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Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and philosophical movement that swept through Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. It emphasized reason, science, individualism, and secularism as opposed to traditional authority and religious dogma. Key figures such as Voltaire, John Locke, and Immanuel Kant promoted ideas of liberty, equality, and the pursuit of knowledge, laying the groundwork for significant social, political, and scientific advancements in Western societies. -
French and Indian war
The French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years' War, was fought between 1754 and 1763. It was a conflict between the British and French empires, along with their respective Native American allies, over territorial and colonial dominance in North America. The British victory in the war ultimately led to significant territorial gains in North America, but it also left Britain burdened with a large war debt, which contributed to tensions that later sparked the American Revolution. -
Stamp act
The Stamp Act of 1765 was a British law that imposed a direct tax on the American colonies by requiring them to pay a tax on every piece of printed paper they used. This included legal documents, newspapers, pamphlets, and even playing cards. The Act was met with widespread resistance and protest in the colonies, ultimately contributing to the growing tensions that led to the American Revolution. -
Sons of liberty
The Sons of Liberty was a secret organization formed in the American colonies in the early 1760s to oppose British policies and taxation. They played a significant role in organizing protests and resistance against measures such as the Stamp Act and the Tea Act. The Sons of Liberty were instrumental in fostering a sense of unity among the colonies and laying the groundwork for the American Revolution. -
Townshed act of 1767
The Townshend Acts of 1767 were a series of British laws imposing new taxes on imports into the American colonies, including items such as tea, paper, glass, and paint. These acts were named after Charles Townshend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer who proposed them. The Townshend Acts further strained relations between Britain and the American colonies, leading to increased resistance and ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. -
Boston massacre
The Boston Massacre occurred on March 5, 1770, when British soldiers fired into a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five people. Tensions had been escalating between British soldiers and colonists, and the incident further fueled anti-British sentiment and contributed to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. Paul Revere's famous engraving depicting the event became a powerful piece of propaganda in the American colonies. -
Intolerable Acts
The Intolerable Acts were a series of punitive measures imposed by the British Parliament on the American colonies in response to the Boston Tea Party in 1773. These acts included the Boston Port Act, which closed the port of Boston until the East India Company was repaid for the destroyed tea, and the Massachusetts Government Act, which altered the Massachusetts charter and restricted town meetings. -
Boston tea party
The Boston Tea Party occurred on December 16, 1773, when a group of American colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three British ships and dumped chests of tea into Boston Harbor as a protest against the Tea Act of 1773. This act of defiance was a pivotal event leading up to the American Revolution, as it demonstrated the colonists' resistance to British taxation and their determination to assert their rights. -
American revolution
The American Revolution was a colonial revolt against British rule that took place from 1775 to 1783. It resulted in the thirteen American colonies gaining independence from Great Britain and forming the United States of America. The revolution was fueled by grievances over taxation without representation, restrictions on trade, and a desire for self-governance. -
Battle of bunker hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill, fought on June 17, 1775, was a pivotal engagement early in the American Revolutionary War. American militia forces, despite ultimately being forced to retreat, inflicted heavy casualties on the British Army, demonstrating that they could stand up to professional soldiers. The battle boosted colonial morale and served as a catalyst for the revolutionary cause, even though the British technically won the engagement. -
Battle of Yorktown
The Battle of Yorktown, fought from September 28 to October 19, 1781, was the decisive battle of the American Revolutionary War. American and French forces, under the command of General George Washington and General Comte de Rochambeau, surrounded the British army led by General Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia. The British surrendered, leading to the eventual end of the war and paving the way for American independence. -
constitutional convention
The Constitutional Convention, held in Philadelphia in 1787, brought together delegates from 12 of the 13 American states to address the weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation. Led by figures like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, the convention resulted in the drafting of the United States Constitution, which established the framework for the federal government and remains the supreme law of the land in the United States. -
3/5 compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise, established during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, counted enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxation purposes. This compromise sought to balance the interests of Northern and Southern states regarding congressional representation and taxation, but it also perpetuated the systemic inequality of slavery in the United States. -
Great Compromise
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It resolved the dispute between the large and small states over representation in the legislative branch of the new government. The compromise established a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate for each state and proportional representation based on population in the House of Representatives, thus satisfying both sides and laying the foundation. -
Bill of rights adopted
The Bill of Rights, consisting of the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, was adopted on December 15, 1791. These amendments were added to safeguard individual liberties and limit the power of the federal government. The adoption of the Bill of Rights marked a crucial moment in American history, establishing key principles such as freedom of speech, religion, and the right to a fair trial.