Civics 8: American Revolution Flashcards

Monarch

• Sovereign head of state; King George III served as the monarch of England during the American Revolution.
• His reign lasted from 1760 to 1820.

Legislature

• Lawmaking body of a country or state responsible for creating laws.

Parliament

• The British legislature comprised nobles and church officials, advising King Henry III and governing the realm.
• Evolved to include common people representatives by the late 1300s.

Precedent

• A ruling from an earlier case that serves as a guideline for similar cases in the future.
• Example: A judge referencing a past trespassing case to inform their ruling.

Common Law

• A legal system based on court decisions and customs rather than legislative statutes.
• Foundations of modern laws regarding property, contracts, and personal injury are derived from English common law.

Colony

• A settlement controlled by a parent country located elsewhere, specifically seen in the American colonies established by England.
• Colonists maintained loyalty to England, embraced common law, and demanded representation in governance.

Charter

• A formal document that grants land and authority to create colonial governments.
• Example: The Virginia Company's charter for Jamestown, promising colonists the same liberties as those in England.

King George III

• British Monarch from 1760 to 1820 who enforced mercantilism, aiming to increase exports over imports.
• His actions led to heightened tensions, culminating in the First Continental Congress and the battles of Lexington and Concord. Seen as a "Tyrant" in the Declaration of Independence.

Compact

• An agreement or contract among individuals; the Mayflower Compact was a foundational document for governance among the Plymouth colonists.
• Established principles of self-governance and direct democracy through town meetings.

Mercantilism

• Economic theory positing that countries should sell more than they buy; Britain applied this policy to exploit colonial resources.
• Colonists were mandated to sell raw materials to Britain cheaply and buy British goods at inflated prices, harming colonial businesses.

Boycott and Repeal

• To boycott means to refuse to purchase certain goods as a form of protest; for example, colonists boycotted British tea.
• To repeal means to revoke or cancel a law; the boycott of the Stamp Act led to its repeal by Parliament.