Massacre of 1770 was a major point in the build-up to the American Revolution. It started with a confrontation between an American store clerk and a British soldier looking for part-time work. When the argument got to the point of a fight, the soldier said for the American to meet him at the British fort that night to fight it out. When a mob of angry colonists arrived at the fort throwing hard-packed snowballs at the soldiers, one British soldier misheard an order from his commander and fired into the crowd, setting off a round of fire. Five colonists were killed in the shooting. It was after this event that the "intermission" of the revolution period began.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was a reaction to Britain's idea of taxing tea. The British believed that the East India Company, which was the country's economy, could create a monopoly for tea. They believed that by lowering the prices of tea, the colonists would buy more of their tea and eliminate competition. Eventually, they would be the only successful source for tea. This did not work, because the colonists focused on the principle of the tax itself. The tea tax, like the other taxes, violated the law of 'no taxation without representation', and the physical reaction occurred on December 16th, 1773. The Sons of Liberty disguised themselves as Mohawk Natives, boarded ships, and threw pounds of tea into the Boston Harbor. The revenue lost that night was the equivalent to an estimated $4 million dollars in modern day. This act was the trigger event of the American Revolution. In 1774, Parliament responded with the Intolerable Acts, which ended all self-government in the colony of Massachusetts.

Navigation Act 1696

The British placed navigation acts on the colonists in order to regulate their trade and make money from the taxes on the goods being shipped. The Navigation Act of 1696 was one of these acts and was placed on the colonists in 1696. This navigation act was passed in order to strengthen enforcement of and correct loopholes that were found in other navigation acts. It created several admiralty courts whose jobs were to enforce the trade regulations and punish anyone not following them. It also raised taxes on certain goods and granted customs officials the power to board ships to check for smuggled items.

Columbian Exchange

The Columbian Exchange, a system of Atlantic trade of animals, people, and ideas between the old and new worlds (more specifically North and South America, Africa, and Eurasia) instigated a series of changes within all the countries that participated. American exports such as Tomatoes, Maize, Potatoes, and even syphilis, were transferred to Europe. European trinkets and guns were sent to Africa, and horses, sugarcane, coffee, and typhus were finally transported into America. In all three locations, diets were changed or enhanced, disease spread rapidly, and populations boomed over the 15th and 16th centuries.

Stamp Act Congress

The Stamp Act Congress was the first established organization in the American colonies. This was a meeting held in 1765 in New York. Consisting of representatives from British colonies in North America, it was also the first gathering of elected representatives from several colonies to create a unified protest against a cause; British taxes. The congress published The Declaration of Rights and Grievances. This document claimed that Parliament did not have the right to impose taxes if they didn't have the representation of the colonies. Eventually, the Stamp Act was repealed. The Congress is important, because it was the first of many organized political actions of the American Revolution.

Stamp Act (1765)

The Stamp Act of 1765 was introduced after the Sugar Act was repealed. The act was simply a way for the empire to collect revenue, by requiring colonists to buy a special stamp for any legal document they owned. Colonists were outraged because this was one of the first taxes on the Americans that directly affected everyone, not just the merchants and traders. Colonial elites, merchants, and working class members all protested through boycotts, public demonstrations, and opposition groups (e.g. Sons of Liberty). It was during the protest period for the Stamp Act that an effigy of Andrew Oliver was hanged on a tree that is now famously known as the "Liberty Tree". The historical slogan "No taxation without representation" was also common during this period, as the colonists fought to be represented in the British parliament.

Sugar Act (1764)

The Sugar Act of 1764 was an external tax placed on the goods of merchants, including items like molasses, timber, iron, fur hides, and sugar. Even though the price of sugar and molasses was lowered, the indirect tax introduced a new category of smuggling and made it more difficult to sneak products into the colonies. The Sugar Act additionally changed the protective-tariff so that all exports had to pass through England first. Colonists felt Britain's view of the colonies, not as equal but rather subordinates, and began to imagine ways to defend their land and economy. Also, the Sugar Act set up admiralty courts in the colonies to prosecute tax violators. This unsuccessful act was hard to enforce and raised only a small amount of revenue, so it was repealed and replaced by the Stamp Act.

Encomienda System/Why Africa?

The encomienda system was a failed system of slavery where Native Americans were used for forced labor in colonial Spanish America. It failed because the majority of the slaves died from exposure to new diseases such as smallpox, most knew the land better than the Spanish and thus were able to escape, and, lastly, because the natives did not have experience with farming cash crops such as tobacco. After both the indentured servant and encomienda systems failed, colonial people turned to Africa, because they faced none of the problems that were run into with the first two slave systems and the Africans were unable to defend themselves with military. As a result, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was created, which escalated at an extremely fast rate, killing millions of Africans.

Salem Witch Trials

The Salem Witch Trials were about a year of hysteria and trials in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. They started when the daughter of the minister, Samuel Parris, and her friends were caught trying to read each other's fortunes. To escape punishment, they blamed it on the Indian slave Tituba, saying that she was a witch. Everyone began pointing fingers at each other, culminating in the deaths of 19 women and a man, with another 6 women formally convicted.

Patroons/Dutch West India Company

A patron is a person that is given land and granted privileges under Dutch government of New York and New Jersey. The Dutch West India Company was founded in 1621 as a counterpart to its relative company, the Dutch East India Company. The port was set up against Portugal and its power. They were competing with Portugal's power. The company was granted a monopoly of trade with the Americas and Africa through the Atlantic regions. On the West African coast, the Dutch traded slaves and goods to their partners. The New Netherlands became a province of the company in 1623, though it was much less successful than the Dutch East India Company.

Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams played a key role during the American Revolution. She was one of the first "feminists" who was an educated advocate for women's equality. Abigail was also the wife of John Adams. While John was in Philadelphia, Abigail remained with their four children in Massachusetts. She kept John informed of events that were taking place in Boston by writing him letters. He often sought her advice on decisions he made throughout the Continental Congress and through his term as president. She despised the idea that men held absolute power and the business of slavery. She pressed for liberation of slaves and women's rights, thus leading to an increased desire in independence. In the letters, Abigail and John discussed government and politics, giving modern historians eyewitness accounts of the Revolutionary War.

Navigation Act of 1663

Also called the "Act for Encouragement of Trade", England's Navigation Act of 1663 stated that colonial exports had to pass through English ports and had to be transported in English ships. All goods were inspected and taxed. Colonies could only receive goods from England. Increased cost and shipping time for colonies.

Anne Hutchinson

Anne Hutchison, like Roger Williams, was considered a Puritan rebel and was banned from her Massachusetts colony in the 1630s. A mother of 15 children, she spoke out in her community, making Puritan leaders believe she threatened the patriarchy of the settlement. Believing that people should have a direct religious experience with God and that church attendance was not enough for guaranteed sanctification, she was an early supporter of antinomianism. She was banned in the 1630s and fled to Rhode Island where she founded a new colony with Roger Williams.

