6.5: The American Revolution

George III

Began the 60 year reign; he set out to recover the powers lost in the Glorious revolution; tried to make parliament follow his will

What were some of the elements that led to Britain's rise to global prominence in the 1700's?

Britain became a world power based mostly on its location, the poser of its military, the influence of its merchant class, and the lack of restrictions on business.

George Washington

George Washington a Virginia planter and solider who eventually became the first president of the united states

Why did Americans believe they had the same rights as English citizens?

Most Americans considered themselves English citizens and therefore, believed they should enjoy the same rights.

Why did the colonists object so strongly to the idea of taxation without representation?

The British government was imposing its laws on the colonies without any say from the colonists.

How did the ideas of the Enlightenment influence the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights?

The Enlightenment emphasized the ideas of basic human rights and that all government should be based upon a treaty or social contract with its citizens.

Benjamin Franklin

a leading figure of the American Enlightenment

checks and balances

a system in government where each branch of the government has the right to monitor and limit each of the other branches

Popular Soverignty

basic principle of the American system of government which asserts that the people are the source of any and all governmental power, and government can exist only with the consent of the governed

federal republic

government in which power is divided between the national, or federal, government and the states

Stamp Act

law passed in 1765 by the British Parliament that imposed taxes on items such as newspapers and pamphlets in the American colonies; repealed in 1766

Yorktown, Virginia

the place where washington forced the surrender of a British army, with this defeat the British was effort crumbled

Treaty of Paris

treaty of 1763 that ended the Seven Years War and resuled in British dominacnce of the Americas

James Madison

was one of the people who wrote the Constitution of the United States

Thomas Jefferson

was the principal author of the Declaratio of Independentance, his political philosophywas heavily influenced by thinkers like John Locke