Chapter 4 Section 1 and 2 Study Guide

Declaration of Independence

A document drawn up by the Second Continental Congress that announced American Independence and the reasons for it.

What caused the colonists to rebel against the British?

The colonists rebelled against the British because of the excessive taxation that was levied upon all the colonies that were controlled by Great Britain. This was caused by the French and Indian war which lead to Britain's debt for war to double in amount, so in reaction, they had to pay off these war debts. To do so, they had to pass certain acts to pay off what they spent in the war.

Loyalists

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain.

nonimportation agreements

Members of the Stamp Act Congress encouraged a consumer boycott of goods imported from Britain.

Sons of Liberty

Men that formed associations to lead the popular protests against paying excessive British taxes by the Parliament.

Boston Massacre

Nervous British soldiers open-fired upon a crowd of colonists that were hurling rocks and snowballs at British soldiers guarding the Customs House which killed 5 colonists.

First Continental Congress

Took place in the fall of 1774, delegates from every colony except Georgia met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

militia

Trained citizens who serve as soldiers during an emergency.

What three tactics did colonists use to protest British taxes?

1. Colonists called themselves "Patriots" to oppose the British, and created the Sons of Liberty group to lead popular protests against the British government 2. Members of the Stamp Act Congress encouraged a consumer boycott of goods imported from Britain. 3. Colonial Women organized together to weave new clothing to differentiate from Britain clothing, and pledged to not buy any manufactured British goods.

committees of correspondence

A network of local groups that informed colonists of British measures and the opposition to them in the years before the Revolutionary War.

John Adams

A prominent Massachusetts lawyer who observed "our presses have groaned, our pulpits have thundered, our legislatures have resolved, our towns have voted."

George Washington

Served as a colonial officer in the French and Indian War and he came from Virginia, the largest and most powerful colony.

natural rights

The idea that all men are born with rights that can not be taken away by a government.

Continental Army

An army that represented the colonies during the Revolutionary War.

Second Continental Congress

In May 1775, when delegates from all the colonies assembled in Philadelphia.

Thomas Paine

A recent immigrant from England who had been both an artisan and a tax collector. Published "Common Sense".

Patrick Henry

A young Virginia representative, used the ideas of a good government should provide the natural rights of life, liberty, and property; however people were able to protest against that government if they violated that "social contract". Drafted the Virginia Resolves which was later rejected for being too radical.

Intolerable Acts

Acts that forced colonists to house British soldiers and allowed British officials to be tried in Britain for crimes committed in the colonies. In addition the Quebec Act extended Canada's southern border which cut off land claimed by several colonies.

Sugar Act

An act proposed in 1764, that lowered the duty on foreign molasses. However, it also assigned customs officers and created courts to collect the duties and prosecute smugglers.

Stamp Act

An act proposed in 1765, required colonists to pay a tax on almost all printed materials, including newspapers, books, court documents, contracts, and land deeds.

Quartering Act

An act proposed in 1765, that required the colonies to provide housing and supplies for the British troops stationed there after the French and Indian War.

Thomas Jefferson

Drafted the Declaration of Independence, the Declaration drew upon Paine's ideas to denounce the King as a tyrant who made American independence necessary.

How did colonial governments differ from the British government?

Great Britain: They acquired a king that inherited executive power. Britain also had a "Parliament" that was divided into a two-house legislature; the two houses are "The House of Lords" and "The House of Commons". -The House of Lords contained aristocrats that had inherited titles, and inherited legislative power -The House of Commons was elected by men who held significant amounts of property, and less than 1/4 of British men were allowed to vote American Colonies: Contained an appointed governor that serves the king, but is paid by the colonial legislature. The Colonial Legislature contained an Upper House or Council that is appointed by the governor, and contained prominent colonists without inherited titles. Also, the Lower House or Assembly was elected by men who held property, and about 2/3 of colonial men qualified to vote.

Boston Tea Party

Occurring on December 16, 1773, Boston Patriots dressed as Indians, boarded three British ships laden with tea and dumped that tea into the harbor.

How did tensions between the colonists and Britain escalate after 1767?

The Boston Massacre took place which killed five colonists that were hurling snowballs and rocks at British troops guarding the Customs House because they were nervous. Also, the Boston Tea Party took place when the colonists dumped a large amount of tea off of Britain ships into the harbor.

Why did the British impose new taxes on the colonies?

The British imposed new taxes on the colonies to pay off the large debt made from the French and Indian War.

How did the Coercive Acts lead to colonial unity?

The Coercive Acts lead to colonial unity because the colonists worked together to pressure the Parliament to withdraw the acts. This lead to many boycotts, and provincial committees to enforce these boycotts at British imports. In effect, the Patriots also formed governments that bypassed the Parliament and the Crown.