Tea Act (1773)

As a way to raise money and relieve the British East India Company from the debt and ultimately resolve the possibility of a worldwide depression, the British Parliament attempted to create a tea monopoly when enforcing the Tea Act of 1773. To do this, they lowered their price of tea, encouraging Americans to buy it. This was designed to eventually put the competing tea companies out of business, thus creating a monopoly within the colonies. The Americans, however, saw through this plan and rebel groups, including the Sons of Liberty, quickly sought action against the tax, eventually resulting in the Boston Tea Party, where 300 chests of tea were dumped overboard in the Boston Harbor. This tax deepened the American's hatred for the British and was ultimately a leading factor for the American Revolution.

Committees of Correspondence

As the idea of liberty was promulgated in the colonies, groups like the Committees of Correspondence were formed to encourage opposition of Britain. Perhaps the most proactive of the Committees was that of Boston, which formed before the passage of the Stamp Act in the 1760s and included people such as James Warren and Samuel Adams, cousin of John Adams. Boston's Committee communicated with other colonies about the Stamp Act and encouraged them to oppose the tax. Committees such as this one allowed colonies to unite over their common resistance, a consensus which ushered into the American Revolution.

Bacon's Rebellion

Bacon's Rebellion took place from 1676-1677. This was a rebellion that took place in James town between Governor Sir William Berkeley and Nathaniel Bacon. The rebellion was caused by a buildup of various things, including: the agricultural competition with Maryland and Carolinas and the decrease in tobacco prices. Another major issue was the rise in English goods and the lack of money to pay for them. The issue began with a raid from the Doeg Indians on a nearby plantation. In an attempt to correct the wrong done to them, the colonist retaliated but against the wrong Indian tribe. While Berkley wanted to investigate the issue, Bacon wanted to keep the fight going against the Native Americans. And so a rift between those wanted to keep the peace and those who wanted to fight began.

Pilgrims v. Puritans

Contrary to popular belief, Pilgrims and Puritans are not the same. Pilgrims came over to the New World on the MayFlower in 1620. This voyage was led by a man named William Bradford. The Pilgrims created a document called the "MayFlower compact" which was the first self-governing document. The major difference between the Pilgrims and Puritans is why they separated from the church of England. The Pilgrims are Separatists and created their own denomination when they left England. The Puritans "purified" the church of England, but they kept the same ideals from their mother church. The Pilgrims and Puritans eventually merge by 1690.

Motives for exploration:

Beginning as early as the1400s, Zheng He and his "Treasure Fleet" began going on extensive ocean voyages. These advancements, which were later reversed when the Chinese burned his fleet and recordings and went into isolation, sparked the Europeans' interest in exploration, beginning with the Italian explorer Marco Polo in 1271, who is known most famously for his travel to and interaction with China, and eventually resulting in the European and South American colonizers of North America. "Gold, God, and Glory" is a phrase often used to generalize the motivations people had for wanting to explore. In addition to those motives, Europeans wanted a route to Asia without having to pay the intermediaries, the Renaissance stimulated people's interest in other cultures, religious missionaries wanted to spread their new ideas after the Protestant Reformation, monarchs wanted another way to make a profit, and more countries had developed the necessary technologies to successfully travel long distances. Without these motives, Europeans might have never had explored the world thoroughly; for example, North America might never have become the United States of America.

Benjamin Franklin

Ben Franklin was born January 17, 1706 as one of 17 children. He began his career at age 12 as a printer's apprentice. He also attempted to help out with his brother's newspaper and was popular for his writing, but his brother beat Ben out of jealousy. This led to Ben running away to Philadelphia where he continued being a printer's apprentice. After also working for a printing company in England, Ben was able to start his own printing company in Philadelphia. His printing company thrived, and Ben eventually bought a newspaper called the Philadelphia Gazette that he printed himself and even wrote for. He is also famous for his inventions suchs as a heat-efficient stove to help warm houses, swim fins, and bifocals. Ben even created an experiment with a kite that verified the nature of electricity and lightning, which brought him fame worldwide. He eventually travelled to England to act as a colonial representative of several colonies and began working towards gaining independence for the colonies in 1765. He returned to America after being condemned in England for leaking letters to the colonies and was elected to the second continental congress. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence, signed it in 1776, and afterwards travelled to France as an ambassador of the colonies. He was able to get France to sign the Treaty of Alliance with America which helped them win the Revolutionary War. His last important act was writing anti-slavery treaties in 1789 before dying a year later.

Benedict Arnold

Benedict Arnold was born on January 14, 1741 in America. In history, he is known for being a general under the command of George Washington during the War for Independance. However, he is not remembered favorably. In 1780, Cornwallis moved his troops to for West Point on the Hudson River, all the while, adding loyalist colonials and slaves into his army. The Americans almost lost this fort to him because Benedict Arnold abandoned the continental army and fled to fight on the side of Cornwallis and the British. When called out on his treason, Arnold claimed he did not want to be in an alliance with "the enemy of the protestant faith" because at this time, because America had created an alliance with France, a catholic nation.

Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As well as being an inventor, author, and all-around Renaissance man, Franklin served as one of the main liaisons between the American colonists and King Louis XVI of France. Franklin was able to convince the monarch to send ammunition and other supplies as well as reinforcements led by Marquis de Lafayette after the victory at Saratoga. The backing of the French, and later the Spanish, gave the Americans the edge to defeat the British and end the war. Franklin was instrumental in creating this alliance.

Mercantilism

By strictly regulating what their colonies produced, sold, and who they traded with, the British and other European countries were able to make a large profit off their colonies. English colonies, in particular, were strongly influenced by mercantilism in the 17th and 18th centuries. In order to make a high profit, England would buy cheap, raw goods from their American colonies (especially in the south) and use these materials to produce and manufacture everyday items. These items were then sold back to the colony at a high price, enabling England to make a higher profit than what the item was worth. Mercantilism was simply a way to suppress American colonies, maintain power over them, and make a profit.

Carolinas

Carolina colony was owned by the French in 1563/1564, named after King Charles IX. Quickly became part of industry, with tobacco, rice, lumber, and indigo. A royal grant was given to proprietors, the colony was intended as a source of income. The businessmen surrendered the charter to the crown, and the colony split into North and South.

John Adams

During the Enlightenment, Adams was an educated political theorist, which led to his role during the revolution. He was a fiery delegate from Massachusetts in the Continental Congress. During the revolution, Adams publicly spoke against Britain and their many taxes. Adams played a key role in America's independence because of his persistence during the Continental Congress on issues such as drafting a declaration of why America wanted to separate from Britain. He assisted Thomas Jefferson in the writing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and he helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the American Revolution. Later in life, John Adams would become the second president of the Unites States.

