Unit 3 Flashcards
(52 cards)
What were the major causes and effects of the Seven Years’ War?
Causes: Disputes between England and France over control of trade and colonies, specifically the Ohio River Valley. English expansion westward threatened Native American trade and autonomy.
Effects: Great Britain became the dominant power in North America. Great Britain began taxing North American colonies to pay for war debts. American colonists felt a greater sense of unity and independence.
Describe the early conflicts between the British and French/Native Americans in North America leading up to the French and Indian War.
King William’s War (1689 - 1697): Great Britain attempted to take Quebec from the French and Native Americans but failed.
Queen Anne’s War (1702 - 1713): Great Britain took over Nova Scotia from France and gained trading rights in Spanish America.
King George’s War (1744 - 1748): Great Britain returned a captured fort for political and economic gains in India, angering colonists.
What was the Albany Plan of Union, and why did it fail?
Definition: A plan proposed in 1754 to create an intercolonial government to coordinate defense against the French and Indians.
Reasons for Failure: Colonies feared losing their autonomy and power. It became a model for the Articles of Confederation.
What were the key battles and the terms of the treaty that ended the Seven Years’ War?
Key British Victories: The British retook Louisbourg in 1758, captured Quebec in 1759, and Montreal in 1760.
Treaty of Paris (1763): France surrendered Canada and Spanish Florida to Great Britain. Great Britain emerged as the dominant power in North America.
How did British and colonial views on the war differ?
British View: The British held a low opinion of colonial troops, seeing them as poorly trained. They were also upset that some colonies did not contribute troops or money.
Colonial View: Colonists were proud of their contributions to the war and their ability to govern themselves. They were not impressed by British troops or leadership.
Explain the concept of “virtual representation.”
The British argument that colonists were represented in Parliament because every member of Parliament represented the interests of the entire empire, not just their specific constituents. Colonists rejected this notion, arguing for direct representation.
What were the long-term effects of the Seven Years’ War that led to the American Revolution?
High War Costs: Great Britain accumulated significant war debt and sought to make the colonies bear the burden of repayment.
End of Salutary Neglect: Great Britain abandoned its policy of relaxed enforcement of regulations, leading to increased control over the colonies.
Disagreements over Self-Rule: Colonists increasingly resented British control and asserted their right to self-governance.
What was Pontiac’s Rebellion, and what was its significance?
Definition: A series of Native American attacks led by Chief Pontiac in 1763 against British forts and settlements on the western frontier.
Significance: Pontiac’s Rebellion demonstrated the continuing resistance of Native Americans to British expansion. It also highlighted the challenges Great Britain faced in securing the western frontier.
simir to the bacon’s rebellion
What was the Proclamation Line of 1763, and why did it anger colonists?
Definition: A boundary set by Great Britain that prohibited colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Reasons for Colonial Anger: Colonists viewed it as an infringement on their rights to expand westward. They resented the British government’s efforts to control their movement and limit their access to land.
What were the major British tax acts imposed on the colonies after the Seven Years’ War?
Sugar Act (1764): Taxed foreign sugar and molasses and strengthened enforcement of Navigation Acts.
Quartering Act (1765): Required colonies to provide housing and supplies for British troops.
Stamp Act (1765): A direct tax on most printed materials in the colonies. This was a major source of colonial resentment and sparked widespread protests.
What were the Townshend Acts, and what were the colonial responses?
Definition: A series of acts passed in 1767 that taxed goods imported from Great Britain, including glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.
Colonial Responses: Colonists continued to protest and boycott British goods. John Dickinson argued that the Townshend Acts were illegal because they were intended to raise revenue, a power reserved for colonial assemblies.
Describe the colonial reactions to the Stamp Act.
Protests and Boycotts: Colonists organized protests and boycotts of British goods in response to the Stamp Act.
Sons of Liberty: A group that formed to intimidate tax collectors and enforce boycotts through aggressive actions.
Daughters of Liberty: Women who supported the boycotts by producing homespun goods to replace British imports.
