Colonization and the
Revolution
How it began
Important Places
• Roanoke- First attempt at settling the new
world in 1587. All settlers disappeared around
1590.
• Jamestown- First permanent settlement in the
new world. Settled by the Virginia company in
1607.
• Plymouth Rock- Settled by separatist's form
England called Pilgrims. Plymouth was outside
the Virginia Company’s land so the pilgrims
created the Mayflower Compact to protect their
colony.
• Pennsylvania- Established by William
Penn as a religious refuge for pacifists
known as Quakers.
• Georgia- Established by Britain in 1733
as a place for debtors and poor people
could start over. Created a buffer between
rich southern colonies and Spanish
controlled Florida.
• Lexington and Concord- First shots fired
in the American Revolution. April 19,
1775.
• Valley Forge- Sight of Washington’s
winter camp in 1778. The winter was very
harsh and food was scarce. Men who
deserted were shot. The Continental army
trained hard while camped at Valley
Forge.
Important Documents
• Mayflower Compact- Written by the pilgrims
pledge their loyalty to the king and forming a
political body that later became the first form of
representative government in America.
• Fundamental Orders of ConnecticutAdopted plan of a government for the colonies of
Connecticut and Rhode island. Was the first
written constitution on America.
• English bill of Rights- signed in 1689
guaranteed certain basic rights to all citizens.
Later inspired the American bill of Rights.
• Albany Plan of Union- Created by Benjamin
Franklin it called for the colonies to unite
against France under one form of representative
government.
• 1st Treaty of Paris- 1763, ended the French
and Indian war. France was allowed to
maintain some of its holdings in the Caribbean
but had to give Canada and most of lands east
of the Mississippi to Britain.
• Proclamation of 1763- To stop attacks from
Native Americans the King declared that the
colonies would not expand passed the
Appalachian mountains.
• Sugar Act- created in 1764 to stop the colonists
from smuggling molasses. It lowered taxes on
sugar being imported from the colonies.
• Stamp Act- Creates in 1765, it placed a stamp
tax on almost all printed materials. The stamp
act was created without asking the colonies.
Parliament was ignoring the colonial tradition of
self government,
• Declaratory Act- 1766 it stated that Parliament
had the right to tax and make decisions for the
British colonies “in all cases.”
• Tea Act- this act gave the British East
India company a monopoly over tea sold
in the colonies. It angered the colonists
and resulted in the Boston Tea party.
• Intolerable Acts- harsh laws, originally
names the Coercive Acts, created in
1774 to punish Boston for the Boston Tea
Party. It closed Boston Harbor, stopped
town meetings and placed soldiers in the
homes of citizens.
• Olive Branch Petition- Asked for peace
with King George and for colonial rights.
George refused.
• Declaration of Independence- Created
by the Second Continental Congress
and written by Thomas Jefferson, it
declared the colonists intention of creating
their own separate nation.
• 2nd Treaty of Paris- 1783, ended the war
with Britain. Recognized the United
States as a separate nation.
Important People
• John Smith- Leader of the Jamestown
settlement. Helped the colonists grow food and
create shelters.
• John Rolfe- Savior of Jamestown. He planted
a crop of tobacco that became very popular
worldwide and made Jamestown profitable.
• Nathan Hale- Dressed as a school teacher and
spied on the British during the Revolutionary
war. Stated “ I regret that I have but one life
to lose for my country.”
• Thomas Paine- Author of Common
Sense and The American Crisis. Copies
of his works inspired the colonists in their
goal for independence.
• King George III- King of England during
the Revolutionary war.
• General Cornwallis- British commander
during the revolution.
Important Events and Stuff
• Triangular trade- trade route for African
Slaves. Goods were sent to Africa to buy
slaves. Slaves were then sent along the Middle
Passage to the new world where they were sold
for goods. The goods were then shipped back
to England.
• Great Migration- 15000 Puritans journeyed to
Mass. To escape religious persecution.
• Great Awakening- Powerful religious revival
that swept though the colonies in the 1720s.
Created new American religions like Baptists,
Methodists and Presbyterians.
• Charter colony- Colonies that had been
given a charter or grant of rights by
England.
• Proprietary Colonies- Colonies created
by individuals who had been given
Government approval to start one.
• Royal Colonies- Ruled and created
directly by the British government.
• Boston Massacre- March 5, 1770.
When Britain sent soldiers to keep the
colonists from rioting in Boston they were
met by a jeering crowd. While the
colonists were yelling at the soldiers a shot
was fired killing 5 colonists.
• Boston Tea Party- December 16, 1773.
To protest the Tea Act a group of
Bostonians dressed ad Native Americans
dumped 342 barrels of tea into the Boston
harbor.
• Battle of Bunker Hill- June 16, 1775.
First major battle between British redcoats
and colonial minutemen.
• Guerilla Warfare- Battle tactic used by
Americans. Small forces would ambush
British troops and retreat quickly.
• Battle of Yorktown- October 19, 1781.
George Washington defeats General
Cornwallis ending the Revolutionary war.