Unit 3 The American Revolution Key Concepts: The revolutionary era began with the culmination of the French and Indian War, when colonists were asked to pay for the war but were forbidden from settling the lands won as a result. Britain imposed a series of unpopular taxes and laws on the colonists in order to pay for the war, the continued military presence, and to quash colonial protest. Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense helped to convince many Americans to join the revolutionary movement against British rule. The Continental Congress met in Philadelphia in order to deal with the growing tensions between the colonies and the British. As a result, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence was based on Enlightenment ideas about the rights of man, the role of government, and the use of logic. Many Americans remained loyal to the British government throughout the Revolutionary War. The outcome of the Revolutionary War was in no way certain and in fact appeared at many moments to be headed toward British victory. The revolutionaries had several advantages, including the ability to fight the war at home and the motivation of knowing that if they lost they would certainly be put to death for treason. Britain held many advantages, including the size and resources of their military presence in the Americas and abroad. George Washington was named Commander of the Colonial Army and served in that role through the entire war. France ultimately aided the revolutionary movement, at least in part in order to weaken the British, their primary competition in Europe. Important People: George Washington, Ben Franklin, John Adams, Sam Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, Penelope Barker, King George III, Charles Cornwallis, Nathanael Greene, William Tryon, Paul Revere, Marquis de Lafayette, Herman Husband (Regulators), John Hancock Relevant Documents: Albany Plan of Union, Treaty of Paris, Proclamation of 1763, Declaration of Independence, Mecklenburg Resolves, Halifax Resolves, Magna Carta, Olive Branch Petition Events: French and Indian War, Pontiac’s War, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party, American Revolution, Battle of Alamance Acts: Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act, Quartering Act, Stamp Act, Townshend Act, Tea Act, Intolerable Acts Key Terms: 1. militia: a force made up of civilians trained as soldiers but not part of the regular army. 2. alliance: an agreement between countries to help each other against other countries. 3. treason: the offense of acting to overthrow one’s government. 4. liberty: freedom. 5. duty/customs: a tax placed on products that were imported (brought in). 6. boycott: an organized campaign to refuse to buy certain products especially British products. 7. petition: a written request with citizen’s signatures to a government in hope for some change. 8. “taxation without representation”: a phrase that reflected the resentment of colonists at being taxed by the Parliament to which they elected no representatives and eventually became anti-British slogan before the American Revolution. 9. tyranny: a form or rule where an absolute ruler is unfair and harsh. 10. ratify: to accept. 11. repeal: to remove/take away. 12. Committees of Correspondence: a group of radical colonists (Sons of Liberty) who organized boycotts and protests ex. Boston Tea Party against the British policies. 13. Patriots: American colonists who favored the Revolution and sought independence from Britain. Sometimes referred to as American Whigs, Liberty Boys, Sons of Liberty, and Rebels. 14. Loyalists: American colonists who wished the American colonies to remain part of Britain. Sometimes referred to as Tories or Lobsterbacks. 15. monopoly: total control of a market for a certain product. 16. Continental Congress: colonial delegates that first met in Philadelphia at Independence Hall in 1774 and acted as the governing body during the Revolutionary War. 17. minutemen: the name for the Patriot militia that formed before the Revolution began. They were a mobile group of soldiers that could act as scouts and fighters at a minute's notice. 18. regulators: an organized group of NC backcountry residents who protested the corruption of backcountry officials mainly hired by Governor Tryon. 19. delegate: a person who represents a colony ex. Representative. 20. inalienable rights: rights (life, liberty, and property) that cannot be taken away. For Reference: French and Indian War: A conflict between the French, Native Americans, and British in North America that resulted in the British gaining control of French Canada and also doubling their national debt. Albany Congress: British government organized a meeting of colonial leaders in Albany, NY to discuss the soon- to-be French and Indian War. Albany Plan of Union: A council of representatives elected by the colonial assemblies who would have authority over western settlements, have relations with Native Americans, organize armies, and to collect taxes. It was accepted by the Albany Congress but rejected by the colonial assemblies because they wanted to control their own taxes and armies. Treaty of Paris (Part I): Britain and France signed the treaty in February 1763 to conclude the French and Indian War. France surrendered; GB gained French Canada, French territory east of the Mississippi River but not New Orleans and Spanish Florida. Spain gained New Orleans and all French territory west of the Mississippi River. Native Americans essentially lost British settlers from moving into their lands. Treaty of Paris (Part II): The agreement signed in September 1783 that formally ended the American Revolution. Proclamation of 1763: Because of Pontiac’s War and in order to avoid further conflict with the Native Americans on the frontier, it banned colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains. Colonists moved anyway because they felt they earned the right to live in the areas they won in the war. Sugar Act: A revenue-raising act that placed a tax on sugar, molasses and wine and harsh punishment for smugglers. Widespread protests, boycotts, and petitions ensued. Quartering Act : The purpose was to save money and enforce the Proclamation of 1763. It required the colonists to house, feed, and give supplies to British soldiers. Stamp Act: To help the British government pay for the troops. All printed materials and commercial documents as well as printed material including newspapers, pamphlets, bills, legal documents, licenses, almanacs, dice and playing cards, were taxed and had to carry a special stamp. This subsequently leads to "Taxation without Representation" protests and then a repeal a few months later. Townshend Act: Britain wanted to not anger the colonists but still collect taxes so this act no longer taxed products or activities within the colonies only tax products brought into the colonies. It also set up a way to enforce the new import duties using writs of assistance. Further protests led to a repeal except for the tax on tea. Tea Act: In order to help the failure of the East India Company, colonists had to buy and drink East India tea. This lead to the “Destruction of the Tea” aka Boston Tea Party. Intolerable Acts: A series of harsh acts: closed the Boston harbor until lost East India tea was paid for); increased the power of the MA royal governor, abolished the upper house of the MA legislature, stopped town meetings, anyone accused of murdering a British official would only be tried in Britain, a strengthened Quartering Act, and took several western lands from colonies and blocked colonists from moving west. Declaration of Independence: A formal document adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. It justified their independence as they listed the colonies grievances against King George III. Mecklenburg Resolves: Mecklenburg County, NC declared their independence from Britain on May 20, 1775. Halifax Resolves: NC declared their independence from Britain on April 12, 1776. .