1766-1818

1. 1766-1818 Card #61

2. Declaratory Act Date: 1766 Card #61

3. Declaratory Act • Act giving Britain the power to tax and make laws for the Americans in all cases • Followed repeal of the Stamp Act • Colonists ignored the wording of the Declaratory Act Card #61

4. Samuel Adams Date: 1722-1803 Card #62

5. Samuel Adams • Revolutionary resistance leader in Massachusetts • Along with Paul Revere, he headed the Sons of Liberty in Massachusetts • Worked with the committees of correspondence, which provided communication about resistance among colonies • Attended both the First and Second Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence Card #62

6. Stamp Act Congress Date: October 1765 Card #63

7. Stamp Act Congress • Delegates of seven colonies met in New York to discuss plans for defense • Adopted the Declaration of Rights and Grievances, which stated that freeborn Englishmen could not be taxed without their consent Card #63

8. Townshend Acts Date: 1767 Card #64

9. Townshend Acts • Created by British Prime Minister Charles Townshend (Greenville's replacement) • Formed a program of taxing items imported into the colonies, such as paper, lead, glass, and tea; it replaced the direct taxes of the Stamp Act • Led to boycotts by Boston merchants, a key contributor to the Boston Massacre Card #64

10. Virtual Representation Date: 1770s Card #65

11. Virtual Representation • English principle stating that the members of parliament represented all of Britain and the British Empire, even though members were only elected by a small number of constituents • This idea was meant to be a response to the colonial claim of "no taxation without representation," meaning that parliament was itself a representation of those being taxed Card #65

12. Declaratory Act Date: March 5, 1770 Card #66

13. Boston Massacre • Occurred when the British attempted to enforce the Townshend Acts • British soldiers killed five Bostonians, including Crispus Attucks, an American patriot and former slave • John Adams provided the legal defense for the soldiers • Though the British soldiers acted more or less in self-defense, anti-Royal leaders used the massacre to spur action in the colonies Card #66

14. Tea Act and Boston Tea Party Date: 1773 Card #67

15. Tea Act and Boston Tea Party • Concession allowed the British East India Company to ship tea directly to America and sell it at a bargain; cheap tea undercut the local merchants • Colonists opposed these shipments; they turned back ships, left shipments to rot, and held ships in port • Led to the Boston Tea Party in December of 1773, where citizens, dressed as native Americans, destroyed tea on the British ships Card #67

16. The Intolerable Acts and the Coercive Acts Date: 1774 Card #68

17. The Intolerable Acts and the Coercive Acts • Name given by colonists to the Quebec Act (1774) and to a series of acts by the British in response to the Boston Tea Party • Acts closed the Port of Boston to all trade until citizens paid for the lost tea • Acts increased the power of Massachusetts' Royal governor at the expense of the legislature • Allowed Royal officials accused of crimes in Massachusetts to be tried elsewhere Card #68

18. Methods of Colonial Resistance Date: 1770s Card #69

19. Methods of Colonial Resistance • Americans reacted first with restrained and respectful petitions, suggesting "taxation without representation is tyranny" • Colonial merchants then boycotted British goods (non-importation) • Colonists of the Revolution finally turned to violence • Crowds took action against customs officials and against merchants who violated the boycotts • Some colonists continued to follow British command and became English "Loyalists" Card #69

20. First Continental Congress Date: September-October 1774 Card #70

21. First Continental Congress • Meeting in Philadelphia of colonial representatives to denounce the Intolerable Acts and to petition the British Parliament • A few radical members discussed breaking from England • Created Continental Association and forbade the importation and use of British goods • Agreed to convene a Second Continental Congress in May 1775 Card #70

22. Battles of Concord and Lexington Date: April 1775 Card #71

23. Battles of Concord and Lexington • Concord--Site suspected by British General Gage of housing a stockpile of colonial weaponry • Paul Revere and William Dawes detected movement of British troops toward Concord and warned militia and gathered Minutemen at Lexington • Lexington--Militia and Royal infantry fought; the colonial troops withdrew Card #71

24. The Second Continental Congress Date: May 1775 Card #72

25. The Second Continental Congress • Colonial representative meeting in Philadelphia, presided over by John Hancock • Group torn between declaring independence and remaining under British power • Moderates forced the adoption of the Olive Branch Petition, a letter to King George III appealing one final time for a resolution to all disputes; the king refused to receive it • The Congress sent George Washington to command the army around Boston American ports were opened in defiance of the Navigation Acts • Wrote the Declaration of Independence Card #72