Connecticut

Connecticut was a New England colony explored by the Dutch and founded by a group of Puritans led by Reverend Thomas Hooker in 1636. After growing dissatisfied with the strict religious regulations of his Puritan colony, he led a group of loyal followers to begin their own colony in Connecticut. It was there, in 1639, where the Fundamental Orders were written, establishing one of the first democratic constitutions and a representative government.

Conquistadors:

Conquistadors were Portuguese or Spanish conquerors who were mainly known for their successful voyages to the Americas. Two of the first Spanish conquests were those of Fernando Cortez, who went up against chief Montezuma to capture the Aztecs in the early 1520s in Mexico, and Francisco Pizarro, who beat Atahualpa and defeated the Incas in the 1530s in Peru. The conquistadors were important because the new settlements that were created by the conquistadors became part of the Columbian Exchange, which brought different crops and products to civilizations in other continents.

Deism

Deists were dubbed the 'old lights', who were the counterparts to the 'new lights'. These nicknames represent two groups that emerged in response to the American Great Awakening, a split of protestant ideologies due to the public's disinterest in the predominating religions such as puritanism. Deists believed in a 'clockwork universe', meaning that they believed that God set everything into motion, created the universe, and then let everything else happen on its own. Deists denied that God interfered with human lives, and they believed that the good people would make it to heaven. The Deists were an integral part in shaping the course of the American Great Awakening, which onset the idea that faith came from people instead of the congregation, created a stronger, unified American identity, and emphasized missionaries for blacks and natives.

Portuguese Exploration:

During the 15th century, Portuguese exploration was chartered by the country's leading monarch, known as Prince Henry the Navigator, who also put money into the creation of maritime technology and engineering. Because of his contribution, the Portuguese became early leaders in exploration, and were the first to find a route around the tip of Africa to Asia, a voyage which was led by Vasco Da Gama. By doing this, they not only proved beyond a doubt that it was possible to get around Africa, but also connected Europe and Asia with an ocean route for the first time.

Whigs and Tories

During the American Revolution, Patriots and Loyalist were also knows and Whigs and Tories respectively. Starting after 1768, the Whigs named themselves after the British political party who had similar views in regards to colonial policies. Tories, on the other hand, were colonists who supported British rule and were also called Royalists. Loyalists went on to become the more common term. These names are significant because they are just one example of the divisions between the colonists that became evident and critically important during the war.

Joint-Stock Company

During the colonization of the New World, many businessmen wanted to invest in what they believed to be a gold mine of resources. Joint-Stock companies were invented so that these men could invest money in colonies without having to make the journey themselves. The wealthy would put money into a business of sorts, and in return they would get a percentage of the profits from the business's trade with the New World. In effect, they would fund the trip and the start of the colony. The most famous of the Joint-Stock colonies was the failed Jamestown, Virginia.

Colonial strategies of England, France, Netherlands

England Colonial Strategies:o The English were more focused on settling colonies in the New World. Orginally, they just sent men overseas to places such as Jamestown ( 1607). Additionally, puritanism movement also brought the Pilgrims and Puritans who came for religious freedoms. Their location is important because many of the English colonies are formed because of religious reasons French Colonial Strategies: o The French settled more in modern day Canada/Quebec areas. Here they began the fur trading. Dutch Colonial Strategies: o The Dutch (Dutch East India Company) were more focused on setting up trading posts along the Hudson (1621). They gained areas such as New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. Their colonies were never as big as the English colonies.

Ethan Allen

Ethan Allen was a patriot was born in Litchfield, Connecticut in 1738. He is most known for being the leader of the Green Mountain Boys. This group was created when New York landlords tried to claim property worked by other farmers in the mid-1770s. Allen insisted the land should belong to the people working on it, and by doing so, Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys eventually created the boundary for the state of Vermont. Allen and his Green Mountains Boys are most known for their assistance at Fort Ticonderoga in New York. In 1775, they worked with the local militia to surround Fort Ticonderoga, causing the British to surrender.

Fort Ticonderoga

Fort Ticonderoga was the location of a very important victory for the Americans during the early stages of the American War for Independance. In May of 1775, Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys with local militia were able to surround Fort Ticonderoga, causing it to surrender. Another reason Fort Ticonderoga is important is because Washington's commander of artillery, Henry Knox, took cannons from this Fort the next winter to assist with the battle of Bunker Hill. Even though the Americans did not win this battle, the British were not able to fulfil their goal of taking Boston. Without these cannons, the British may have been able to capture Boston which would have made winning the war much more difficult.

Jamestown/ "Colony on the Edge of Ruin"

Founded by the Virginia Joint Stock Company, Jamestown became a colony in 1607, and while many colonies struggled during the first year of settlement, the "Colony on the Edge of Ruin" struggled for 23 years, with death rates reaching a maximum of 80%. The problems included poor leadership, greed, absent owners, and indentured servitude. Those running the colony were so obsessed with the production of tobacco for monetary gains that they did not produce enough food and ignored the starving population of workers. Jamestown became a royal colony in 1625 with a population of only 500 people, after the Virginia Joint Stock Company went bankrupt from a war with Spain.

Baron von Steuben

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, better known as Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born military expert who essentially gave Washington's military a make-over. Born in Prussia in 1730, Steuben played an active role in the Seven Years War and eventually rose to the rank of a captain. Steuben moved back to Europe after the Seven Years War, where he was one of 15 men chosen to study warfare with Fredrick the Great. In 1778, Steuben was sent back to America where he reinstated Washington's army that was falling apart at the time. Much credit for the success of the American Revolution can be credited to Baron von Steuben because of the multitude of military tasks and drills he used to sharpen the American army. As a very efficient man, Steuben wrote the "Blue Book," a book based on drills for how to properly train, equip, and prepare an army for warfare. This book served as the first drill manual for the United States Army for 30 years after it was written.

George Grenville

George Grenville was a British prime minister who advocated the Revenue Act of 1764 and was the author of the Stamp Act of 1765. The Revenue Act refers to a series of indirect taxes placed on the colonists in 1764 which required that all exports be shipped through England initially, but were generally ignored because they were not enforced. However, the Stamp Act, a direct tax that required all legal documents to have a certain stamp on them that had to be purchased, was met with boycotts, newly formed opposition groups, and, eventually, the rebellion of the colonists. The colonists did not feel like the British had the right to levy a direct tax on them, even if the British were desperate for money to pay soldiers that had fought in defense of the colonists in the French and Indian War and were paying twenty-six times the tax the colonists were paying. Overall, Grenville's Stamp Act resulted in the colonists rising together against the unfair obligation of taxation without representation, leading to support of other ideals that the colonists believed were necessary to build a better country.

John Singleton Copley

John Singleton Copley was a portrait painter who was born in Massachusetts in 1738. He is most famous for his realistic depictions of every-day people. He was one of the most influential painter of the colonial period, producing around 350 works. He was a pioneer in realism, print making, and exhibition art exhibits. He created much of the art culture that is still thriving in the United States.

