PG+4

__**46. Olive Branch Petition:**__ After the Second Continental Congress wanted reconciliation with George III of Britian, a small group of delegates led by John Adams believed this was inevitable. Adams believed the best course of action was to remain quiet, but this gave opposing John Dickinson the room to reconcile. First drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the Olive Branch Petition was then adopted by the Continental Congress in 1775 in hopes of avoiding a full on war with Great Britian. It affirmed loyalty to the crown, while pleading the king to prevent further conflict. It established that the goal was not independence, but to settle tax and trade problems. Sent to England about the same time as news about Lexington and Concord, there was hope the King would negotiate with colonists. However, there was also a letter from John Adams regarding his disaprovement. After this petition was rejected, the colonies officially declared rebellion in the Proclamation of Rebellion in August. Regardless of its rejection, it still moved America towards independence. (HW)

__**47. Natural Rights Philosophy**__ **: [McKeon]** John Locke's philosophy which was a way of expressing the idea that there were certain moral truths that applied to all people, regardless of the particular place where they lived or the agreements they had made. Used to justify that the colonists were obligated to rebel against the oppression of Britain and that it would be contrary to common sense to allow the injustices to continue. //Source:// __Kaplan AP US History 2009__ by Krista Dornbush

__**48. Thomas Jefferson**__ : Thomas Jefferson was born in 1743 in Virginia. He began school at the age of 9 and graduated college with the highest honors in his class. Jefferson practiced law, represented Albernarle County in the Virginia House of Burgesses and wrote his first published work A Summary View of the Rights of British America. He argued that colonists had the natural right to govern themselves and the British legislature had no right being in the colonies. As a member of the Second Continental Congress following the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, he was chosen for the five-man committee that would draft the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson eventually ran for president in 1800, working with Aaron Burr, who later became his Vice President. While in office, Jefferson repealed the Judiciary Acts of 1801, pardoned people from previous laws that he found unconstitutional and bought the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the size of the United States. Before his death, Jefferson founded the building of the University of Virginia. He died as one of the most influential founding fathers for his promotion of the "ideals of republicanism in the United Staes". (KV)

__**49. Roger Sherman**__ __:__ Roger Sherman was born and raised in Massachusetts. Despite only being educated by his father's library, he became a an early American lawyer and politician. Once his father died and his family moved to Connecticut, he introduced himself in civil and religious affairs, becoming one of the town's leading citizens and eventually town clerk. After many political position, a master and arts degree from Yale, and teaching there for 5 years, he was elected the first mayor of New Haven, Conn., and he served on the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. He was the only person to sign all 4 major papers in the US (the Continental Association, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution). Sherman also introduced the idea that each state should have 1 member in the House of Representatives for ever 30,000 people in the state. (HW)

__**50. Robert Livingston**__ __**:**__ Robert Livingston was born in 1746 in New York. Livingston was a very eminent lawyer during the Stamp Act revolt and was part of the Sons of Liberty. He identified himself with the anit-colonial Whig part. He was part of the committee who drafted the Declaration of Independence but never had the opportunity to sign it. After holding the position of Chancellor of New York, he universally became known as "The Chancellor", holding this title through the rest of his life. In 1789, Livingston joined the Jeffersonian Republicans. As the U.S. Minister to France, Livingston negotiated the Louisiana Purchase. (KV)

__**51. Quock Walker case**__ **:** Quock Walker was born a slave on a Massachusetts farm belonging to James Caldwell. Caldwell promised Walker freedom when he reached the age of 25. Before he could fulfill this promise, he died and his wife remarried a man named Nathaniel Jennison. When Walker turned 25, Jennison wouldn't let him go. Instead, Walker fled to work on Seth and John Caldwell's farm, the brother of James. When Jennison retrieved Walker, he beat him severely, causing Walker to sue, followed by Jennison's suing of the Caldwells. The case consisted of three trials. The deciding factor was whether a previous master's promise to free Walker gave him a right to freedom after the death of the master. In the end, Walker won the trial and was given his freedom, 50 pounds in damages, and Jennison was fined 40 pounds for his unjustified beating of Walker. This case lay the foundation for ending slavery in Massachusetts on a constitutional level, but no law or amendment was ever passed. (KV)

__**52. Abigail Adams**__: Born as a descendant of the Quincy family in Massachusetts, Abigail Adams was never healthy enough to attend school, but still learned to read and write. She knew much about poetry, philosophy and politics, although they were considered inappropriate reading for a woman at the time. Abigail grew up knowing John Adams as a child, who she would later come to marry. Her father approved of this, but her mother thought it was a waste. The two moved to Boston and gave birth to 6 children. She became the First Lady to reside in the White House when John Adams became the second president. As her husband grew sick, Abigail became heavily involved in politics, becoming known as "Mrs. President." Her relationship with John is well documented through her extensive letters. Abigail was an advocate for married women's property rights and female education. She also believed that slavery was evil and a threat to the American democratic experiment. (HW)

__**53. Mercy Otis Warren**____:__ Although Mercy Otis Warren recieved no formal education, she was an American writer and playwright, known as the "Conscience of the American Revolution." She was America's first female playwright, writing anti-British and anti-Loyalist propaganda plays from 1772 to 1775, and was the first woman to create a Jeffersonian interpretation of the Revolution which was published in three volumes in 1805. She was also involved in the Boston Tea Party. Mercy married James Warren, who was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. They're house became a political hotspot, hosting meetings for the Sons of Liberty and forming the Committee of Correspondence. Mercy became a strong political voice with views on liberty, democracy and independence for the American colonies. She became a correspondent and adviser to many political leaders, including Sam Adams, John Hancock, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams, who became her literary mentor in the years leading to the Revolution. Because she was so involved in politics, all her work was published anonymously. (HW)

