Chapter 5 Sections 1 and 2 Vocabulary List

Writs of Assistance-
A. Legal documents, like a search warrant, that allowed customs officers to enter any
location to search for smuggled goods.
B. Gave authorities free access to their goods they smuggled. Colonists thought this
violated their rights as British citizens; this was an effort to stop loss of money to the
British Parliament.

Sugar Act-
A. Lowered the tax on imported molasses and let officers seize goods from smugglers
without going to court.
B. British government hoped the lower tax would convince colonists to pay the tax instead
of smuggling.

Stamp Act-
A. Placed a tax on all printed materials; including newspapers, wills, playing cards and birth
and marriage certificates.
B. Colonists were upset because it was a direct tax put on them personally without consent
(permission). Stamp Act Congress meets to discuss and then boycott English products.
Tax is repealed due to the success of the boycott hurting British business.

Townshend Acts-
A. New taxes applied only to imported goods such as glass, lead, paint and paper. With the
tax being paid at the port of entry. The tax would be hidden within the price of the
merchandise.
B. The British had no right to tax the colonists without representation. The colonists
boycott in reaction. Britain hoped the colonists would not notice the tax.

Boston Massacre-
A. On March 5, 1770 a riot or protest of British tax policies in front of the tax collectors.
Five colonists were killed.
B. The soldiers were later proved innocent. The propaganda made colonists mad.

Tea Act-
A. This law allowed the British India Company a virtual monopoly (sole control) of the
trade for tea in America. Because this act was passed, colonial merchants called for a
new boycott.
B. This act would be putting colonial tea merchants out of business.

Boston Tea Party-
A. On December 16, 1773. The Boston Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawks, boarded the
ships at midnight. They threw 342 chests of tea into the Boston harbor.
B. This was considered a defiant act. The British government considered it was a criminal
act because they destroyed property.

Coercive (Intolerable) Acts-
A. Laws passed to punish Bostonians for their resistance to British law.
B. This act closed the Boston Harbor until the people of Massachusetts paid for the ruined
tea. The colonists also had to shelter soldiers. Instead of isolation, the other colonies sent
food and clothing to Boston.

Revenue-
A. Incoming money, like taxes, that make up the income that the government uses to pay its
bills.
B. The new taxes the British government passed to help Britain pay down their debt.


Resolution-
A. A formal expression of opinion by a legislature or assembly.
B. Virginias House of Burgesses said citizens could only be taxed by the House and the
House could only tax its citizens

Effigy-
A. Rag figures that represented a public official, tax collector, or a king.
B. Protestors burned effigies representing tax collectors and destroyed houses belonging to
royal officials.

Boycott-
A. Refusal to buy British goods as in when colonists refused to buy or use stamps.
B. In colonial cities, colonists urged merchants to boycott British and European goods in
protest.

Nonimportation-
A. Agreements by colonial merchants.
B. Thousands of merchants signed Nonimportation pledges not to buy or use goods
imported from Britain.

Repeal-
A. To cancel out a law or act of Parliament.
B. Boycotts hurt British businesses. These boycotts put pressure on Parliament to repeal
taxes like the Stamp Act.

Propaganda-
A. Information made to influence public opinions.
B. Colonial leaders used the killings at the Boston Massacre to influence the public
opinion.

Committees of Correspondence-
A. It was a major communication tool formed by communities to write letters and
pamphlets that would inform other communities about the actions the British were
taking.
B. This was how other colonists were informed about the Boston Massacre, boycotts,
Boston Tea Party, ect.

George the III-
A. The king of Great Britain
B. He refused to see the colonists complaints as legimate concerns of English citizens.
Instead, he reacts by sending more troops to America.

Sam Adams-
A. A local citizen of Boston who helped start the Sons of Liberty
B. He was one of the people who put up posters describing the Boston Massacre as a
slaughter.

Patrick Henry-
A. A member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He persuaded the burgesses to take
action against the Stamp Act.
B. Also, he helped pass resolutions about who could tax the colonists.

Crispus Attucks-
A. A dockworker and former slave who was a freeman. Part African and Part Native
American.
B. He was the first colonist to die at the Boston Massacre and was considered the first
colonist to die for freedom.

Sons of Liberty-
A. A secret protest group. Was formed by men who opposed taxes without their consent or
vote.
B. They showed their political views through riots, boycotts and petitions. Also, they
conducted the Boston Tea Party.

Daughters of Liberty-
A. A protest group formed by women.
B. They worked together to make fabric from home-made materials. The Daughters of
Liberty supported the Boston Tea Party. Also, they made their own teas and used
simpler made colonial goods instead of buying form the British. Used home-made
furniture wood dishes instead of porcelain.