American Revolution Key Terms

Tariff

• A tax imposed on imported goods and services.

• A subsidy for domestic products.

• A fee for exporting goods.

• A regulation on trade agreements.

Stamp Act

• A 1765 British law that imposed a tax on paper documents in the American colonies, leading to widespread protest.

• A 1773 act that allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies.

• A 1764 law that lowered the tax on molasses but enforced stricter measures against smuggling.

• A 1783 treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War.

Boycott

• A form of protest involving the refusal to purchase or use goods and services from a particular source.

• A celebration of a cultural event or festival.

• A method of negotiation to reach a compromise.

• A legal action taken against a company for unfair practices.

Debt

• An obligation to pay or do something, typically money borrowed from another party.

• A type of investment that guarantees returns.

• A financial term for saving money over time.

• A legal term for ownership of property.

Sons of Liberty

• A group of American colonists who organized protests against British taxation and policies before the American Revolution.

• A British military unit that enforced tax collection in the colonies.

• A secret society formed to support the British monarchy in the colonies.

• A political party that advocated for independence from Britain.

Congress

• A formal meeting or assembly of representatives for discussion and decision-making, especially in a political context.

• A type of legislation passed by the government.

• A gathering of citizens to vote on local issues.

• A social event for networking among politicians.

Custom

• Tax collections

• Import duties

• Sales tax

• Property tax

Townshend Acts

• A series of British laws passed in 1767 that taxed goods imported to the American colonies, leading to further unrest.

• A set of colonial laws that promoted trade between the colonies and Britain.

• A series of taxes imposed on American colonies to fund the British military.

• A collection of acts that granted independence to the American colonies.