Unit 2 Illustrated Glossary Integrated Social StudiesEnglish Language

Unit 2 Illustrated Glossary Integrated Social Studies/English Language Arts Curriculum (Grade 4) ©Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES Curriculum & Instructional Services

ally A connection or relation with another country, person, or group

American Revolution The war fought by the American Colonies to end British rule 1775 -1783

Boston Tea Party A group of colonists disguised themselves as Mohawks and dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor to oppose the tax on tea.

border a boundary, especially of a country or a state

boycott Colonists pledging to boycott British tea to refuse to do business with a person, group, country or to buy a product

colonist a person who lives in a colony

colony a distant territory belonging to or under the control of a nation

consent to express willingness or approval

Continental Congress a group of colonists who met in Philadelphia in 1775 to discuss how to deal with Great Britain

Declaration of Independence a document written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776 explaining why the 13 colonies should be free of British rule

declare Washington reading the Declaration of Independence to his army to make known openly

derive to arrive at by reasoning or observation

document a written or printed paper giving information about or proof of something

endowed to provide with money for support

excerpt “We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; ” a portion of a written document

French and Indian War a war between Great Britain, France and its Native American allies fought in 1754 -1759

government the laws and people that run a colony, country, state, county, city or town

grievance a painful situation giving reason for complaint

idiom an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words, but must be learned as a whole

inalienable impossible to take away or give up

independence freedom from outside control or support

instituted set up, established

interdependence depending or relying on one another

Intolerable Acts restrictions imposed upon the colonists as a result of the Boston Tea Party

landform a natural feature of land surface

liberty the condition of those who are free and independent

loyalist a colonist who remained loyal to Britain

militia a volunteer group of soldiers who fought in time of emergency in colonial times

minutemen well trained volunteer soldiers who defended the American colonies from the British at a minute’s notice

neutral not taking sides

New Amsterdam Dutch settlement started in 1625 on Manhattan Island which became New York City

New Netherland Dutch colony in North America, 1624 -1664, that included parts of present day New York, New Jersey, and Delaware

Parliament the British government

patriot a colonist who opposed British rule

peer a person of the same rank or class as another

Peter Stuyvesant Governor of New Netherland 1647 -1664, when Great Britain took over

position a stand taken on an issue

pursuit to try to obtain or accomplish

Quartering Act a law that forced the Boston colonists to house British soldiers

rebel to oppose those in charge, even to the point of fighting them with weapons because of different ideas about what is right

repeal to do away with

river a natural stream of water larger than a brook or creek

retreat to turn back

rural of the countryside; including farms, small villages or unsettled land

self-evident “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” -Declaration of Independence having no need of proof

settlement a place or region newly settled; a small village

significance something of great importance

Sons of Liberty groups of colonists who organized themselves to protest against the British government

Stamp Act an act passed in 1765 that placed a tax on newspapers and pamphlets, legal documents and playing cards

Sugar Act a three cent tax on foreign sugar and higher import taxes on non-British cloth, coffee, indigo, and Madeira Canary wines

surrender General Cornwallis Surrenders to give up

Tory an American on the side of the British during the American Revolution

Townsend Acts 1767 taxes on glass, lead, paper and tea

tradition the handing down of information, beliefs, or customs from one generation to another

turning point The Battle of Saratoga 1777 a point where an important change occurs

viewpoint a way of looking at or thinking about something

Whig an American supporting independence from Great Britain during the American Revolution