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Unit 2
Revolution & Constitution
Question | Answer |
---|---|
Stamp Act | new tax designed to help pay war debts, angered the colonists |
minutemen | civilian soldiers who were to be ready to fight with only a moment's notice |
Patriots | colonists who supported Independence |
Hessians | German soldiers hired by the British to fight in the Revolution |
King George III | King of England at the time of the Revolution who wanted additional tax revenue from the colonists, was outraged when he lost the colonies |
Charles Cornwallis | I fought for the British during the Revolution and was defeated by Washington at the Battle of Yorktown |
Benedict Arnold | I am the famous traitor of the war who attempted to give West Point to the British but my plan was caught |
legislative branch | Congress, makes laws |
Executive Branch | President, enforces laws |
Judicial Branch | Courts, interpret laws |
antifederalist | those against the new constitution due to its strong central government and lack of bill of rights |
France | Nation that was America's ally during the Revolutionary War against Britain, entered the war after the battle of Saratoga |
Preamble | introduction to the Constitution which states its purpose |
Articles of Confederation | initial framework of government for the new United States, it purposely created a very weak central government with only one branch, the legislative branch |
Federalist Papers | series of persuasive essays written to influence the ratification of the new Constitution |
checks and balances | system designed to stop one branch of government from becoming too powerful |
electoral college | group of electors for each state to vote for the president based on the state's number of senators and representatives |
Shay's Rebellion | led by a veteran of the Revolutionary War, due to anger over heavy debts and taxes, showed a need for a stronger government |
loyalists | colonists loyal to King George III |
Intolerable Acts | series of laws passed by Parliament in response to the Boston Tea Party, seen as punishments by the colonists |
Battle of Saratoga | Patriot victory here was the turning point of the war bringing the French in as an ally and ending British plans to take New England |
Battle of Germantown | costly American defeat here allowed the British under General Howe to maintain their hold on Philadelphia |
Battle of Bunker Hill | 1st large scale engagement of the Revolution, Patriots were defeated here, but the British suffered heavy casualties |
Treaty of Paris | peace treaty of 1783 concluding the Revolutionary War granting American independence |
Valley Forge | winter headquarters for the Continental Army in 1777, morale was low, difficult winter |
The Association | created by the 1st Continental Congress to boycott British goods as a means of having grievances dealt with |
Marquis de Layfayette | French aristocrat who fought with Washington for American independence |
Townshend Act | created the very unpopular tea tax which resulted in increased smuggling and growing unrest in Boston |
Thomas Paine | author of Common Sense which helped promote the Patriots cause and encourage colonists to fight and to reject the idea of government by a king, but instead independence |
Boston Massacre | killing of 5 colonists by British soldiers which resulted in anger spreading throughout the colonies against the British |