Richard Henry Lee

He was a Virginia delegate on the First Continental Congress and the Second Continental Congress. In Philadelphia in 1775, within the Second Continental Congress, Lee suggested to the other delegates that America should claim independence from Great Britain and cut all ties from the country. Pushed by Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, Lee presented the idea to the Congress. Being Virginian brought in support from the Southern states and caused other delegates to being the support for the revolution. Lee's suggestion started the talk and movement for independence within the committee and what lead to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

Henry Hudson

Henry Hudson was an English explorer who sailed in the 1610s. He was sent on the voyage funded by the Dutch East India Company. The DEIC was in search of a route to Asia from Europe that went through the Arctic Ocean. Hudson and his crew sailed along a river on his third voyage, the ship traveled through and settled on a river, which was later named after him. While traveling, they realized that they weren't reaching their destination and turned around. This disappointment caused a mutiny amongst the ship, eventually causing Hudson's death. His discovery of the Hudson River laid the groundwork for Dutch colonization and English territory in Canada.

Lost Colony/Sir Walter Raleigh

In 1584, Sir Walter Raleigh financed a colony in Roanoke, North Carolina. In 1587, Sir Walter Raleigh brought people and supplies to the area and aided in the foundation of settlement, before heading back to England the same year. After returning in 1590, Raleigh returned to a vanished colony, the only hint of life left behind was the word "Croatan," the name of a small local Native group, carved on a nearby tree. The disappearance of the settlement was most likely a factor of starvation, weather, disease, animals, and natives. The first British child born in America, Virginia Dare, was born here in 1587.

Roger Williams

In 1636, Roger Williams was banished from his Massachusetts colony for publicly disagreeing with some aspects of Puritan life. He believed that the Puritan way was not the only way of life and argued for religious toleration for other types of Christians. Williams also agreed with a separation of church and state and claimed that the civil government should not have the authority to regulate religious behavior. Fleeing to Rhode Island in 1636, he, along with the help of Anne Hutchinson, settled a colony based on Puritan values, but including many of the governmental laws used in modern America (separation of church and state, a ban on tax to support the church, no required church attendance).

Quartering Act (1765)

In 1765, Parliament passed the Quartering Act in order to guarantee living space for the british soldiers stationed in the colonies. Soldiers were seen as necessary in the colonies because of possible Indian and/or French attacks. Colonists had to provide supplies and barracks for these soldiers. If excess space was needed, colonists were expected to provide living space in their own inns, stables, and houses. At this time, colonists were already angered by the Stamp and Declaratory Act, and the Quartering Act would serve as another source of anger on the road to revolution. The Quartering Act was important due the fact that the already furious colonists were forced to give up their own earnings and homes for the very people they resented most, which acted as another motive for the growing revolution.

Great Awakening

In the 1600s, many religious groups including the Puritans travelled to the New World in search of religious freedom. They settled in the Northern Colonies and set up a tradition of godlessness that was scared by the majority of the settlers who joined them. As time went on, different sects of Puritanism began to branch off. One of these was known as the Great Awakening, led by Jonathan Edwards in the 1740s. The idea behind this movement was that the people of the Northern colonies were losing what it meant to be religious. The adults who ran the colonies were the grandchildren of those who had originally travelled across the ocean in order to practice their religion. The descendants were less driven by a love/fear of God, and the leaders of the Great Awakening took it upon themselves to enlighten them. Edwards and other leaders used sermons that spoke of the wrath of god to scare people back to religion and tradition.

James I/James II

James I was the first monarch to rule over Great Britain and Scotland simultaneously. He assumed the title James VI of Scotland in 1567 and James I of England and Ireland in 1603. He succeeded Elizabeth I of England because she had no children, and he was her closest relative. James was already the king of Scotland, so parliament agreed to let one monarch rule. The governments were fairly strong when he was ruling; however, when his son, Charles I, attempted to rule like this, it induced the English Civil War. Charles I was killed in 1649 after the war, and Oliver Cromwell, Charles I's opponent, became the dictator of England. Oliver Cromwell was a highly religious Puritan who is now referred to as the "Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland." He was a very strong leader and his Puritan ideals helped keep up the religion in the New World. After he died, Charles II returned to Great Britain from his exile at the time of his father's death. Charles II was a bit controversial because he was Catholic. His brother, James II, was his heir and was also Catholic. Shortly after James II was seated as king of Great Britain in 1685, he fell out of favor. As king, he had a political and religious agenda of his own. He tried desperately to assert his power over parliament and the Church of England. James II's heir, Mary, was Protestant; however, when his wife had a son who was also Catholic, he was set to be the next heir. Neither the people nor parliament wanted another Catholic king, so they elected Prince William of Orange and Mary to become the new monarchs.

John Dickinson and Letters from a Farmer

John Dickinson was an important political figure in colonial America during and after the American Revolution for many reasons. He was a member in the First and Second Continental Congresses of 1774 and 1776, respectively, and he contributed to the writing of the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. He created the Olive Branch Petition of 1775 in an attempt to avoid war, but it was rejected by the British. Although he did not sign the Declaration of Independence because of his belief that doing so without a foreign ally was dangerous, he did fight alongside the Delaware militia during the Revolutionary War. Perhaps his most highly respected contribution addition to the fuel of the revolution was his writing Letters from a Pennsylvania Farmer to the Inhabitants to the Inhabitants of the British Colonies in 1767. These were a series of letters written in response to the Townshend Acts, giving logic to his understanding of what colonial rights should be as well as to the unjust oppression of the colonists by the British. These letters encouraged the colonists to fight for what their beliefs, especially the belief of what a genuinely free should look like.

Jonathan Edwards/Sinners in the Hands

Jonathan Edwards was a minister in Massachusetts who was raised by a puritan pastor as a father. He lived a devoutly religious live, which was shaken with the advent of the Great awakening. He tried to renew a religious fervor in the colonies with highly emotional sermons that got the people rallied up. His most famous sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, played on the congregation's fear of hell, persuading them to become devout in their new faith and even convert to the new faith promoted by the Great Awakening by making them believe that hell is imminent. Jonathan Edwards was America's first true theologian, and although he is remembered as a crazy, hellfire preacher by some, he played an influential role in changing the demographics of christianity that still are prevalent in our country today.

John Locke

John Locke lived from the 1630s to the early 1700s; he was a philosopher born in England but lived in the Netherlands and was a major contributor to the Enlightenment. His ideas influenced the system of government and general ideals of the colonists during the era of revolution in the late 1700s. Locke believed in the natural rights of humans. He believed that revolution was necessary when a government failed to do what it was created to do, in this case, the British Monarchy and Parliament failing to support and represent the colonies of the New World. Another of Locke's influential ideas was that a government needed only limited power, which would be expressed through the system of Checks and Balances, and Separation of Powers. Thomas Jefferson's ideas mirrored Locke's thoughts concerning the revolution as well as many other figures. Locke believed in a society that would not be restrained by a tyrannical government but would thrive as a place of toleration, balance, education, and happiness, a concept reflected in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and nearly all other aspects of the ideal American life.

