GED - Social Studies (U.S. History)

Christopher Columbus - Italian explorer, sailing on behalf of Spain Virginia - Where Jamestown was established Massachusetts - Where the pilgrims landed Mayflower Compact - Established a set of basic laws for the Pilgrims Rhode Island - Founded by Roger Williams (law dealings and religion kept separate) Connecticut - Founded by Thomas Hooker (where men could vote regardless of church membership) New Hampshire - Established when colonists from Massachusetts moved farther North. Maryland - Founded by Cecilius Calvert (so Catholics could escape persecution) North Carolina and South Carolina - Settled because of it's quality farmland New York - Given by the king to his brother, the Duke of York New Jersey - Given by the Duke of York to his friends Pennsylvania - Founded by William Penn, for Quakers Delaware - Once part of Pennsylvania, then became a new colony Georgia - A colony started to keep French and Spanish out of South Carolina. Named in honor of the king. Sugar Act of 1764 - Taxed sugar as well as coffee and cloth Stamp Act of 1765 - Required colonists to pay for British stamps on any official document. Townshend Act - Taxed imported items from Britain to the colonies. Boston Massacre - An argument between a group of colonists and a British soldier grew to include several soldiers. Killed five colonists. Tea Act - Gave British company the right to sell low-priced tea to the colonists with tax. Boston Tea Party - Group of colonists dumped tea into the Boston Harbor. Intolerable Act - In response to the Boston Tea Party intended to punish the colonists by closing the port of Boston. First Continental Congress - In September 1774, to demand that the Intolerable Acts be repealed Patriots - colonists who opposed the British Second Continental Congress - May of 1775, decision to create the Continental Army Continental Army - American soldiers well trained to fight the British George Washington - Chosen commander of the Continental Army Magna Carta - Document signed by English King John in 1215, inspired the colonists Thomas Jefferson - Delegates from Virginia wrote the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 Loyalists - 20% of the people who were loyal to King George III after the writing of the Declaration of Independence Revolutionary War - Forced colonists to decide which side they would support. Britain or American Treaty of Paris - Revolutionary War ended with the signing of this document Articles of Confederation - First government of the 13 colonies of the U.S