French and Indian War
A war occurring between the french and british between 1754 and 1763 that left england with a huge debt.
Navigation Acts
An act which dictated who the colonies could trade with including what ships were to carry the goods being sold.
Proclamation of 1763
A law by king George III after the war that prohibited western expansion passing the Appalachian Mountains.
Quartering Act
An act passed in 1765 that required American colonist to care for and provide housing to British troops.
Sugar Act
An act passed in 1765 that placed a tax on sugar and molasses.
Stamp Act
An act passed in 1765 that placed a tax on all printed material including newspaper, wills, playing cards, etc.
Repeal
to overturn (a law or congressional act)
Declaratory Act
An act passed in 1766 affirming that British Parliament can legislate over the colonies "in all cases what so ever".
Townshend Act
A set of acts passed starting in 1767 that placed a tax on items such as glass, lead, paint, paper, etc.
Boston Massacre
An event in 1770 where 5 individuals were shot and killed by British soldiers and was later used as propaganda.
Tea Act
An act passed in 1773 intended to help the British east India company by allowing it to form a monopoly.
Boston Tea Party
Event where the sons of liberty dressed as Native Americans and damage goods from the British east India company.
Coercive Acts
A set of acts passed by parliament after the Boston tea party that were intended to punish the colonists of Massachusetts.
Intolerable Acts
The name given by the colonists to a set of acts that had been passed in Massachusetts designed to punish them.
First Continental Congress
A meeting in 1774 where delegates decided on how to react to the acts that had been recently passed in Massachusetts.
Lexington and Concord
Battle known for being the first of the American revolution where British soldiers attempted to take the colonists' guns.
Second Continental Congress
A meeting in 1775 where delegates met to discuss how they would conduct the war against Britain as well as writing the Declaration of Independence.
Olive Branch Petition
A final attempt by the delegates to make peace with king George III and avoiding a full-scale war.
Common Sense
A pamphlet written in 1776 by Thomas Paine that advocates from colonial independence from Great Britain.
Boycott
A form of protest in which a person chooses not to purchase goods or services.
Mercantilism
Economic theory used by European nations where imports were discouraged in order to amass more fold and power.