Term | Definition |
Second Continental Congress | A gathering of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that started meeting in 1775, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. |
Continental Army | Formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the U.S. |
George Washington | Commander in chief of the Continental Army. Also the first president of the United States of America. |
Battle of Bunker Hill | The first important battle of the American War of Independence. |
Impose | To forcibly place upon. |
Independence | Self-reliance and freedom from outside control. |
Policies | A plan of action adopted by a government. |
Olive Branch Petition | Pledged loyalty to the king and requested his intervention in restraining Parliament's abusive exercise of power. |
Thomas Paine | A Revolutionary leader who wrote "Common Sense" in 1776 arguing for American independence from Britain. |
Common Sense | A pamphlet by Thomas Paine that argued for colonial independence and reinforced public opinion of the king. |
Declaration of Independence | A document made to declare independence from Britain. |
Thomas Jefferson | Wrote the majority of the Declaration of Independence. Also became the 3rd president of the United States. |
Natural Rights | The rights of all people to dignity and worth; also called human rights. |
Fundamental Rights | A group of rights that the Supreme Court recognizes as being fair and legal, and are also rights listed in the Bill of Rights. |
Independence Day | A holiday in the United States celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. |
Patrick Henry | Virginian Patriot whose speeches supported the war. His most famous quote is "Give me liberty, or give me death!" |
The Preamble of the Declaration of Independence | "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator..." |