Historical Evidence
Which of the following is the strongest evidence that Thomas Paine supported American independence?
A. He wrote about the history of England.
B. He argued that America should become independent from Britain.
C. He described how colonists built houses.
D. He explained how the British government collected money.
B. He argued that America should become independent from Britain.
What type of historical source is Thomas Paine's Common Sense, written in 1776?
A. Secondary source
B. Primary source
C. Modern textbook
D. Historical documentary
B. Primary source
Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense to encourage colonists to break away from Britain. Which perspective does his writing represent?
A. Loyalist
B. Patriot
C. British Parliament member
D. British soldier
B. Patriot
What was the main purpose of the Declaration of Independence?
A. To establish a national court system
B. To announce that the colonies were separating from Great Britain
C. To create the Articles of Confederation
D. To establish trade agreements with Europe
B. To announce that the colonies were separating from Great Britain
Which group organized protests against British taxation and policies?
A. Loyalists
B. Sons of Liberty
C. British Parliament
D. Redcoats
B. Sons of Liberty
A student claims that the Declaration of Independence announced that the colonies were separating from Great Britain. Which detail best supports this claim?
A. The Declaration describes natural rights.
B. The Declaration lists complaints against the king.
C. The Declaration states that the colonies are free and independent states.
D. The Declaration discusses the importance of government.
C. The Declaration states that the colonies are free and independent states.
Who was the most likely intended audience of Thomas Paine's Common Sense?
A. Colonists who could be persuaded to support independence
B. British soldiers fighting in the Revolutionary War
C. European kings who wanted to control America
D. Historians studying the American Revolution today
A. Colonists who could be persuaded to support independence
A colonist writes, "I believe we should remain part of Great Britain because the king protects our colonies."
Which group would most likely agree with this statement?
A. Patriots
B. Sons of Liberty
C. Loyalists
D. Committees of Correspondence
C. Loyalists
According to the Declaration of Independence, which of the following is an example of an unalienable right?
A. The right to collect taxes
B. The right to serve in Parliament
C. The right to life and liberty
D. The right to own government property
C. The right to life and liberty
What was the primary purpose of the Committees of Correspondence?
A. To communicate information about British actions and coordinate colonial resistance
B. To collect taxes for the British government
C. To organize British military attacks
D. To write the Declaration of Independence
A. To communicate information about British actions and coordinate colonial resistance
A historian finds a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776. Why would this be useful evidence when studying the American Revolution?
A. It provides a firsthand perspective from the Revolutionary era.
B. It explains every event that happened during the war.
C. It provides an unbiased account of both sides.
D. It was written after the United States became independent.
A. It provides a firsthand perspective from the Revolutionary era.
What was the primary purpose of Thomas Paine writing Common Sense?
A. To convince colonists to remain loyal to Britain
B. To explain how the new American government would operate
C. To persuade colonists to support independence from Britain
D. To convince Britain to lower taxes on the colonies
C. To persuade colonists to support independence from Britain
A colonist writes in a diary that British taxes are unfair and that the colonies should have a voice in government.
What does this writing reveal about the colonist's perspective?
A. The colonist supports British control.
B. The colonist opposes British policies.
C. The colonist wants to end colonial trade.
D. The colonist supports the king's decisions.
B. The colonist opposes British policies.
Why did the Declaration of Independence include a list of grievances against King George III?
A. To explain why the colonists believed the king had violated their rights
B. To show that the colonies wanted to create a monarchy
C. To explain why the colonies supported British taxes
D. To establish a new military alliance with Britain
A. To explain why the colonists believed the king had violated their rights
Which statement best describes the difference between Patriots and Loyalists?
A. Patriots supported Britain, while Loyalists supported independence.
B. Patriots wanted independence, while Loyalists wanted to remain loyal to Britain.
C. Both groups supported independence from Britain.
D. Both groups wanted the colonies to become part of France.
B. Patriots wanted independence, while Loyalists wanted to remain loyal to Britain.
A student argues that the Declaration of Independence was influenced by Enlightenment ideas. Which evidence best supports this argument?
A. The Declaration explains that people have natural rights.
B. The Declaration describes the colonies' geography.
C. The Declaration discusses Britain's military.
D. The Declaration explains how colonists traded goods.
A. The Declaration explains that people have natural rights.
A historian reads a letter written by a colonist in 1775 describing his experiences with British soldiers. What makes this letter a primary source?
A. It was written by a historian.
B. It describes events from someone who lived during that time.
C. It was published in a modern textbook.
D. It summarizes information from several books.
B. It describes events from someone who lived during that time.
A student examines a political cartoon created during the Revolutionary era that shows colonists being crushed under British taxes.
Why is this artifact useful to historians?
A. It shows how some colonists viewed British policies.
B. It provides an exact record of every tax collected.
C. It proves that all colonists supported independence.
D. It explains how the British military defeated the colonists.
A. It shows how some colonists viewed British policies.
According to the Declaration of Independence, where does a government's legitimate power come from?
A. The military
B. The king
C. Wealthy landowners
D. The consent of the governed
D. The consent of the governed
Why did Thomas Paine's Common Sense have an important influence on the American Revolution?
A. It convinced the British government to end all taxes.
B. It established the first American government.
C. It encouraged colonists to support independence from Britain.
D. It created an agreement between Patriots and Loyalists.
C. It encouraged colonists to support independence from Britain.
A student reads the following statement:
"Britain cannot conquer us, they cannot govern us."
Which conclusion is best supported by this statement from Thomas Paine?
A. Britain should be allowed to control colonial trade.
B. The colonies should remain loyal to the king.
C. The colonies are capable of governing themselves.
D. The colonies need Britain's military protection.
C. The colonies are capable of governing themselves.
A student compares Thomas Paine's Common Sense with a modern textbook chapter about the American Revolution. Which statement correctly identifies the difference?
A. Both are primary sources because they discuss history.
B. The textbook is primary, while Paine's pamphlet is secondary.
C. Paine's pamphlet is primary, while the textbook is secondary.
D. Both are secondary sources because they explain historical events.
C. Paine's pamphlet is primary, while the textbook is secondary.
A Patriot and a Loyalist describe the same British tax differently. Why might their accounts be different?
A. One person must be lying.
B. Historical documents cannot be trusted.
C. Their political beliefs and experiences influenced their perspectives.
D. Both people experienced completely different historical events.
C. Their political beliefs and experiences influenced their perspectives.
How did the Declaration of Independence build on the ideas introduced in the Mayflower Compact?
A. Both documents supported a monarchy.
B. The Mayflower Compact introduced self-government, while the Declaration emphasized individual rights and equality.
C. Both documents gave all political power to the British king.
D. The Mayflower Compact established independence from Britain.
B. The Mayflower Compact introduced self-government, while the Declaration emphasized individual rights and equality.
A group of colonists organizes a boycott of British goods and encourages others to protest unfair taxes. What does this action demonstrate?
A. Colonial resistance could be organized through group action.
B. Colonists supported all British economic policies.
C. Colonists wanted to increase trade with Britain.
D. Colonists were trying to strengthen the king's authority.
A. Colonial resistance could be organized through group action.