American Revolution

Boston Massacre

fight between colonists and British soldiers that began when colonists started throwing rocks and snowballs; British soldiers opened fire and 5 colonists died

representation

voice in one's government

French and Indian War

war between Great Britain and France because they both claimed the same lands in North America (Ohio Valley)

American Revolution

war between the colonists and Great Britain; colonists wanted to be free from British rule

King George III

British Ruler during the American Revolution

George Washington

Commander in Chief of the Continental Army

Battles of Lexington and Concord

battles which marked the beginning of the American Revolution

Paul Revere

colonist who warned the towns of Concord and Lexington that British were coming

Declaration of Independence

document written by Thomas Jefferson stating that the 13 English colonies were a free and independent nation *Congress voted to accept the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

taxes

extra fees (money) added to the price of goods or services for the support of a government

Patrick Henry

famous Virginian who tried to persuade colonists that taxes were unfair, "Give me liberty, or give me death!"

Samuel Adams

famous colonist who started the Committee of Correspondence and the Sons of Liberty

Crispus Attucks

free black man who was the first person killed in the Revolution at the Boston Massacre

Sons of Liberty

group of colonists who fought against British taxes

Committees of Correspondence

group of people who helped to spread information quickly and helped colonists fight British rule

Stamp Act

law passed by the British parliament (government) that put a tax on many paper items in the colonies such as newspapers, legal documents and playing cards *After the French and Indian War, the British were in debt and wanted the colonists to pay the costs of the war.

Thomas Jefferson

main author of the Declaration of Independence

Taxation without Representation

many colonists said that the British Parliament should not tax them because they did not have representation

Boston Tea Party

members of the Sons of Liberty protested taxes by throwing tea off ships and into the harbor

declaration

official statement

Intolerable Acts (Coercive Acts)

set of laws made by parliament to punish the colonists; included laws that closed the Boston Harbor, prevented meetings from taking place, and forced colonists to quarter (house and feed) British soldiers

revolution

sudden change in government

boycott

to refuse to buy or use goods and services *colonists protested the taxes placed on British goods by refusing to buy them