Unit 3: The Path to Independence (1754–1776)

Seven Years' War

A global conflict from 1754 to 1763 that altered British-colonial relationships, known in North America as the French and Indian War.

Ohio River Valley

The disputed territory between British colonists and the French that initiated the Seven Years' War.

Albany Plan of Union

A proposal by Benjamin Franklin in 1754 to unite the colonies for common defense, which was ultimately rejected.

Treaty of Paris (1763)

The agreement that ended the Seven Years' War, resulting in significant territorial gains for Britain.

Salutary Neglect

The British policy of loosely enforcing trade laws in the colonies, which ended after the Seven Years' War.

Pontiac's Rebellion

A Native American uprising led by Chief Pontiac in 1763 against British expansion into the Ohio Valley.

Proclamation of 1763

A decree by King George III that restricted colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains.

Sugar Act (1764)

A tax that lowered the price on molasses while increasing enforcement against smuggling.

Stamp Act (1765)

A direct tax on printed materials that sparked widespread resistance in the colonies.

Sons of Liberty

A group formed to resist British policies and taxes, notably active during the Stamp Act period.

Declaratory Act (1766)

An act that asserted Parliament's right to tax the colonies in all cases, following the repeal of the Stamp Act.

Townshend Acts (1767)

A series of acts imposing taxes on imported goods, leading to renewed boycotts and tensions in the colonies.

Boston Massacre (1770)

The incident where British soldiers killed five colonists, escalating anti-British sentiments.

Tea Act (1773)

Legislation that reduced tea prices but maintained the tax, seen by colonists as a trick.

Boston Tea Party (1773)

A protest in which the Sons of Liberty dumped tea into Boston Harbor in response to the Tea Act.

Coercive (Intolerable) Acts (1774)

British laws passed to punish Massachusetts after the Boston Tea Party, which instead united the colonies.

First Continental Congress

A gathering of colonial delegates in 1774 to discuss a collective response to British policies.

Enlightenment

An intellectual movement that influenced revolutionary thought, emphasizing reason and individual rights.

John Locke

A philosopher whose ideas on natural rights and government influenced the American Revolution.

Natural Rights

The concept that individuals are entitled to life, liberty, and property, foundational to American political thought.

Social Contract

The theory that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense

A pamphlet that argued for American independence in plain language, shifting public opinion.

Declaration of Independence (1776)

Document primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson declaring America's independence from Britain.

Virtual Representation

The British argument that Parliament represented all subjects of the empire, regardless of who elected them.

Actual Representation

The concept that elected officials represent the interests of their specific constituents.

Colonial Reaction to Proclamation of 1763

Colonial anger over restrictions on westward expansion following the French and Indian War.