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John Locke
Known for the ideas of natural rights and social contract, John Locke was a very important figure influencing a lot of the beliefs we have now as a government. Those natural rights being Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the idea of a social contract: giving up small rights for social benefits of the people and for protection from the government. Known as the "the father of liberalism" -
French and English Enlightenment
The French and English Enlightenment was a movement that brought forth Philosophical, as well as intellectual knowledge in Europe and in France during the 18th century. Many ideas led to the inspiration of the American Revolution from figures like John Locke, -
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Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was a founding father of the unites states, diplomat, lawyer, and architect, and served as the third president of the US. Most notably, he s known for writing the declaration of independence, and convincing France to send troops their way to help with the American Revolution. -
Proclamation Act
Declared that the boundaries of the colonies would be Appalachia, and that the settlers were not to move any further west for fear of stirring conflicts with the Native Americans. The colonists did not like that they had fought in the war with no land to show for it, and those who had planned on settling west felt this restriction made their efforts worthless, and they felt that Britain was doing it’s best to keep an eye on them so they wouldn’t lose power over the colonies, which was true. -
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Acts of Parliament
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Sugar Act
The Sugar Act was a changed version of the Molasses Act that put a 6 pence price tag on Molasses so the English product would be cheaper than that of the French Indies, but colonists smuggled French Molasses, which hurt the British West Indies market. So, the Sugar Act lowered the tax on molasses to 3 pence to increase sales, and offered other items that were to be taxed like sugar, wines, coffee, pimento, and other goods. The colonists were mad that the markets since what they sold was cheaper. -
Currency Act
The Currency Act was an act put forward by parliament to assume control of the currency in the colonies since at the time each colony had different currency systems, which would cause confusion with trade. The act strictly prohibited the making of any new bills or currency, and the making of any existing currency. The colonists began to protest against this since they were already in a trade deficit with Britain, fearing that it would soon get worse because of the act. -
Stamp Act
A series of taxes on various goods in the colonies following the French and Indian war to repay the massive loss of money. Great Britain imposed taxes on the colonists. Anything with a stamp on it, taxes had to be paid. Many of the taxes were outrageous, with the punishment being excessive. This did not sit well with the colonists as it was seen as unfair and unreasonable considering the colonists had also fought and lost things in the war, but had less to show for it than Britain. -
Quartering Act
The Quartering Act was an act passed that required the colonists to give up resources for the British troops in the colonies. This meant that the colonists were forced to support an army they didn't even need in the colonies. Of course, they were not happy with this either. -
Declaratory Act
Stated that Britain’s authority was the same in the colonies as it was in England, and tightened the laws to make those from the British Parliament indissoluble, while no longer allowing the colonists to make their own laws. These laws included the right to tax, so colonists could not oppose the new taxes and acts being placed. Nobody was too worried about the new act in place as it didn’t affect them much at this time. -
Townshend Act
The Townshend Acts were a series of acts put in place to essentially micromanage the colonies. Even more taxes and tariffs were put on the colonists. Much of the profit made from these taxes was used for the salary of the governors and judges of the colonies to make sure they remained to the British crown. What this ended up doing instead was making the colonists even more upset with the taxes and regulations slowly being piled onto them by Britain. -
Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre was a riot gone violent when five people were killed. Beginning a brawl in the streets, the situation quickly escalated to the slaughtering of five people. The colonists were protesting against the British at the time, which led a British Soldier to strike a protester with a bayonet, which struck a massive outrage among the crowd. Soon after it escalated to protesters pummeling the soldiers with rocks and snowballs which prompted the soldiers to open fire, killing five men. -
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George Washington
George Washington was a general, political leader, founding father, and the first president of the united states of america, who led the patriots in battle during the American Revolution. -
Tea Act
The Tea Act lowered the cost of the tea imported from the British East India company, lowering it much more than other tea companies. However, the colonists still had to pay taxes on their tea when they received it. Tea smuggling became a common practice by this time. The British East India Company owning a monopoly of the tea angered the colonists greatly. -
Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was yet another protest by the colonists against Great Britain, or specifically, the tea act imposed by British. Outraged by yet another set of taxes, but this time on the tea, which was heavily consumed by the colonists As a form of protest, the protesters dressed as native Americans and boarded docked vessels carrying imported tea, throwing a grand total of 342 chests of tea into the water. -
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Intolerable acts
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Second Quartering act
The Quartering Act was passed that forced the colonists to house British soldiers in their homes. In any event that the barracks of the soldiers would be full, people had to open their homes to any soldier. At the time the British troops seemed unneeded in the colonies, there was no current threat at the time, but they were still required to take care of, and support the troops. This again did not sit well with the colonists, it was unfair considering the colonies were not in need of troops. -
Massachusetts Government Act
Declared the government of Massachusetts Bay as flawed and took away its right to elect the members of its executive council. Now the King now had the power to call for and dismiss the council alone, and he made it to where, instead of being elected, people were appointed to the council by the royal governor. This immediately sparked outrage from the colonists because it took away the rights of self-government that had been prior left alone, and an alternate government was set in its place. -