26. Battle of Bunker Hill Date: June 17, 1775 Card #73

27. Battle of Bunker Hill • Bunker Hill was an American post overlooking Boston; the stronghold allowed Americans to contain General Gage and his troops • The colonists twice turned back a British frontal assault; the held off the British until the Bunker Hill force ran out of ammunition and was overrun • American's strong defense led to strengthened morale Card #73

28. Common Sense Date: January 1776 Card #74

29. Common Sense • Pamphlet published by Thomas Paine that called for immediate independence from Britain • Sold largely and carried favor in the colonies • Weakened resistance in the Continental Congress toward independence Card #74

30. Lee’s Resolutions Date: 1776 Card #75

31. Lee’s Resolutions • Presented to Second Continental Congress by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia • Urged Congress to declare independence; accepted July 2, 1776 • Said, “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States” Card #75

32. Declaration of Independence Date: Declaration adopted July 4, 1776 Card #76

33. Declaration of Independence • Document restating political ideas justifying the separation from Britain • Thomas Jefferson and his committee had the duty of drafting for the Continental Congress • John Locke’s influences served as a foundation for the document • The final product lacked provisions condemning the British slave trade and a denunciation of the British people that earlier drafts had contained Card #76

34. Articles of Confederation Date: Submitted July 1776; ratified 1781 Card #77

35. Articles of Confederation • Framework for an American national government; states had the most power • Empowered the federal government to make war, treaties, and create new states • No federal empowerment to levy taxes, raise troops, or regulate commerce • Congressional revision of the articles created a weak national government Card #77

36. George Washington’s Leadership in the American Revolution Date: 1775-1781 Card #78

37. George Washington’s Leadership in the American Revolution • Named Commander-in-Chief of Continental Forces in June 1775 by the Second Continental Congress • Forced British to evacuate Boston in March 1776 • Defeated British at Trenton, New Jersey, after crossing the Delaware on December 25, 1776 • Survived tough winter at Valley Forge (1777-1778); Washington strengthened his troops during the winter and gained respect • General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington on October 19, 1781 Card #78

38. Battle of Saratoga Date: 1777 Card #79

39. Battle of Saratoga • American Revolution battle fought in northern New York • The British planned to end the American Revolution by splitting the colonies along the Hudson River, but they failed to mobilize properly • The British ended up surrendering, allowing for the first great American victory • Demonstrated that the British could more easily hold the cities, but that they would have trouble subduing the country sides • Considered a turning point, as French aid began after this battle Card #79

40. John Paul Jones Date: 1747-1792 Card #80

41. John Paul Jones • Famous American naval leader • Carried on maritime raids against the British throughout Revolution, debilitating their ability to receive supplies • Stated, “Surrender? I have not yet begun to fight.” Card #80

42. Charles Cornwallis Dated: 1738-7805 Card #81

43. Charles Cornwallis • British military and political leader • Was a member of Parliament and even opposed the tax measures that led to the American Revolution • Led British forces during the American Revolution • The British defeat culminated with Cornwallis’s surrender at Yorktown in 1781 Card #81

44. Western Land Cessions Date: 1781-1787; Georgia in 1802 Card #82

45. Western Land Cessions • The original thirteen states ceded their western land claims to the new federal government • The states that lacked western land claims feared that sates with claims could grow in size, skewing representation in the federal government • Before signing the United States Constitution, these states demanded that those with claims cede the land • Ordinances in 1784 and 1785 and the Northwest Ordinance (1787) organized the ceded areas in preparation for statehood • New states were organized and admitted to the Union • This policy strengthened the ties of the western farmers to the central government Card #82

46. Treaty of Paris, 1783 Date: 1783 Card #83

47. Treaty of Paris, 1783 • Peace settlement that ended the Revolutionary War • The United States was represented by Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay • Britain recognized the United States’ independence and outlined its borders • The United States received all lands east of the Mississippi River, north of Florida, and south of the Great Lakes • The United States agreed that Loyalists to Britain were not to be persecuted Card #83

48. Land Ordinance of 1785;Northwest Ordinance of 1787 Date: 1785; 1787 Card #84

49. Land Ordinance of 1785;Northwest Ordinance of 1787 • Land Ordinance-Act of Congress to assist in settlement of the West; the sale of land provided federal revenue • Land Ordinance-Organized distribution of land into townships, setting aside a section of each in support of public education • The Northwest Ordinance-Described how the land north of the Ohio River could become sectioned into states; five states created • The Northwest Ordinance-States would be admitted to the Union when free inhabitants reached 60,000 • The Northwest Ordinance-Slavery and involuntary servitude not allowed in these states • The Northwest Ordinance-Set a precedent of how states could join the Union • The ordinances were a successful accomplishment by a federal government that before had been seen as ineffective Card #84

50. John Jay Date: 1745-1829 Card #85