Name ____________________________
COLONIAL AMERICA VOCABULARY
1. ARRIVAL IN THE NEW WORLD
Slave Trade
Pilgrims
Jamestown
Colony
New England
Colonies
Southern
Colonies
Salutary
Neglect
Mercantilism
Enslaved Africans would be inhumanely brought to America
in cramped and unsanitary conditions. The Middle Passage
of the Triangular Trade between Europe, African and the
Americas.
Religious separatists who journeyed to the colonies during
the 1600’s for a religious purpose. The Pilgrims were some
of the first settlers in New England.
Early colonial settlement in the Chesapeake Bay region of
Virginia. The settlers in Jamestown faced many hardships.
Middle Passage
Persecution
2. EARLY SETTLEMENT
An area of land settled by immigrants who continue to be
Triangle Trade
ruled by their parent country. The American colonies in
North America were ruled by Great Britain.
Northern region on the colonies. New England colonies
had lots of immigration, cold weather, short growing
seasons, rock soil and industry.
Southern Colonies had large plantation farms with slave
Middle
labor.
Colonies
3. COLONIAL LIFE
Great Britain’s policy in the early 1700’s of not interfering in Parliament
the American colonies’ politics and economy as long as
such neglect served the British economic interests.
The theory that a nation’s power depended on its wealth.
Navigation Acts
Trade relationship between Great Britain and the American
colonies. The colonies provided raw materials to be made
into finished goods in England. The finished goods were
then sold back to the colonies which made money for
England. Colonial trade with other countries was restricted.
Pg. ____ --______
England and Great Britain
are the same country!
England had a Monarch
(King) that controlled the
American colonies.
The section of the Triangle Trade, across the Atlantic
Ocean, where enslaved Africans were brought from Africa
to the Americas.
To be made to suffer because of your beliefs. Some of the
colonists moved out of England because of religious
and/or political persecution.
Trade routes that formed a triangle between Europe,
African and the Americas. Sugar and molasses went from
the West Indies to New England. In New England,
molasses was made into rum and shipped to Africa where
it was traded for slaves. The slaves were traded in the
West Indies.
Middle region of the colonies. Middle Colonies had
warmer weather, fertile soil, longer growing season and
cash crops.
Part of the English government that makes laws.
Laws that made it so only England benefited from trade
with the colonies.
European
Enlightenment
Monarch
4. EARLY COLONIAL GOVERNMENT
Movement during the 1700’s that spread the idea that
Selfknowledge, reason and science could improve society. Idea government
that people should have a say in their government and that
a king is not the best form of government for the people.
King or Queen.
Representative
government
Peter
Zenger/Zenger
Trial
Famous trial that confirmed Freedom of Speech in the
colonies.
Taxation
without
Representation
Cause of the American Revolution. Idea that it was unfair
House of
that the colonists were being taxed by England without
Burgesses
having any say in how much the taxes were or how the
money would be spent.
1754. Benjamin Franklin’s plan that would unite 11 of the
New England
colonies with an elected legislature that could collect taxes, Town Meetings
raise troops and regulate trade. It was never approved.
5. FRENCH & INDIAN WAR
1756-1763. Rivalry between France and Great Britain led to Treaty of Paris
this conflict in North America. The war was expensive and
of 1763
caused Great Britain to tax the colonists more.
Albany Plan of
Union
French&
Indian War
Mayflower
Compact
The idea that people should have a say in their own
government.
A kind of government where the people elect (vote for)
elected leaders to represent them. The U.S. has a
representative government.
A formal document, written in 1620, that provided law and
order to the Plymouth Colony. An early example of selfgovernment in the New World.
1619. Virginia. Early example of representative
government in the North America. Towns could send two
representatives (burgesses) to the assembly to make local
laws.
Early example of self-government in North America.
Agreement ending the French & Indian War.
England & Colonists vs. French & Indians
6. LAWS & TAXES
Proclamation
of 1763
Sugar Act
The King of England (King George III) declared the
Appalachian Mountains the western boundary of the
colonies. This angered colonists who wanted to expand
west.
Tax on molasses. Control on smugglers.
Townshend
Acts
Tax on all imported goods
Quartering Act
Law that said colonists must provide housing and food to
British soldiers. Colonists were upset that they had to let
British troops live in their home.
Stamp Act
Continental
Congress
Boston
Massacre
Declaration of
Independence
Natural Rights
Revolution
Treason
Treaty of Paris
of 1783
In an effort to raise money to pay their debts, Great Britain
placed this tax on the colonies. It put a tax on anything
printed on paper. Example: Wills, certificates, pamphlets,
etc.
Intolerable Acts Used to punish Boston after the tea party. Closed Boston
Harbor until tea was paid for, which prevented the arrival
of food and supplies. Banned town meetings.
7. & 8. COLONIAL RESISTANCE & CONSEQUENCES
#1- 1774. Established a government to represent American Boston Tea
Colonial protests against the British tax on tea. Colonists
interests and challenge British control. #2- 1775. Began
dress as native Americas boarded a ship and dumped tea
Party
government the colonies, set up fighting and declared
into the Boston Harbor. In response, the British
independence in 1776.
government closed the port.
March 5, 1770. Incident between Boston colonists and
British soldiers. The British soldiers fired on the colonists,
killing 5.
9. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
1776. Written by Thomas Jefferson to declare
Common Sense Pamphlet written by Thomas Pain and distributed across
independence from Great Britain (England). It discussed
the colonies. It called for complete independence from
natural rights and the reasons for separation from England.
Great Britain. It said that the problems with England were
not just an argument over taxes, rather a struggle for
Idea of the European Enlightenment and created by John
freedom. Convinced many colonists to support
Locke. Every person has the right to life, liberty and
independence.
property no matter where they are born. If a government
does not protect these rights, the people can rebel against
the government.
10. REVOLUTION
A big change. The American Revolution (Revolutionary
A group of civilians (people not in the military) trained to
Militia
War) was from 1775-1783. The colonies fought and won a
fight in emergencies.
war against England to achieve independence and create a
new nation – The United States of America.
The crime of attempting to overthrow the government of
Colonist who supported and was loyal to Great Britain.
Loyalist
one's country or of attempting to kill or injure the ruler or
the ruler's family
Agreement that ended the Revolutionary War. It said that
Colonist who wanted independence from Great Britain.
Patriot
Great Britain would remove their troops from America and
Americans would pay the debts and gain the territory to the
Mississippi River.