John Rolfe/Pocahontas

John Rolfe was an English settler who ventured to Jamestown by a charter supported by the Virginia company in 1610. He successfully introduced growing of tobacco bringing profits in export to the Virginia colony. John Rolfe married Pocahontas of the Powhatan peoples in 1614, bringing peace between the settlers and Native Americans. Pocahontas had been captured and she converted to Christianity before their marriage, and the two travelled back to England with infant son in 1616. Pocahontas soon faced death before the journey back to the new world, where Rolfe would remarry and rise in politics/the economy. Rolfe paved in an important pathway for colonizers in the export of tobacco and a temporary peace between the colonists and natives.

Issue of Slavery with COA

Just before the Declaration of Independence was signed and adopted in July of 1776, a revision was made to the final draft to remove the passage that opposed slavery. The topic was debated furiously among politicians, because both sides of the argument presented compelling evidence to support their opinion. Those who wanted to continue to have blacks enslaved claimed that it was impossible to keep the colonies' economy intact without the cheap, forced labor. However, the logic of the anti-slavery believers was just as convincing. They presented the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom from repression by the British while continuing to own other people as slaves against their will. Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, fought adamantly against slavery, even though he was known to have hundreds of slaves of his own. After the colonists finally won independence, there was little to no talk of ending slavery for a long time, proving that the removal of the Jefferson's passage on slavery was a missed opportunity to create a truly free country years earlier.

King George III

King George III was born in 1738 in England. When his father died he became the next in line for England's throne and was coronated in 1760 when King George II died. He is remembered most for losing America in the Revolutionary War; however, this wasn't entirely his fault. He did not make the Stamp Act, raise taxes on goods such as tea, or make other controversial decisions that led to the colonists' fight for independence. It was Parliament who supported these acts. During the first 25 years of his reign, English citizens had mixed feelings about their king because he was accused of trying to increase the monarch's power. Strangely, after losing America he became more popular because of his strong nationality and the way he fought to keep the colonies, but the stress of the war with America and England's debt took a toll on George III. He began to get sick frequently during the 1780s and was diagnosed as permanently deranged in 1810. His oldest son, George IV, acted as Prince Regent because his father was unable to rule on his own. Though King George III had a rough time during his rule, he did manage to accomplish several good feets such as starting a new royal collection of books and opening his library to scholars and founding the Royal Academy of Arts.

George III

King George began his rule in 1760 in Great Britain. Under his rule, Great Britain collected a lot of its debt. While under the throne, he lead Great Britain into the Seven Year's War alongside the American colonists. Additionally, to regain the money lost during the Seven Years War, he imposed taxes upon the colonists such as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, and Tea Act. Each of these attempts failing and angering the Americans and British. Already angry and ready for war, George denied the Olive Branch Petition sent from America as a last resort to reconcile with the Mother Country. It was during the creation of the Declaration of Independence that the Americans listed their grievances against George, who they believed to be a "tyrant". Throughout America's fight for independence, King George was there leading Britain against unruly America.

Marquis de LaFayette

Marquis de Lafayette was an ambitious, young, French general. Becoming interested in the American affairs with independence, Lafayette sailed unauthorized to America. At the young age of 19, the Second Continental Congress commissioned him major general of the Continental Army. It was through the army that Lafayette and Washington became such close friends. Throughout his career, Lafayette was very successful, for he was able to keep the ties between the French and Americans clean and was an essential role in the surrender of Cornwallis in 1783. In 1789, Marquis de Lafayette played a principal role in drafting the Declaration of the Rights of Man, influenced greatly by the Declaration of Independence.

Maryland (include Act Concerning Religion)

Maryland was formed in the 1630s by George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, as a haven for English Catholics. His son, the second Lord Baltimore, colonized it. It is the only Southern colony founded partly for religious purposes. The main crop was tobacco, and it was a well organized colony. Soon after being colonized, it granted religious freedom to all Christians.

New Amsterdam/New Netherlands

New Amsterdam was a Dutch settlement located on the Manhattan Island. It's also known as the New Netherlands. It was a fort that was created to defend the Dutch West India Company fur trade operations that took place along the Hudson River. In 1664, the port was renamed New York in honor of the Duke of York. The Dutch eventually gave up the land to the English in 1667.

New Sweden/Delaware

New Sweden was founded in 1638 by the Dutch West India Company. In 1655, New Sweden was annexed and became Delaware. Peter Minuit founded this as well as New Jersey and New York. Delaware quickly became very self-reliant and not very affected when the control of these colonies were surrendered to the British. Much of the modern day Delaware population has many Swedish roots.

James Oglethorpe

Oglethorpe was an English politician who care greatly about prison reform and had faith in the new world. After losing a close friend to poor prison conditions in 1729, he made it his goal to bring prison reform to England. After he discovered that his plans for reform were not likely to succeed, he signed on to be a trustee for the new Georgia colony. While there, he helped direct the government, instate an economy, lead the military, and recruit new settlers from England. He was a true social activist whom believed that life was not for the one but for the many. This is an idea that he tried to instill in Georgia during his time as a leader.

Powhatan and Opechancanough

Opechancanough was the brother of Powhatan, chief of Indian tribe in Virginia. Powhatan led the Indians against the rapidly intruding and growing Europeans in the First Anglo-Powhatan War in the 1610s. After this war the English had already developed a strong enough foothold in the natives' land. As power was given to Opechancanough when Powhatan grew old, Opechancanough became the war-chief of the Powhatan peoples but always stayed friendly and kind when dealing with settlers. Secretly, he spent years planning a surprise attacks, one of which that killed 347 men, women, and children in 1622. Powhatan and Opechancanough displayed resistive and devastating attacks against the English settlers and despite ultimate failure, showed just how strong and threatening the natives could be.

New France/Samuel Champlain

Samuel De Champlain led a group of French colonists through the St. Lawrence River in 1608. He was sent on the voyage by the French to seek the fur trade in North America. Eventually, he arrived on land which he called Quebec and settled there. He was one of the first French explorers to settle on the new land that France would occupy the majority of. The Company of New France was founded in 1627 with an intent to increase trade on the land, but quickly crashed due to conflict with the England war. In 1663, King Louis XIV turned The Company of New France into a royal province called, New France. The land taken was that of the Iroquois natives.

Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry was an orator from Virginia and was considered one of the most radical men during the revolutionary period due to his Adams-esque passion and fervor, and he is known for the quote "Give me liberty, or give me death". In the 1760s, Henry became part of the House of Burgesses, and he proposed the Stamp Act Resolutions, being one of few members of the House to openly oppose Britain. In the 1770s, he was part of the First Continental Congress and was elected governor of Virginia, and later he openly criticized the Constitution of 1787. Although some colonists considered him too radical, it was men like Henry that gave the colonies the push they needed to have a successful revolution.

Paul Revere

Paul Revere, known for his famous like "The British are coming the British are coming", was a Boston engraver and member of the Boston Sons of Liberty. After the Boston Massacre in 1770, Revere helped increase the tension between the British and American people by creating an engraved and highly inaccurate print of the Boston Massacre. The picture depicted the British soldiers shooting into an unarmed, defenseless crowd of colonists. This increased tension because this further unified the colonies in their hate of the British and pushed closer to independence. However, this inaccurate picture still today warps the views of students because from the viewpoint of the picture, it appears that the British are the only ones at fault.

Pontiac's Rebellion

Pontiac's Rebellion occurred after the end of the French and Indian War from 1763-1764 in "Ohio Country", an area west of the Appalachian Mountains. While the French allied with the natives in this area, when the British won the land after the war, the natives feared British settlement in their territory. Chief Pontiac led the Ottawa tribe and others in a rebellion against the British, ultimately ending in a native surrender. Though the rebellion was not immediately successful for the natives, it caused the British to fear further uprisings and to eventually make the Proclamation of 1763 which demanded that colonists remain outside of native territory in Ohio Country.

Half-Way Covenant

Puritans in Massachusetts began to fret when the Congregation size began to dwindle in the 1660s, for second generation Puritans did not believe so strongly in the strict rules laid out by the church as the generation before them had. As an incentive to get the second generation of Puritans to become members of the church, the Half-Way Covenant, written by Richard Mather, was drafted and adopted in 1662. This document gave second generation Puritans the right to baptism and partial church membership, and once they turned 14, they could become full church members and be granted the right to communion. Massachusetts was primarily formed for religious freedom, and because it was necessary to make this covenant shows that not everyone agreed with the new rules laid out for the colony.

Racial hierarchy Spanish America

Racial hierarchy was founded after the discovery of the New World in the late 15th century into the 16th century, and divided Spanish America into four main classes. At the top were the peninsulares, Spanish born people who had come to the Americas. The second tier was comprised of Creoles, pure Spaniards born in the New World, followed by the Mestizos, part Native and part European, and the Mulattoes, part African and part European. At the bottom of the hierarchy were the Native Americans followed by African slaves.

Stono Rebellion

Racial prejudice against African- Americans first began after slaves were brought to America during the Columbian exchange. They were treated so poorly that in 1739, they revolted, wanting freedom from their owners and from prejudice. This is now called the "Stono County Rebellion" and was the first major slave uprising. Twenty black slaves met at the Stono River southwest of Charleston. They raided a store for ammunition and weapons, also killing the store-owners. As they made their way to Spanish St. Augustine, they burned down houses of and killed white men. A group of slave-owners reached the rebels; however, 20 white and 40 black people died during this encounter. The Stono Rebellion would be the largest slave rebellion in the New World until the American Revolution. This event paved way for slave rebellions in the future.

Rhode Island

Rhode Island was first settled in the 1630s by Puritan rebels fleeing their Massachusetts colonies. Roger Williams and Anne Hutchinson were the earliest and most famous rebels. The Puritan belief system stated that if any member of the community strayed, God would punish the whole community. When Hutchinson and Williams spoke for a separation of church and state and religious toleration, they were banished from their colony and fled to Rhode Island in the late 1630s. Their colony differed from the Puritan colony in Massachusetts because taxes did not go to support the church, church attendance was not required, and there was a fair amount of religious toleration (for other types of Christians). The colony was given a royal charter in 1644, and the capital was Providence.

Robert Morris

Robert Morris began as a merchant and banker of Pennsylvania but became a congressman and significantly aided America in the revolutionary period. His movements against Britain began after his business was ruined by the Stamp Act, and he was elected into the Continental Congress in 1775. During the war, as capital for the Continental Army dwindled, Morris donated his own money to the soldiers which ultimately allowed them to stay afloat and to win battles such as the Battle of Trenton. In the 1780s, Morris formed the idea for a National Bank, which became the Bank of North America and brought economic stability to colonies after the war. At the end of his career as a politician, he served as a Senator for Pennsylvania.

Salutary Neglect

Salutary neglect is a term that describes the relaxation of some laws that should have been imposed by england onto the colonies from the 1690s to the 1760s, but were not. This gave merchants, businessmen, and even some politicians the freedom to act on their own without the mother country of england guiding them. England didn't particularly need the taxes from the colonies from the 1690s to the 1760s because they were so prosperous with all of their other colonies. Also, england was preoccupied with their expansive other territories, so they could not impose their taxes and most of their smaller laws on the colonies. Additionally, in accordance to the mercantilist theory that dominated economics at this time, exporting items from america without taxes to raise the price would be profitable for England, thus justifying their relaxed rules. Salutary neglect was also beneficial to help ease the possibility of a rebellion, as major rebellion threats had already materialized such as Bacon's rebellion. The end of salutary neglect came after the seven years war's conclusion in the french and indian war. English troops were already on american soil to enforce the laws, England needed to pay back war debts with the taxes from the colonies, and England was now budgeting for the colonies protection.

William and Mary

Shortly after James II was seated as king of Great Britain in 1685, he fell out of favor. As king, he had a political and religious agenda of his own. He was also Catholic and tried desperately to assert his power over parliament and the Church of England. James II's heir, Mary, was Protestant; however, when his wife had a son who was also Catholic, he was set to be the next heir. Neither the people nor parliament wanted another Catholic king, so they elected Prince William of Orange and Mary to become the new monarchs. When William and Mary arrived in London, they led a march to overthrow James II, and without any bloodshed, James II retreated to France. In 1689, William and Mary assumed their royal duties as king and queen. This event is referred to as the Glorious Revolution and sparked multiple uprisings against the government in the New World. William and Mary were very popular among the people in the New World.

Sam Adams and Sons of Liberty

Sons of Liberty were major opponents of the Stamp Act. An organization of merchants who opposed the newly imposed Stamp Act. They were mad because profited on the Seven Year's War however now, this law limited their trade. Greatly known for their motto "Liberty, Property, and No Stamps", they promoted the boycott against British goods. Boycotts on British goods, opposition groups, and violence on government leaders, lead to the repeal of the Stamp Act by Britain. Samuel Adams, who was a primary leader in the Sons of Liberty, also participated in the Boston Tea Party as well. After the Tea Act, in December of 1773, Samuel Adams and other colonists in Boston dressed as Native Americans and through 300 chests of tea into the water. This resulted in Britain losing over 4 million dollars. This act of defiance is what pushed British Parliament to close the ports in Boston and also lead to the Intolerable Acts. The combination of these events united the 13 colonies even more as they moved closer towards claiming independence.

