RevolutionaryEraOutline

SomeRevolutionaryEraVocabulary
Parliamentisalegislativebody(similartotheU.S.Congress)responsibleformakinglaws.
Repealmeanstoremovealaw.
Amonarchyisruledbyakingorqueen.
Loyalistswerecolonistswhoremainedloyaltotheking.
PatriotswerecolonistswhowantedindependencefromEngland.
Agrievanceisacomplaint.
UnalienablerightsarerightsthatareGodgivenandcannotbetakenaway.

French&IndianWar
IntheFrenchandIndianWar(17541763),theBritishfoughtagainsttheFrenchand
IndiansovertheGreatLakesregionandOhioRivervalley.
TheProclamationof1763wassignedaftertheFrenchandIndianWarandprohibited
BritishcolonistsfromsettlingwestoftheAppalachianMountains.
EnglandsParliamentbegantaxingcoloniststopaythedebtfromtheFrenchandIndian
War.

ParliamentaryLegislation(RoadtoRevolution)
TheSugarAct(1764),meanttostopsmuggling,angeredthecolonistsbecausetheyfelt
theirrightswerebeingviolated.
TheQuarteringAct(1765)requiredcoloniststoprovideshelterandfoodtosoldiersinthe
colonies.
TheStampAct(1765)placedataxonallprintedmaterialsinthecolonies.Thisactwas
repealedin1766,butwasreplacedbytheDeclaratoryAct.
TheDeclaratoryAct(1766)
statedthatParliamenthadtheauthoritytopasslawsin
EnglandandtheAmericancolonies.Italsolessenedthetaxonsugarandmolasses.
TheTownshendActs(1767)wereaseriesofactsthatplacedtaxesonhouseholditems,
suchaslead,glass,tea,paint,andpaperintheAmericancolonies.
TheTeaAct(1773)gavetheEastIndiaTeaCompanyaveryfavorableadvantage(near
monopoly)overcolonialmerchants.
TheIntolerable/CoerciveActs(1774)wereharshlawspassedbyParliamentintendedto
punishthepeopleofMassachusetts.

ColonialActions(RoadtoRevolution)
TheSonsofLiberty,ledbySamuelAdams,wasagroupofmeninMassachusettswho
formed(1765)asecretsocietyopposingBritishpolicies.
TheBostonMassacrewasafightbetweenBostoncolonistsandredcoats.CrispusAttucks,
anAfricanAmerican,waskilled.ThescenewasportrayedinanengravingbyPaul
Revere.

 ToprotesttheTeaAct,theSonsofLibertyboardedashipandthrewthecargooftea
overboardintoBostonHarbor.ThisbecameknownastheBostonTeaParty.
TheFirstContinentalCongressmetinPhiladelphiaandvotedtoboycottBritishgoodsand
establishcolonialmilitiasinresponsetotheIntolerableActs.
ThefirstshotsoftheAmericanRevolutionwerefiredinLexingtonandConcord
(Massachusetts).
TheSecondContinentalCongressmetinPhiladelphiainMay1775toestablishthe
ContinentalArmy.GeorgeWashingtonwasnamedcommanderoftheContinentalArmy.
ThomasPainewrote
CommonSense
toconvincecoloniststosupportindependencefrom
GreatBritain.

DeclarationofIndependence
ThomasJeffersonwrotetheDeclarationofIndependenceitwassignedbymembersofthe
SecondContinentalCongressonJuly4,1776(IndependenceDay.)
TheDeclarationofIndependencewasalistofgrievancesagainsttheKingGeorgeIIIof
Englandandanexplanationofwhythecolonieswantedindependence.
TheDeclarationofIndependencestatedthatallpeoplehavetherighttolife,liberty,and
thepursuitofhappiness.
TheDeclarationofIndependencestatesallmenarecreatedequal.

ImportantMomentsduringRevolutionaryWar
JohnPaulJones,anavalofficer,beganraidingBritishportsin1777.Inbattlehestated,I
havenotyetbeguntofight.
DuringthewinteratValleyForge(17771778),GeorgeWashingtonsarmylostnearly
ofitssoldierstostarvationanddisease.
AtValleyForge,GeorgeWashingtonhadThomasPaineswordsreadtothetroopsto
inspirethem:Thesearethetimesthattrymenssouls.
TheContinentalArmysvictoryatSaratogaconvincedFrancetoenterthewartohelpfight
theBritish.
TheBritishsurrenderedatYorktownin1781.
TheTreatyofParisof1783endedtheAmericanRevolution.GreatBritainformally
recognizedAmericanindependence.

SomeImportantPeopleoftheRevolutionaryEra
AbigailAdamswasthewifeofJohnAdamsandwrotetohimtoRemembertheladies.
TheirlettershavebecomeasourceofinformationabouttheAmericanRevolution.
JohnAdamsdefendedtheBritishsoldiersaftertheBostonMassacre.Hewasadelegateto
bothContinentalCongressesandwasontheCommitteeofFivethatwrotethe
DeclarationofIndependence.
WentworthCheswellwasthegrandsonofthefirstAfricanAmericanlandownerinNew
Hampshireandapatriotduringtherevolution.HemadearidesimilartoPaulReverein
thecountrysidesurroundingPortsmouth,NewHampshire.

 MercyOtisWarrenwasawriterwhoauthoredplays,poems,andessayssupportingthe
ideaofindependence.
BenjaminFranklinwasaninfluentialmemberoftheContinentalCongressandastatesman
whorepresentedAmericasinterestinFrance.
PatrickHenrywasamemberoftheVirginiaHouseofBurgesses.Duringa1765speech
hefamouslysaid,Givemelibertyorgivemedeath.
JamesArmisteadwasadoubleagentfortheUnitedStates.Pretendingtobearunaway
slave,heacquiredsecretinformationaboutBritishtroopsandreportedthemtothe
Americans.Afterthewar,Lafayettewrotehimaletterofrecommendationforhis
freedom.
BernardodeGalvezwastheSpanishgovernoroftheLouisianaTerritorywhoopenedthe
portofNewOrleanstoAmericanshipsduringtheAmericanRevolution.Galveston,
Texasisnamedinhishonor.
HaymSolomonprovidedthousandsofdollarsfromhispersonalaccounttohelpfinance
theAmericanRevolution(hewasneverrepaid).HewasarrestedasaspybytheBritish
butlaterescaped.
MarquisdeLafayettewasaFrenchofficerwhofoughtwiththeAmericansduringthe
revolutionandhelpedsecureFrenchassistancefortheAmericans.Helaterreturnedhome
tofightintheFrenchRevolution.