Stamp Act Congress: A meeting of colonial representatives in 1765 to coordinate resistance to the Stamp Act.
What was the Tea Act, and why did it lead to the Boston Tea Party?
Definition: An act passed by Parliament in 1773 that granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies.
Boston Tea Party: In December 1773, colonists in Boston disguised as Native Americans boarded British ships and dumped tea into the harbor to protest the Tea Act.
Describe the Boston Massacre and its significance.
Event: A clash between British troops and colonists in Boston in 1770 in which five colonists were killed.
Significance: The Boston Massacre further inflamed tensions between colonists and the British government. Patriots used the event as propaganda to promote the cause of independence.
What were the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts), and how did they impact the colonies?
Definition: A series of punitive laws passed by Parliament in 1774 in response to the Boston Tea Party.
Key Provisions: The acts closed the port of Boston, restricted colonial self-government, allowed British officials to be tried in England, and expanded the Quartering Act.
Impact: The Coercive Acts unified the colonies in opposition to British rule and pushed them closer to revolution.
What was the significance of the First Continental Congress?
Meeting and Actions: The First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in 1774 to coordinate a colonial response to the Coercive Acts.
Key Outcomes: The Congress issued a declaration of rights, called for a boycott of British goods, and established committees of correspondence to communicate between colonies.
Identify and explain the key Enlightenment ideas that influenced the American Revolution.
Deism: The belief that God created the universe but does not intervene in human affairs.
Rationalism: The emphasis on reason and logic as the basis for knowledge and decision-making.
Social Contract Theory: The idea that government is based on a contract between the rulers and the ruled and that the people have the right to overthrow a government that violates their rights.
Natural Rights: The belief that all individuals possess inherent rights to life, liberty, and property.
What were John Locke’s main arguments in Two Treatises of Government?
Social Contract: Locke argued that government is based on a contract between the governed and the government.
Natural Rights: Locke believed that all individuals possess natural rights to life, liberty, and property.
Right of Revolution: Locke argued that the people have the right to overthrow a government that violates their natural rights.
Outline the key battles of the American Revolution.
Battles of Lexington and Concord (1775): The first battles of the war, marked the beginning of armed conflict between colonists and British troops.
Battle of Bunker Hill (1775): A costly British victory that demonstrated the determination of colonial forces.
Washington’s Crossing of the Delaware (1776): A surprise attack that boosted American morale.
Battle of Saratoga (1777): A decisive American victory that convinced France to enter the war as an ally.
Battle of Yorktown (1781): The final major battle of the war, resulting in the surrender of British forces under General Cornwallis.
Identify the different groups involved in the American Revolution and their stances.
Patriots (Whigs): Colonists who supported independence from Great Britain.
Moderates: Colonists who initially favored reconciliation with Great Britain but later supported independence.
Loyalists (Tories): Colonists who remained loyal to Great Britain. They often faced persecution from Patriots.
What peace efforts were attempted before the Declaration of Independence?
Olive Branch Petition (1775): A final attempt by the Continental Congress to avoid war by seeking reconciliation with King George III.
King George III’s Response: The king rejected the petition and declared the colonies in rebellion.
What were the main arguments of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense?
Attack on Monarchy: Paine argued against the legitimacy of monarchy and advocated for republican government.
Advocacy for Independence: Paine made a powerful case for American independence, asserting that it was the only path to freedom and self-determination.
What were the key components of the Declaration of Independence?
Declaration of Rights: The Declaration asserted that all men are endowed with certain unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
List of Grievances: The Declaration outlined a list of grievances against King George III and the British government.
Declaration of Independence: The Declaration formally declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain.
Compare and contrast the British and Continental Armies.
British Army:
Strengths: More resources, experienced soldiers, a larger army, and a well-established navy.
Weaknesses: Overconfidence, and logistical challenges in fighting overseas.
Continental Army:
Strengths: Fighting for a cause (independence), strong leadership from George Washington.
Weaknesses: Lack of resources, poorly trained soldiers, a small and inexperienced navy.