Administraction of Justice Act
This act made it to where a case in the courts involving a British official charged with capital offenses, like murder, could be moved to England, or a different colony, where it would more than likely bee acquitted. Rather than demonstrate and ensure Britain's control over the colonists, this act stirred the colonists and was used as a justification to the first meeting of the Continental Congress. -
The Boston Port Act
Closed the port of Boston and demanded that the colonists pay for the tea that was overthrown during the Boston Tea Party, which equates to roughly 1 million worth of tea in today's money. The British Navy blocked the port, and while many colonists were angered, most of all the merchants were worried about impending economic doom and said they should pay for the act. Instead of backing down to the crown, the colonies began shipping much needed goods to Boston to account for the lack of resources -
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the revolutionary war
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Lexington and Concord
The battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American revolutionary war.After years of tension, British troops decided to move in on Concord from Boston to seize an arms cache. Many riders, most notably, Paul Revere, alarmed colonial militia men to fight off the British. A British confrontation with the colonials in Lexington ended in the British retreating after battle broke out, killing 73 British soldiers, and wounding 174. -
Second Continental Congress
The Second Continental Congress was created during the revolutionary war after the British failed to meet the colonies grievances made to raise armies, appoint diplomats, appoint strategy, and writing treaties. They were in charge of organizing armies to fight the British. They were also the people to make the Declaration of Independence. -
Bunker Hill
After British forces land in the Charleston peninsula, and march to breeds hill, Prescott, in an effort to conserve ammunition, ordered the soldiers to shoot within close range, and to wait until they were a few dozen meters away, which is when they opened fire, causing the British to fall back. After attacking again and suffering the same result, the British decided to go mano a mano so to speak, ultimately outnumbering the Americans, forcing them to retreat -
Olive Branch Petition
The Olive Branch Petition was the last attempt to make peace with Great Britain. They pledged their loyalty to the crown and asserted their British citizen rights. Great Britain and the Colonies were at odds during this time, with mixed signals coming from Britain, taxing them, neglecting them, then enforcing new laws. So, in order to settle things between Britain and the Colonies, the Olive Branch petition was written, but to no avail. The king did not care and basically ignored the petition. -
Declaration of independence
The declaration of independence was the document that formally declared independence from Britain in 1776. Written by Thomas Jefferson, it set forth the splitting apart so we could become independent, even sparking a holiday, but it wasn't signed until August 2, 1776. -
Battle of Princeton
the Battle of Princeton was another small battle in the revolutionary war fought near Princeton, New Jersey, which won back New Jersey after the american victory. Following this defeat, the American armies were sure of they could win the war against Britain. -
Battle of Trenton
The battle of Trenton took place in Trenton, New Jersey. Thus the name. The battle was small, but a real turning point for the Americans, as it served as a moral victory for General Washington and his Army. They were hyped up over the easy defeat of their enemies in battle. -
Saratoga
After a surplus of British troops from Canada began moving South to join with other brigades, they ran into the Continental forces who much outnumbered theirs until German forces came in to reinforce the British. They fired for several hours until the American withdrew, having only taken half as many casualties as the British, and later the British launched another attack before they garnered reinforcements, causing them and the German forces to retreat, and persuading France in the cause. -
Valley Forge
Valley Forge was a camp set up for the continental army following the capture of the patriot capital by the British. Many men died due to the harsh conditions and disease. General Washington was even almost replaced, as he was seen as unfit to lead the American troops further. However, with the help of a Prussian military officer, Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben, they managed to turn the tides and use their american remaining troops to defeat Britain, proving that Washington worthiness -
French
At the Hôtel de Coislin in 1778 the French signed two treaties, one right after the other, forming an alliance with America and declaring war against Great Britain.The Treaty of Amity and Commerce recognized America as an independent nation and encouraged trade between the two countries, and the Treaty of Alliance provided for the military alliance against England. The French sent us troops and money throughout the war, without which we may not have won battles like Yorktown. -
Spain
Spain entered the war with an alliance to the French, and therefore the colonies, in the hopes of regaining the land it had lost to Britain and decrease the nation's power. The Spanish provided the Americans with large loans and materials to aid them in the war, and eventually formed a military campaign that mostly consisted of Spanish armadas tying up the British ships and creating naval blockades. -
Cowpens
After the British scored countless victories in the South, they began to have this false sense of victory and underestimate the Patriot army. As the colonists attacked, they were told to fire two rounds and then leave the front lines, and the British took this as them retreating in defeat, so they followed the Americans into a concentrated volley of rifle fire and cavalry charges. This battle is significant because it was the turning point in the South for the Patriots, and inspired confidence. -
Yorktown
After British General Cornwallis moved his troops into Virginia, his 7,500 troops were confronted by about 4,500 led by Marquis de Lafayette, which causes him to retreat into Yorktown. Eventually, George Washington, along with French troops sent by Comte de Rochambeau, were able to surround the British forces and cause them to surrender. This is significant because this battle basically ended the fighting during the Revolution and assured the American success. -
Treaty of Paris 1783
This treaty formally ended the Revolutionary War, and it was negotiated with England by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay at the Hotel d'York in Paris. England recognized American independence and ceded most of its territory east of the Mississippi River. It also secured fishing rights to the Grand Banks, resolved issues with American debts, and provided fair treatment to colonists who remained loyal to the crown during the war.