American Revolution Key Terms

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Questions and Answers

What is the relationship between mercantilism, the Navigation Laws, and British efforts to create an administrative structure for their empire after 1696?

Mercantilism, the Navigation Laws, and the British efforts to create an administrative structure for their empire after 1696 were all interconnected. Mercantilism was the economic theory that guided British policy during this period, emphasizing the importance of accumulating wealth and maintaining a favorable balance of trade. The Navigation Laws were a series of acts passed by the British Parliament to regulate trade with the colonies and ensure that British ships carried the majority of goods. The British government also sought to create a more effective administrative structure for its empire, with appointed governors and other officials playing a greater role in governing the colonies.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the British and the colonists, respectively, as the American Revolutionary War began?

The British had a number of advantages at the start of the Revolutionary War, including a well-trained and experienced army, a strong navy, and a vast amount of resources.

However, they also faced several disadvantages:

The war was being fought far from Britain, making it difficult to maintain supply lines and troop morale.
The colonists were fighting on their own terrain, which they knew well.
The colonists had a strong motivation to fight for their independence.

The colonists, on the other hand, had several advantages, including a strong motivation to fight for their independence, a knowledge of their terrain, and the support of foreign powers such as France and Spain. However, they also faced several disadvantages, including a lack of military training and experience, a lack of resources, and a divided population.

Explain the following quote: "Insurrection of thought usually precedes insurrection of deed." What does this mean? In what ways is this generalization an accurate description of the coming of the American Revolutionary War?

The quote "Insurrection of thought usually precedes insurrection of deed" means that a change in people's thinking and beliefs often comes before a change in action. It is saying that people must first be convinced of the need for change before they will be willing to take action. In the context of the American Revolution, this quote implies that the colonists first began to question British authority and the legitimacy of British rule before they were willing to fight for independence. This shift in thinking was driven by a number of factors, including enlightenment ideals, the growing sense of colonial identity, and the resentment of British policies such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. The colonists began to believe that they were entitled to self-government and freedom from British rule, and this belief eventually led them to take up arms in defense of their rights. This generalization is an accurate description of the coming of the American Revolution because it captures the gradual shift in thinking that led to the outbreak of war. The colonists did not immediately rise up in rebellion against British rule. Rather, they first began to question British authority and the legitimacy of British rule, and then they began to organize protests and demonstrations to voice their grievances. This gradual shift in thinking ultimately led to the colonists' decision to declare independence from Britain and fight for their freedom.

Which of the following is NOT a key term/concept from the American Pageant Chapter 7 Study Guide?

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Study Notes

Key Terms/Concepts

Republicanism: A political ideology emphasizing civic virtue, public service, and citizen participation in government.
Radical Whigs: A British political faction that opposed perceived abuses of power by the monarchy and government. Their ideas influenced American colonists.
Mercantilism: An economic system where colonies exist to benefit the mother country, often through trade restrictions.
Sugar Act: Tax on sugar and molasses imported into the colonies.
Quartering Act: Required colonists to provide housing and supplies for British troops.
Stamp Act: Tax on printed materials in the colonies.
Admiralty Courts: Special courts created to try colonists accused of violating trade laws.
Stamp Act Congress: A meeting of colonial representatives to protest the Stamp Act.
Nonimportation Agreements: Colonists boycotted British goods to protest taxes and policies.
Sons of Liberty: A secret society that organized protests against British measures.
Daughters of Liberty: Women's organizations that supported the boycotts of British goods.
Declaratory Act: Declared Parliament's right to make laws for the colonies.
Townshend Acts: A series of taxes on imported goods, including glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea.
Boston Massacre: A violent confrontation between British soldiers and Boston civilians.
Committees of Correspondence: Groups that communicated between colonial leaders and exchanged ideas about resistance.
Boston Tea Party: A protest against the Tea Act where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor.
Intolerable Acts/Coercive Acts: Punitive laws enacted by Parliament to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party.
Quebec Act: An act that extended British territory and granted greater religious freedom to Catholics in Quebec. Further angered colonists.
First Continental Congress: A meeting of representatives from 12 of the 13 colonies to coordinate resistance to British policies.
The Association: An agreement by the First Continental Congress to boycott British goods.
Battles of Lexington and Concord: The first armed conflicts of the American Revolutionary War.

Key People

George Grenville: British Prime Minister who implemented many of the new taxes.
Charles Townshend: British Chancellor of the Exchequer. Known for introducing the Townshend Acts.
Crispus Attucks: A man of mixed race believed to have been the first casualty of the Boston Massacre.
George III: King of England during the American Revolution.
Samuel Adams: A key figure in the American Revolution and a prominent leader of the Sons of Liberty.

Possible Open Response Questions

Relationship between Mercantilism, Navigation Laws, British Administration: Mercantilism, a system where colonies benefit the mother country (in this case, Britain) via trade restrictions, led Britain to enact the Navigation Laws. These laws aimed to regulate colonial trade for the benefit of England. In response, the British created increasingly strict and formalized administrative structures to enforce these policies in the colonies.
Advantages and Disadvantages of British and Colonists: British advantages: strong army and navy, established economic system. British disadvantages: distance, lack of understanding of colonial issues, political divisions, and the need to control a large territory. Colonial advantages: familiarity with their homelands, knowledge of the terrain, and determination in resisting. Colonial disadvantages: limited military, lack of resources, and dependence on trade with Britain.
Insurrection of Thought vs. Deed: The quote means that ideas (thought) lead to action (deed). This was often the case in the American Revolution; as colonists developed increasing tensions and resentments toward British policies and taxes, these feelings expressed themselves in open discussions, boycotts, and protests. The progression often from these early expressions of discontent to open revolt.

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Description

Test your knowledge of key concepts related to the American Revolution, including major acts like the Stamp Act and Sugar Act, as well as political ideologies such as Republicanism and mercantilism. This quiz covers essential terms and their implications for the colonial resistance against British rule.