militia
civilian soldiers; mostly farmers during the 1700s
Proclamation of 1763
Issued by Great Britain after the French and Indian War; prevented colonists from moving west of the Appalachian Mountains
revenue
incoming money
resolution
a formal expression of opinion
boycott
refusing to buy a product
repeal
to cancel a law
writs of assistance
documents that allowed tax collectors to search private property for smuggled goods
nonimportation
agreements by merchants to not buy products from a certain country or source
prohibit
not allowed
Sons of Liberty
group of male colonists who protested taxes; not afraid to use violence
Samuel Adams
founder and leader of the Sons of Liberty
Boston or New England
area where the American Revolution started due to the activities of Sam Adams and others
Sugar Act
1764; lowered tax on molasses to encourage colonists to stop smuggling
smuggling
bringing something into a country illegally
Stamp Act
1765; law that taxed printed goods, including: playing cards, documents, newspapers, etc.
Patrick Henry
famous Early American politician who while protesting the Stamp Act said "Give me liberty or give me death
Townshend Acts
1767; law adopted after Stamp Act was repealed; taxed glass, paper, and tea
Boston Massacre
1770; 5 civilians who were part of a mob killed by British soldiers; depicted as a brutal slaughter in colonial newspapers
propaganda
form of persuasion; shows one side of an issue to influence people to join that one side
committee of correspondence
groups of colonists began writing letters to each other to form ways of resisting British rule; shows communication between the colonies
Tea Act
1773; placed a tax on an item to help save the British East India Company; colonists boycotted
Boston Tea Party
took place as a reaction to the Tea Act; Sons of Liberty dressed up like Mohawk Indians and protested in the harbor
Coercive Acts
1774; laws meant to punish Boston after the Tea Party; closed the harbor, created a police state, and had to quarter troops in civilian homes
King George III
leader of Great Britain at the time of the American Revolution
effigy
a rag doll dressed to look like a tax collector or other enemy
Continental Congress
Group formed in 1774, established militias
Second Continental Congress
meeting of delegates in 1775, formed Continental Army, wrote Olive Branch Petition
Continental Army
professional army formed by Second Continental Congress
George Washington
commander of Continental Army
Olive Branch Petition
last attempt by colonists to prevent Revolution
Thomas Paine
author of Common Sense which argued that it made sense for the colonies to be independent
Common Sense
pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that encouraged colonists to join the revolution
Thomas Jefferson
author of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
expresses the natural rights of men; explains the wrongs of King George III; and offically declared the colonies separate from Britain
July 4th, 1776
date the Declaration of Independence was signed
John Hancock
wrote his name in large print so that King George III could read it from Philly
Philadelphia
place where Declaration of Independence was signed
import
bringing something IN to a nation
export
sending something OUT of a nation
Native Americans
In order to avoid trouble with this group, George III ordered that colonists not cross the Appalachian Mountains and settle
Quartering Act
March 24, 1765 - Required the colonials to provide food, lodging, and supplies for the British troops in the colonies.
Crispus Attucks
A free black man who was the first person killed in the Revolution at the Boston Massacre.
Paul Revere
American silversmith who became a hero after his famous ride to warn of the British advance on Lexington and Concord.
Patriots
Colonists who wanted independence from Britain
Loyalists
American colonists who remained loyal to Britain and opposed the war for independence
Ethan Allan
he was the leader of the Green Mountain boys and attacked Fort Ticonderoga along with Gen. Benedict Arnold and won
Fort Ticonderoga
British Fort captured by Ethan Allan and his "Green Mountain Boys" along with Benedict Arnold. Cannons from the fort were dragged to Boston and were used to persuade the British to abandon the city.
unalienable rights
rights that cannot be taken away
John Locke
17th century English philosopher who opposed the Divine Right of Kings and who asserted that people have a natural right to life, liberty, and property and influenced Thomas Jefferson when he wrote the Declaration of Independence.
smuggling
Importing or exporting goods illegally
No Taxation Without Representation
colonists claimed taxes were unjust, insisted only they or their elected reps had the right to pass taxes, parliament had no right to tax them since they didn't elect reps
minutemen
Member of a militia during the American Revolution who could be ready to fight in sixty seconds
Lexington and Concord
The Shot Heard Round the World"- The first battle of the Revolution in which British general Thomas Gage went after the stockpiled weapons of the colonists in Concord, Massachusetts.