Term
| First Continental Congress |
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Definition
Sept. 5, 1774- Colonies' leading political figures attended Philadelphia Congress in Carpenter Hall
had tasks of:
defining American grievances
developing a plan for resistance
articulating their constitutional relationship w/ British |
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Term
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Definition
conservative delegate at 1st Congress
proposed plan of union requiring Parliament and American legislature to agree on colonial laws |
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Term
| Declaration of Rights and Grievances |
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Definition
| (John Adams)- said the colonists would obey Parliament because tey thought it was in the best interest of both countries, but that they would continue to resist taxes |
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Term
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Definition
economic boycott
called for nonimportation of British goods
non consumption of British products
nonexportation of American goods to Britain or British W. Indies |
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Term
| committees of observation and inspection |
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Definition
elected committees in every colony to enforce the Continental Association
7-8,000 colonists, became local leaders of American resistance
committees later extended their authority over other aspects of life |
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Term
| William Dawes, Paul Revere, and Dr. Samuel Prescott |
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Definition
messengers for Boston sent to rouse the countryside and warn of British coming
in order to make sure to get elites out of Lexington and Concord |
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Term
| battles of Lexington and Concord (1775) |
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Definition
Quartering Acts soldieres warned British that Americans were stock-piling weapons
British went to Lexington
American militia (pre-army) were retreating when British shots were fired
British move to Concord where more Americans were, and they retreated to Boston |
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Term
| Battle of Breed's (Bunker) Hill |
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Definition
British had greatest losses here
Americans at top of Breed's Hill, British trying to come up
Americans short on ammo
Technically British win, but they have bigger losses |
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Term
| Second Continental Congress |
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Definition
where they began to organize for war
assumed colonial government
as time passed they est. a committee to supervise relations w/ foreign countries and strenthened militia
created Continental army and apptd. generals
Made currency of the country (Continentals) |
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Term
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Definition
First commander-in-chief of the American army, unanimously apptd. b/c he was a good leader
Slaveholder in VA (people liked him in the South even though their economy would be bad during war)
his strategy was to minimize losses b/c Britain had more men and weapons |
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Term
| Declaration of Independence |
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Definition
concentrated on George III-provided a villain
said God was on their side
adopted on July 4, 1776
were risking a lot by adopting it, because it was treason |
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Term
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Definition
led by Howe (British commanding officer)
defeated the city while Washington's army was still new and inexperienced |
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Term
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Definition
Howe's men start raping and pillaging
he loses support in this area
didn't distinguish between loyalists and patriots, so killed on both sides |
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Term
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Definition
| (Thomas Paine) written at a time when colonies were being defeated |
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Term
| battles of Trenton and Princeton |
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Definition
Washington sees opportunity
makes men march on Christmas
crosses Delaware
Germany's troops hired by British (Hessains) were all drunk; they surrender
couple of days later Washington goes to Princeton and wins
Boosts morale for the army |
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Term
| Continental Army v. the militia |
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Definition
Militia-not a formal army, volunteer troops
Continental- enlisted for long pds. of time, developed pride and commitment |
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Term
| Howe's Philadelphia campaign |
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Definition
Delayed for months before taking the capital
gave Americans time to get gov't people out, then retreat
Burgoyne was planning on meeting Howe and cutting off NE colonies, but no one told him |
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Term
| Burgoyne's New York campaign |
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Definition
sent his men from Montreal to NY, easily capturing Ft. Ticonderoga via canoe
had trouble crossing overland |
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Term
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Definition
Gen. Gates and his men practiced geurilla warfare
surrounded Burgoyne near Saratoga, but didn't defeat them right away b/c they wanted to weaken them
he and 6,000 men surrendered
Lord North offered Americans what they wanted in Dec. of R & G, but they refused
Brought France into the conflict on America's side
British turn their focus to the South |
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Term
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Definition
worked to strengthen ties with America and France
dressed plainly among luxury of court of King Louis XVI
Helped b/c the two treatises were est. |
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Term
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Definition
Lord Cornwallis (British commander in the South) defeated Horation Gates
After, enslaved African Americans joined the British
Washington apptd. Gen. Nathaniel Greene to command the Southern campaign |
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Term
| battles of King's Mountain, Cowpens, and Guildford Court House |
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Definition
Patriots demolished the redcoats in a series of defeats
At Court House Cornwallis lost at least half his troops, so he's forced to retreat to the coast although he technically won |
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Term
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Definition
commanded Southern campaign
used guerrilla warfare
appalled by conditions in the South
had to move cautiously
he had the gov. of S.C. pardon those who fought for British if they served the patriots
helped GA and SC reestablish civilian authority
kept Indians out of war |
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Term
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Definition
Cornwallis surrendered to American and French after he had withdrawn to Yorktown
French could block the navy so no more British supplies
Yorktown was a peninsula, so bad place to retreat
Cornwallis stayed there for 3 wks. and was shot at
After this, Lord North's ministry fell
Parliament voted to cease offensive operations in America |
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