Tories:
Called themselves Loyalists, but were known the Patriots as Tories (which was
the conservative party in England who supported the authority of the king). Those who remained loyal to the British
crown during the Revolution
Battle
of Long Island: General Howe (British) with an army of 32,000 Hessians
(hired German mercenaries) attacked General Washington of the Continental Army
in 1776. Washington’s men proved
unreliable, fleeing under fire.
Washington was forced to retreat to Manhattan after this
loss.
Treaty
of Alliance, 1778: The decisive victory of the Americans at the Battle of
Saratoga convinced the French to recognize American independence, prompting the
two countries to sign this treaty, in which both countries agreed not to make
peace with Britain without consulting the other. The French guaranteed the Americans any
possessions they conquered in war, and the United States agreed to recognize
French acquisitions of British islands in the West
Indies.
George
Rogers Clark: When the Ohio Indians allied under the British and attacked
areas of Kentucky in 1777-8, this general countered the attacks by organizing a
Kentucky militia. He captured the
British port at Kaskaskia and Colonel Henry Hamilton (infamous British
commander). However, he lacked the
strength to attack the British, and conflicts in this area persisted for 3
years.
Treaty
of Paris, 1783: A series of separate agreements signed by Britain, the
United States, Spain, and France signed at Versailles.
The American negotiators directly violated Congressional orders by
pursuing a treaty with the British without consulting the French, forcing the
French to hastily prepare their own treaty with the British.
The British recognized the United States as independent and agreed to
remove its troops, while the Americans agreed not to hinder the British recovery
of debt (passing restrictive economic laws) and compensating Loyalists for
confiscated land.
Northwest
Ordinance, 1787: Established a government for the Northwest Territory
(current states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin). Slavery was prohibited and Congress
appointed a governor with absolute veto power. Arthur St. Clair (the president of the
Ohio Company) was appointed as the first governor of the Northwest
Territory.
Virginia
Statute of Religious Freedom: Proposed by Thomas Jefferson in 1777 (not
accepted by Congress until 1786), it gave religious freedom to Virginia,
removing any association of religion with the state.
It was vehemently opposed by planters who opposed the Anglican Church,
causing it to be passed much later.
Benedict
Arnold: A hero of the American cause during the early battles of the
Revolution, he became unhappy with his rank. He then became a paid informer of
British General Clinton. When the
Americans found out, he escaped to Britain, where he became a brigadier
general. His name is associated
with treason.
Trenton
and Princeton: Two counterattacks by George Washington across the Delaware
River after being defeated at the Battle of Long Island which ended in decisive
victories for the Americans (1776)
Battle
of Saratoga: After being bogged down by Patriot militias, General Burgoyne
(British) retreated to the base at Saratoga, where he was promptly surrounded by
General Horatio Gates (American) and forced to surrender 6,000 men.
This was the largest American victory of the war until Yorktown.
Articles
of Confederation: The first written constitution of the United States, which
created a government with limited powers.
It included a national assembly (Congress) with yearly selected delegates
who in turn selected the President (annually, could serve 1 out of 3
years). Congress was responsible
for national affairs, war, and the armed forces, had some economic control, and
was the final authority in colonial disputes. It provided individual sovereignty for
states (Congress could not directly tax citizens).
Maryland was the last state to ratify the Articles
(1781).
Land
Ordinance, 1785: Provided for the organized survey and sale of western
lands. Land was organized into
tracts one square mile each called townships. Congress allowed the auction of land,
forced Indians off Ohio land so it could be surveyed, and sold 1.5 million acres
to the Ohio Company for $1 million (desperate for revenue).
Virginia
Declaration of Rights: Written by George Mason, this declaration stated that
sovereignty lay in the people, the government was the servant of the people, and
people had the right to reform or abolish their government.
Eight other states had similar declarations, which were precursors for
the Bill of Rights.
Baron
von Steuben: A Prussian officer who came to fight for the American cause
whose strict command allowed the men of the Continental Army to fight as a unit
during the winter at Valley Forge.
Kings
Mountain: In October 1780, Patriot forces outflanked and demolished a
Loyalist force (using cover and concealment to their advantage against a
superior force) in the backcountry near the boundary between the
Carolinas.
Yorktown:
French General Rochambeau and General Washington converged and lay siege to this
important outpost, where British General Cornwallis was residing with 5,000
men. The siege was successful, and
this became the final and most important victory of the Revolution
(1781).
Rochambeau:
A French general who, with the aid of George Washington, succeeded in capturing
Yorktown, ending the Revolutionary War.
Continental
Army: Commanded by George Washington, this was the primary fighting force of
the Americans during the Revolutionary War. It endured a harsh winter at Valley
Forge. It was financed through
loans from foreign countries and private contracts (with the help of secretary
of finance Robert Morris).
Joseph
Brant: A Mohawk leader who brought most Iroquois warriors to the British,
who attacked the Americans in frontier areas.
Phyllis
Wheatley: The most prominent black author of the Revolutionary period. Her writing is characterized by her
Christian piety and her concern for the African American
race.
