American Revolution Key Terms and People

She worked to support her family during the Revolution and provided advice to her husband throughout his political career. She was the second first lady as wife to John Adams, and also the mother to our sixth president, John Quincy Adams.

• Mercy Otis Warren

• Abigail Adams

• Jane Addams

• Martha Washington

He wrote Common Sense to clearly explain why the colonies should separate from Great Britain. His pamphlet influenced the ideas of colonists about independence

• Patrick Henry

• Thomas Jefferson

• Thomas Paine

• Benjamin Franklin

Massachusetts delegate to the Second Continental Congress

He advocated for independence from Great Britain and later became our first vice president and our second president

• George Washington

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

• John Adams

Virginia delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

He wrote the Declaration of Independence. He later became the second vice president and the third president.

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

• John Adams

• George Washington

Pennsylvania delegate to the Second Continental Congress. He helped to draft the Declaration of Independence. He later traveled to France to negotiate the Treaty of Paris to end the war.

• John Adams

• Benjamin Franklin

• Thomas Jefferson

• George Washington

A peace agreement that officially ended the Revolutionary War and established British recognition of the independence of the United States.

• Constitution

• Declaration of Independence

• Treaty of Paris of 1781

• Treaty of Paris of 1783

Virginia delegate to the Second Continental Congress. He was chosen by the Congress to lead the Continental Army. He later became our first president.

• John Adams

• Thomas Jefferson

• Benjamin Franklin

• George Washington

Virginia politician. He led early calls against British taxation and for independence. One of his most famous speeches delivered in March 1775, declared, “…give me liberty, or give me death!”

• Thomas Paine

• Thomas Jefferson

• George Washington

• Patrick Henry

Delegates from the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia to discuss the problems with Great Britain. After declaring independence, this served as a government.

• Second Continental Congress

• Continental Army

• U.S. Congress

• First Continental Congress

Founding document of the United States. It was approved by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and announced the independence of the 13 colonies from Great Britain.

• Constitution

• Treaty of Paris of 1783

• Declaration of Independence

• Mayflower Compact