Albany Plan of Union (Franklin)

The Albany Plan of Union was part of the Albany Congress, a meeting in New York in the 1750s. Colonial governments of Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire each sent commissioners, including Benjamin Franklin, who had a large part in planning. This plan was meant to unify all British colonies except Georgia and Delaware, resolving feuds over land and regulating ties between colonies and the natives. While the plan ultimately fell through, it was the first time that North American British colonies attempted to join together under one government.

Declaration of Rights and Grievances

The Declaration of Rights and Grievances, written and passed by the Stamp Act Congress in October of 1775, declared that not only was the Stamp Act unconstitutional but that all taxes imposed by Great Britain were unconstitutional. The colonists, infuriated by the internal taxes of the Stamp Act, claimed that Parliament did not have the right to levy taxes on the colonies without their written formal consent, since the colonies had no representation in Parliament. Nine colonies participated in the Stamp Act Congress, the first multi-colony meeting since the Albany Plan of Union in 1756. The basis behind this document, no taxation without representation, would become one of the most important sayings during the war for independence. The document as a whole included fourteen points the colonists wanted England to hear, more examples including the right to a trial by jury and that all colonists deserved the same rights as Englishmen living in the mother country. Great Britain responded by repealing the Stamp Act and passing the Declaratory Act, which stated that England had the right to tax the colonists because the colonies were "virtually represented" in Parliament.

Declaratory Act (1766)

The Declaratory Act of 1766 passed by Parliament announced and reaffirmed that Britain's ability to tax the colonies was the same in Britain as well as in the New World. This act was in response to the Stamp and Sugar Acts of 1765 and 1764 respectively. These previous acts caused colonists to grow furious because of the heavy taxes on internal and external matters while there was no representation in the British Parliament. The act affected all of the colonies of the New World and encouraged the colonists to continue to protest taxation without representation, one of the leading causes for revolution in the colonies. This act would serve as one of the factors that caused colonists to consider revolution.

Enlightenment

The Enlightenment era lasted from the early 17th century to the late 18th century. Contrary to the previous sociopolitical climate of Europe and America, it was an age of individualism and reason rather than reliance on the church for all knowledge. Many scientific and political revelations occurred during this period, and many influential thinkers became popular such as John Locke and Isaac Newton. This era sparked the idea of revolution in America and later France causing the French and American Revolutions.

First Continental Congress

The First Continental Congress occurred in October 1774, when three delegates from each of twelve of the thirteen colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss future plans for the colonies and plans of action against the Intolerable Acts. The congress authorized Committees of Safety, groups of Patriots who became a backbone government for the colonies as British officials slowly lost power. Patrick Henry's famous" Give me liberty or give me death" was spoken here, pushing the idea of independence further into the minds of the founding fathers. The congress also adopted the Suffolk Resolves, in which all Massachusetts counties were urged to close their courts and boycott British supplies until the Intolerable Acts were repealed. Also, the effect of the Enlightenment on thinking and human rights became evident here, after the delegates argued that England was taking away their "natural rights."

Gaspée Affair or incident (1772)

The Gaspee Affair took place on June 9, 1772 off the coast of Providence. The HMS Gaspee, a British boat, was on its way to Providence with officers to enforce British trade laws and stop illegal smuggling. When the Gaspee began chasing an American boat, the American boat led them right into a sand bar where the Gaspee was stuck and unable to move forward. When the Americans learned of the situation, they boarded eight longboats and rowed out to where the British were stuck. They attacked and captured the captain and crew, taking them as prisoners and set the Gaspee on fire (which set off an explosion from the gunpowder on the boat). This event united the colonies because it was an act of defiance against the trade laws Britain had imposed on them.

Glorious Revolution

The Glorious Revolution occurred from 1688-1689 when the English government shifted from a Catholic King (Charles II) to a Protestant King and Queen (William of Orange and Mary).This revolution overthrew the last Catholic monarch and was glorious because no one died. Though this happened in England, the British colonies were very affected by it: Edmund Andros, governor of the Dominion of New England, was appointed by Charles II and was not supported by the colonists, for he strictly enforced the Navigation Acts. Andros was promptly removed from his position as governor when Charles II died, and though he tried to escape back to England, he was captured and tarred and feathered. Ultimately, the Glorious Revolution helped pave the way to taxation without representation and the American Revolution.

Aztecs/Incans

The Incans, settled in the Andes Mountains of Peru, expanded to encompass 16 million people throughout the years 1200-1500 BCE. Their strong central government, which focused on the military, allowed for the invention of an official language, calendar, and 14,000 miles of roads. Their inventions and irrigation methods changed farming patterns for centuries after. The Aztecs, centered in Lake Texcoco and their capital of Tenochtitlan, prided themselves on their corn farmers, soldiers, and temples. Because of their foundation in the military, the Aztecs were a feared empire that conquered many neighboring people, and in its height it stretch over most of central Mexico in the 1300s BCE.

Massachusetts Bay

The Massachusetts Bay was founded by the Puritans when they left England to created a new, better, Christian land. One of the major founders was John Winthrop who promoted Covenant with God. Another major figure in this colony was John Cotton. Cotton defended the duty of the government to enforce religious rules. Massachusetts Bay eventually merged with the Plymouth Rock colony in the 1690s.

Mayflower Compact

The Mayflower Compact was the first North American governing document that laid out the future structure of self-government. This document was submitted to the will of the majority and reduced the desire to start war among the colonists (keeps the "rabble from rebelling"). It was written by English colonists aboard the Mayflower headed towards Virginia but arrived in Massachusetts in 1620.

Navigation Act 1660

The Navigation Act of 1660 was set by England in order to restrict colonial trade and decrease dependency on foreign imports. This act was a follow-up of the Navigation Act of 1651, and it added the "enumerating" of sugar, tobacco, cotton, wool, and ginger, which were only to be sent to England or Ireland. This restriction caused a decline in trade of colonies, specifically North Carolina, and induced smuggling.

Olive Branch Petition

The Olive Branch Petition was introduced by John Dickinson (Pennsylvania) to the Continental Congress in July of 1775. It was an attempt to avoid a full-blown war with Great Britain by affirming the colonists' loyalty to the British Empire. The petition was rejected by the King and Britain declared the colonies as officially in-rebellion in August of 1775.

Proclamation of 1763

The Proclamation of 1763 was issued by King George III and written as a peace treaty during the last two years of the French and Indian War, which began in 1754 and ended with the loss of the French and the proclamation in 1763. Also known as the Seven Years' War, it was fought by the French and Indian against the British over land in North America. Afterwards, Britain was left in massive debt and without money to pay the soldiers, especially Americans, who had fought. In an effort to make revenue, the British began taxing the colonists, initiating a series of opposition groups and beginning the American fight for independence. The proclamation itself limited colonial expansion and was created in part as a conciliation for the Native Americans as well as a precaution since the British feared they would lose their alliance with the French against the Natives if peace was not made soon. The line created by the proclamation ultimately left a mark that remains today in the form of state lines in the United States of America. On the whole, the Proclamation of 1763 is remembered as the end to a war that set the basis for the American Revolution.