Questions
Called themselves Loyalists, but were known the Patriots as Tories (which was
the conservative party in England who supported the authority of the king). Those who remained loyal to the British
crown during the Revolution
Battle
of Long Island: General Howe (British) with an army of 32,000 Hessians
(hired German mercenaries) attacked General Washington of the Continental Army
in 1776. Washington’s men proved
unreliable, fleeing under fire.
Washington was forced to retreat to Manhattan after this
loss.
Treaty
of Alliance, 1778: The decisive victory of the Americans at the Battle of
Saratoga convinced the French to recognize American independence, prompting the
two countries to sign this treaty, in which both countries agreed not to make
peace with Britain without consulting the other. The French guaranteed the Americans any
possessions they conquered in war, and the United States agreed to recognize
French acquisitions of British islands in the West
Indies.
George
Rogers Clark: When the Ohio Indians allied under the British and attacked
areas of Kentucky in 1777-8, this general countered the attacks by organizing a
Kentucky militia. He captured the
British port at Kaskaskia and Colonel Henry Hamilton (infamous British
commander). However, he lacked the
strength to attack the British, and conflicts in this area persisted for 3
years.
Treaty
of Paris, 1783: A series of separate agreements signed by Britain, the
United States, Spain, and France signed at Versailles.
The American negotiators directly violated Congressional orders by
pursuing a treaty with the British without consulting the French, forcing the
French to hastily prepare their own treaty with the British.
The British recognized the United States as independent and agreed to
remove its troops, while the Americans agreed not to hinder the British recovery
of debt (passing restrictive economic laws) and compensating Loyalists for
confiscated land.
Northwest
Ordinance, 1787: Established a government for the Northwest Territory
(current states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin). Slavery was prohibited and Congress
appointed a governor with absolute veto power. Arthur St. Clair (the president of the
Ohio Company) was appointed as the first governor of the Northwest
Territory.
Virginia
Statute of Religious Freedom: Proposed by Thomas Jefferson in 1777 (not
accepted by Congress until 1786), it gave religious freedom to Virginia,
removing any association of religion with the state.
It was vehemently opposed by planters who opposed the Anglican Church,
causing it to be passed much later.
Benedict
Arnold: A hero of the American cause during the early battles of the
Revolution, he became unhappy with his rank. He then became a paid informer of
British General Clinton. When the
Americans found out, he escaped to Britain, where he became a brigadier
general. His name is associated
with treason.
Trenton
and Princeton: Two counterattacks by George Washington across the Delaware
River after being defeated at the Battle of Long Island which ended in decisive
victories for the Americans (1776)
Battle
of Saratoga: After being bogged down by Patriot militias, General Burgoyne
(British) retreated to the base at Saratoga, where he was promptly surrounded by
General Horatio Gates (American) and forced to surrender 6,000 men.
This was the largest American victory of the war until Yorktown.
Articles
of Confederation: The first written constitution of the United States, which
created a government with limited powers.
It included a national assembly (Congress) with yearly selected delegates
who in turn selected the President (annually, could serve 1 out of 3
years). Congress was responsible
for national affairs, war, and the armed forces, had some economic control, and
was the final authority in colonial disputes. It provided individual sovereignty for
states (Congress could not directly tax citizens).
Maryland was the last state to ratify the Articles
(1781).
Land
Ordinance, 1785: Provided for the organized survey and sale of western
lands. Land was organized into
tracts one square mile each called townships. Congress allowed the auction of land,
forced Indians off Ohio land so it could be surveyed, and sold 1.5 million acres
to the Ohio Company for $1 million (desperate for revenue).
Virginia
Declaration of Rights: Written by George Mason, this declaration stated that
sovereignty lay in the people, the government was the servant of the people, and
people had the right to reform or abolish their government.
Eight other states had similar declarations, which were precursors for
the Bill of Rights.
Baron
von Steuben: A Prussian officer who came to fight for the American cause
whose strict command allowed the men of the Continental Army to fight as a unit
during the winter at Valley Forge.
Kings
Mountain: In October 1780, Patriot forces outflanked and demolished a
Loyalist force (using cover and concealment to their advantage against a
superior force) in the backcountry near the boundary between the
Carolinas.
Yorktown:
French General Rochambeau and General Washington converged and lay siege to this
important outpost, where British General Cornwallis was residing with 5,000
men. The siege was successful, and
this became the final and most important victory of the Revolution
(1781).
Rochambeau:
A French general who, with the aid of George Washington, succeeded in capturing
Yorktown, ending the Revolutionary War.
Continental
Army: Commanded by George Washington, this was the primary fighting force of
the Americans during the Revolutionary War. It endured a harsh winter at Valley
Forge. It was financed through
loans from foreign countries and private contracts (with the help of secretary
of finance Robert Morris).
Joseph
Brant: A Mohawk leader who brought most Iroquois warriors to the British,
who attacked the Americans in frontier areas.
Phyllis
Wheatley: The most prominent black author of the Revolutionary period. Her writing is characterized by her
Christian piety and her concern for the African American
race.
Questions