__**54. Edmund Burke**____**:**__ Edmund Burke was an Irish statesman, author, orator, and polictical theorist who served for many years in the House of Commons of Great Britain after moving to England. He was a member of the Whig party. He is mainly remembered for his support of the American Revolution, and later, his opposition to the French Revolution. As a member of Parliament, Burke took a leading role in debating over the constitutional limits to the executive authority of the King. He was very against unrestrained royal power. Burke also tried to pass a bill that would allow a jury to determine what is libel, but this bill did not pass. As it pertains to the American Revolution, Burke expressed his support for the grievances the American colonies faced under King George's rule. He made speeches about the tea repeal and reconciling with America. In his speech about reconciliation with America, he reminded Parliament about the growing population of Americans and how they wouldn't just back down without a fight. Burke was very appalled at the celebrations of the British when they defeated the Americans in New York and Pennsylvania because he claimed British national character was being changed through the war. Burke didn't understand why the Americans wanted to separate from noble England Empire, but he did realize the injustices the colonists were facing and supported them anyways. (KE)

__**55. Marquis de Lafayette**__ **:** Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer. He became a general in the American Revolution in the Continental Army and served under George Washington. As Marquis was getting ready to join the war, the French-American alliance had not been made official yet, but the French were still sending supplies over secretly. The French king forbaid him from going to serve in the army, but de Lafayette went anyways. Once he arrived in America, he served under George Washington and his first battle was at Brandywine. At Brandywine, he was shot in the leg, but helped organize a quick retreat despite this. After the French became full supporters of the Americans, de Lafayette was sent on his own and aided in the repel of two British attacks. At Yorktown, Marquis took position on Malvern Hill, which trapped the British. The French arrived, followed by George Washington and his men. Fighting occured, and British eventually surrendered on October 19th. When he returned to France, he was a hero. He continued to talk with Americans, like Thomas Jefferson to organize trade agreements between France and America, aiming to reduce the debts owed by America to the France. (KE)

__**56. Baron von Steuben:**__ Baron von Steuben was a Prussian aristocrat and military officer. He served as an inspector general and major general of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He is most famous for teaching the Continental Army the basics of military drill and discipline. He wrote the "Revolutionary War Drill Manuel" that remained useful to the Americans until the War of 1812. Towards the end of the war, he served as George Washington's chief of staff. As a teacher to the American soldiers, von Steuben wanted to introduce a system of progressive training so that the soldiers would be more aware of their responsibilities in the war. Von Steuben also introduced camp sanitation to the American soldiers, but hisis biggest contribution to the Americans was his training in the use of the bayonet. He battled at Yorktown as the commander of one of the three divisions of Washington's troops. After the war ended, he became an American citizen and settled in Manhattan. (KE)

__**57. Benedict Arnold**__ **:** Benedict Arnold was a fierce patriot during the Stamp Act crisis and early years of the American Revolution. During battles of Lexington and Concord, Arnold worked with Ethan Allen to capture Fort Ticonderoga and was soon named a colonel of George Washington's Continental Army. As a colonel, Arnold played major role in stopping advancement of British and surrender of British General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga. At the Battle of Freeman's Farm Arnold's leg was severely wounded when he got pinned beneath his shot horse. Although Arnold remained a patriot, he became upset that he did not receive any credit for his leadership and sacrifice for America. Because of this tension, Arnold began to converse with a British spy named John Andre while remaining close with George Washington, and agreed to hand over key American information to the British. However, right after Benedict Arnold handed the information over to the British spy, Andre was caught and executed. Arnold fled to British-occupied New York, where he later became a British brigadier.- CO

__**58. Robert Morris**__ : Robert Morris was an American merchant and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and United States Constitution. He was elected into the Pennsylvania Assembly and was a member of the Second Continental Congress. He played a huge role as financer in the American Revolution. Morris later served as the Superintendent of Finance, which meant he managed the economy of the United States. At this same time, he was also the Agent of Marine, which allowed him to control the Continental Navy. During the war, Morris used his wealth to help the Continental Navy and supply war materials to troops. When Pennsylvania went bankrupt in 1780, the state called on Morris to restore the economy. Morris was up for the challenge and opened the ports to trade, so the market could set the value of the goods and money. Morris helped establish the first national bank, when the US was in a crisis in 1781. (KE)

__**59. Conway Cabal****:**__ This refers to an effort to remove George Washington as the commander of the Continental Army in late 1777-78s. It was named after General Thomas Conway, who wrote letters criticizing Washington as a commander. Conway and Washington did not get along very well. When Washington found out about the letter, it led him to believe people were trying to replace him with General Gates. These letters were then forwarded to the Second Continental Congress. The effort ended up failing, and Conway resigned as general and General Horatio Gates apologized. (KE)

__**60. Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom**:__ The Virginia Statue of Religous Freedom was drafted in 1777 by Thomas Jefferson in Fredericksburg, Virginia. It stated three accomplishments Jefferson wished to be remembered for (drafting the Declaration of Independence, founding the University of Virginia, and writing the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom). In 1786, the Virginia General Assembly used the text in the state's law. It supported separation of church and state, and freedom of conscience, becoming one of the most important documents in American history on the subject of religious liberty. It prohibited government interference or support for religion and became an inspiration for the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Jefferson felt that religion would flourish if left alone. (HW)

**PG 5**