Terms to Know 2nd 6 Weeks 1. French and Indian War: War fought by French and English on American soil over control of the Ohio River Valley-- English defeated French 2. Proclamation Line (1763): A proclamation from the British government which forbade British colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains, and which required any settlers already living west of the mountains to move back east. 3. King George III: King of England during the American Revolution 4. Samuel Adams: A member of the Sons of Liberty who started the Committee of Correspondence to stir public support for American independence 5. Sugar Act: An act that raised tax revenue in the colonies for the crown. It also increased the duty on foreign sugar imported from the West Indies. 6. Stamp Act: Parliament's first direct tax on the Colonies; taxed newspapers, pamphlets, legal documents, dice and playing cards 7. Boston Massacre (1770): British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists who were teasing and taunting them. Five colonists were killed. The colonists blamed the British and the Sons of Liberty and used this incident as an excuse to promote the Revolution 8. John Adams: America's first Vice-President and second President. Sponsor of the American Revolution in Massachusetts, and wrote the Massachusetts guarantee that freedom of press "ought not to be restrained." 9. Abigail Adams: Wife of John Adams whose letters between the two have given us most of our knowledge about the debates of the Continental Congress. She was a very intelligent and strong willed person who believed strongly in voting rights for both women and African Americans. 10. Patrick Henry: Outspoken member of House of Burgesses; inspired colonial patriotism with "Give me liberty or give me death" speech 11. Wentworth Cheswell: Church leader, historian, and judge that fought at the Battle of Saratoga. He is considered to be the first African American elected to public office in America. 12. Mary Otis Warren: Member of the Committee of Correspondence whose pamphlets and satires against the British helped to stir support for the Patriot cause. She is known as the “First Lady” of the American Revolution. 13. Crispus Attucks: African American man who was the first person killed at the Boston Massacre. 14. Boston Tea Party: Demonstration (1773) by citizens of Boston who (disguised as Indians) raided three British ships in Boston harbor and dumped hundreds of chests of tea into the harbor 15. Lexington/Concord: First battle outside of Concord, British attempted to capture patriot leaders Adams and Hancock, start of revolutionary war. British had gone onto Concord and, finding no arms, left to go back to Boston. On the bridge back, they met 300 minutemen. The British were forced to retreat, and the Americans claimed victory. 16. George Washington: Virginian, patriot, general, and president. Lived at Mount Vernon. Led the Revolutionary Army in the fight for independence. First President of the United States. 17. Valley Forge: Not the sight of a battle, but a location where General Washington and his army retreated to. They spent the winter there regrouping and represented a major test for the new Continental Army. 18. Intolerable Acts: This series of laws were very harsh laws that intended to make Massachusetts pay for its resistance. It also closed down the Boston Harbor until the Massachusetts colonists paid for the ruined tea. Also forced Bostonians to shelter soldiers in their own homes 19. Marquis de Lafayette: French soldier who purchased his own ship and men to assist the Colonials in their cause. He helped to train and discipline the army during their time at Valley Forge. 20. Haym Solomon: Jewish merchant and banker who helped finance Washington’s military campaign. He extended interest-free loans to the country and some of its revolutionary leaders. 21. Bernardo de Galvez: Spaniard who helped the Americans by shipping them supplies. He was also responsible for preventing the British from taking control of the Mississippi River. 22. Benjamin Franklin: Statesman, writer, scientist, and Pennsylvania delegate at the Second Continental Congress who voted to join Massachusetts in its fight against the British. 23. Thomas Jefferson: Virginian delegate at the Second Continental Congress. Drafted the Declaration of Independence. 24. Thomas Paine: Englishman who lived in the colonies and wrote a pamphlet entitled Common Sense outlining the reasons that it was ridiculous for the colonies to be governed by a small island an ocean away. 25. Declaration of Independence: The document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain 26. Unalienable Rights: Rights that shall not be taken from any citizen, including the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” 27. Battle of Saratoga: Battle in which the overconfident British Army was beaten by the Continental Army. The victory marked a turning point in the war because it gave colonists a sense that victory was possible and convinced the French to enter into an alliance with the Americans. 28. Battle of Yorktown: The last major battle of the Revolutionary War in which, aided by the French, Washington’s troops forced General Cornwallis and the British Army to surrender. 29. John Paul Jones: America’s first naval hero, he commanded an American ship, the Bonhomme Richard against a larger British warship. Rather than surrender, he was able to defeat the vessel and boost the morale of the colonists. 30. James Armistead: An African American slave who acted as a spy to gain valuable information from the British and send it back to General Lafayette.