Puritan values/beliefs

The Puritans were a group of people who came over to the New World from England to escape religious persecution in the 1620s after wanting to purify the Church of England. They were very strict in their values, and believed strongly in predestination, or the idea that from birth God choose whether a person will go to heaven or hell. Their community valued perfectionism, which created the idea of "mutual watchfulness." This was watching your family and neighbors to help them to see their sins. Unfortunately, this translated into spying and harping on people they didn't like.

Quebec Act (1774)

The Quebec Act was passed by Parliament in 1774, at around the time of the passing of the Intolerable Acts, in order to secure the success, economically and socially, of the French living under British rule in Canada. The British wanted to incorporate the Quebec region into its empire as well as take away some of the legal restraints implemented in the area. The act introduced the appointment of a new governor and council to run the region, the recognition of a French civil code, the ability for Catholics to hold office, and the extension of borders to the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. This act made the colonists fear a rise in French power as they moved closer to the colonies, and served as a possible threat to freedom.

Second Continental Congress

The Second Continental Congress took place in Philadelphia 1775 and was a congregation of all thirteen colonies to discuss the newly begun American Revolution. The United States's Declaration of Independence was adopted here on July 4, 1776, arguably the most important accomplishment of this congress. The 56 delegates from the colonies acted together as an interim government for the colonies until the war could be won, handling war tasks such as appointing generals, raising armies, and creating treaties including the Olive Branch Petition as a last attempt to repair the colony's relationship with England. The Second Continental Congress also printed paper currency and took out loans after realizing the war for independence could not be avoided.

Transatlantic Slave Trade

The Transatlantic Slave trade across the Atlantic Ocean from the 16th - 19th centuries transported a majority of West Africans across the Triangular Trade System and the Middle Passage into the New World. 60% of the slaves went to the West Indies, while the remaining were sent to North America and Brazil. They were sold to western European slave traders who were focused on making a profit off of labor-intensive cash crops such as tobacco and cotton. The slaves were treated as cargo, and because of the greed of the Europeans, many endured horrific and dangerous passages to the New World and appalling treatment once arrived. A new social class and a new race, the Mulattos, were created during this time period.

The Treaty of Paris 1763/Proclamation of 1763

The Treaty of Paris in 1763 concluded the French and Indian War and allowed the British to claim the previously French territory to the west (Ohio Country). This change led to instances such as Pontiac's rebellion, which made the British wary of future uprisings. This fear, combined with the debt that resulted after the French and Indian War, led to the British Proclamation of 1763, which declared that all colonists must live to the east of the Appalachian mountains, leaving the west for the natives. Although this arrangement did not last, it did improve relationships between the British and the natives for a short period of time, although it was based on mutual respect and fear rather than a partnership or friendship.

French and Indian War/Seven Yrs. War

These wars were a series of battles of france and england. France and england never truly got along and have had a long history of fighting. The french and indian war is said to be the american theater of the seven years war. The indians allied with the french, and the warfare was strictly civil, european style with lines of troops firing at each other. There was a peace treaty at the end of the war in 1763, and england removed alternate european threats by ascertaining canada from france and forcing spain to reconcile florida. This strengthened the colonies because these two threats were gone, but it also resulted in the removal of salutary neglect, making the colonists question their faith in England.

John Winthrop

Winthrop was originally an English lawyer and one of the founders of Massachusetts Bay from 1628-29. He was a Puritan leader. He coined the term "City on the Hill" which basically meant that the society the Puritans should be viewed as an example by other societies on the correct way to function. This society promoted enforcing God's law and equality when it came to which free, white men could vote.

Pennsylvania (1681) and William Penn/Quakers

This was the 12th colony. William Penn Jr., a Quaker, gained lands from Charles II who deeded it to clear the debt of Penn's father and to establish a greater presence in North America. The Quakers in Pennsylvania were known religiously tolerant and believed that many beliefs can lead one to heaven. They had the religious title of "The Society of Friends". Additionally, no preacher was needed because members relied on "Inner Light". Finally, Pennsylvania based on Quaker ideals it created an elected assembly with broad suffrage,, and promoted society of religious liberty small farmers who returned profit on share held in England.

Thomas Jefferson (1775-1790)

Thomas Jefferson was a prominent political player in the colony of Virginia and was instrumental in the creation of the new nation, the United States. He is most known for writing the Declaration of Independence when he was only thirty three years old and for his term as the third president of the United States. Jefferson was extremely influential, and his writings other than the Declaration left huge marks as well. Jefferson's 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was a huge step towards the separation of Church and State when the Constitution was formed. Jefferson, being respected and well liked, helped unite the colonies, or at least their representatives, towards this greater goal of creating a free nation.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

Thomas Paine was born in 1737. Paine was a revolutionist whose ideas were even a little too radical for the taste of the radicals for independence such as John Adams. In order to spread his ideas, Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense in 1776. Paine wrote this pamphlet under the persona "an Englishman". Because it was written under that name, people payed more attention. They thought if even some Englishmen think the way they were being treated was bad, maybe they should be against it too. Common Sense criticized the British Government and pointed out their inconsistencies. One of his major criticisms was that England compared itself to the mother of America. Paine revealed to the public using common language that no mother would be this harsh or cruel to their child, so England needed let America grow up and become its own country. Paine also criticized the king directly, calling him a "royal brute". The reason Common Sense made such an impact on the common colonial's support of the revolution was because he wrote in a way to which commoners could relate. People such as John Adams had similar ideas; however, they were not able to express them in such a simple, persuasive manner to the public.

North American tribes

Thousands of different tribes lived on the land mass that is now North America for over ten millennia. They spoke a variety of different languages and practiced a variety of different life styles. The tribes were named by their colonizers, either French or Spanish, and some formed alliances, like the confederacy of the Iroquois. They were persecuted, enslaved, or wiped out by European expansion into the New World, and new races were created, such as Mestizos.

Tituba

Tituba was the Indian slave belonging to the family of the town minister Samuel Parris in Salem during the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. She was accused of practicing witchcraft by the daughter of Samuel Parris and her friends, and confessed to doing just that. She gave the court names of other witches, leading on the hunt for more witches throughout that year.

William Bradford/ "Aboard the Mayflower"

William Bradford was an English separatist who journeyed to the New World through the Mayflower in 1620. While aboard he signed the Mayflower Compact and later founded and became governor of the Plymouth colony. William Bradford played an important role through his expression of religious tolerance, desire for agricultural goods, and ability to draft a legal code for his successful colony.