Stamp Act (1765): A British tax on printed paper that colonists protested loudly No taxation without representation: Colonial slogan: colonists had no voice in the Parliament that taxed them Sons of Liberty: Colonial protest group that opposed British taxes Townshend Acts (1767): British taxes on goods like glass, paper, paint and tea Boston Massacre (1770): British soldiers fired into a Boston crowd and killed five colonists Crispus Attucks: A man of African and Native descent, the first person killed in the Boston Massacre Tea Act (1773): British law that helped the East India Company sell tea in the colonies Boston Tea Party (1773): Colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor Intolerable Acts (1774): Punishing British laws after the Tea Party; the colonists' name for them First Continental Congress (1774): Delegates from twelve colonies met in Philadelphia to answer British actions Minutemen: Colonial militia ready to fight at a minute's notice Paul Revere: Rider who warned of British troops marching in April 1775 Lexington and Concord (1775): The first battles of the Revolutionary War, in Massachusetts Shot heard 'round the world: Famous poem phrase about the first shot at Concord Second Continental Congress: Met in 1775; ran the war and later voted for independence Battle of Bunker Hill (1775): A costly British win near Boston that showed colonists could fight well George Washington: Chosen in 1775 to lead the Continental Army Continental Army: The army formed by the Second Continental Congress Common Sense (1776): Thomas Paine's pamphlet arguing for independence in plain language Thomas Paine: Writer of Common Sense and The American Crisis Declaration of Independence: Adopted July 4, 1776; explained why the colonies were free from Britain Thomas Jefferson: Main writer of the Declaration of Independence Committee of Five: Group chosen to draft the Declaration: Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman, Livingston Loyalists: Colonists who stayed loyal to the British king Patriots: Colonists who wanted independence Redcoats: Nickname for British soldiers because of their uniforms Hessians: German soldiers hired by Britain to fight in America Washington crossing the Delaware: A surprise Christmas night 1776 crossing before the Battle of Trenton Battle of Trenton (1776): Washington's surprise win over Hessian troops in New Jersey Battle of Saratoga (1777): American victory in New York that was the turning point of the war Valley Forge: Winter camp 1777-1778 in Pennsylvania where the army endured hardship and training Baron von Steuben: Prussian officer who trained the Continental Army at Valley Forge Marquis de Lafayette: French nobleman who joined Washington as a general Alliance with France (1778): France joined the war on the American side after Saratoga Battle of Yorktown (1781): Last major battle; British General Cornwallis surrendered Lord Cornwallis: British general who surrendered at Yorktown Treaty of Paris (1783): Ended the war; Britain recognized American independence Articles of Confederation: First US plan of government, with a weak national government Abigail Adams: Wrote to John Adams asking him to 'remember the ladies' in new laws John Adams: Massachusetts leader who supported independence and later became the second president Benjamin Franklin: Diplomat who won French support in Paris Samuel Adams: Boston leader and organizer of protests against British taxes Patrick Henry: Virginian famous for 'Give me liberty, or give me death' John Hancock: Congress president whose signature on the Declaration was large and bold Nathan Hale: Patriot spy who said he regretted having only one life to give for his country Molly Pitcher: Name for women who carried water to soldiers and sometimes helped load cannons Deborah Sampson: A woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in the Continental Army Haym Salomon: Jewish financier who helped raise money for the war Phillis Wheatley: Enslaved poet in Boston whose poems were published in 1773 Sybil Ludington: Teen who rode at night to call militia in 1777, as the story goes Francis Marion: South Carolina leader nicknamed the Swamp Fox Benedict Arnold: American general who turned traitor and joined the British John Paul Jones: Naval commander famous for 'I have not yet begun to fight' Bernardo de Galvez: Spanish governor who helped the Americans by fighting the British in the Gulf region Joseph Brant: Mohawk leader who sided with the British Boycott: Refusing to buy goods as a protest; colonists used it against British goods Taxation: Charging money to support a government Parliament: Britain's lawmaking body Repeal: To cancel a law; Parliament repealed the Stamp Act in 1766 Quartering Act: British law requiring colonies to house soldiers King George III: British king during the Revolution Independence: Freedom from rule by another country Committees of Correspondence: Groups that shared news and plans among the colonies Olive Branch Petition (1775): Congress's last request to King George to avoid war Battle of Long Island (1776): Major British win in New York at the start of the campaign for the city Battle of Cowpens (1781): American victory in South Carolina Siege: Surrounding a place to force it to give up Treaty: A written agreement between nations Declaration signers: Fifty-six delegates signed the Declaration July 4: Date the Declaration was adopted, now Independence Day Liberty Bell: Famous bell in Philadelphia, a symbol of American freedom Betsy Ross: Philadelphia seamstress tradition says sewed an early American flag Continental dollar: Paper money printed by Congress that lost value quickly Militia: Citizen soldiers who served part time Guerrilla warfare: Fighting with small surprise attacks, used by some Patriot forces Free flashcards from Peabody at peabody.kids/flashcards/us-american-revolution