Prelude and Acts
Why did Britain begin taxing the American colonies more heavily after the French and Indian War?
Britain needed money to pay off its war debts.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
What happened at Lexington and Concord, and why were these battles important?
They occurred in April 1775 and started the Revolutionary War.
What was Valley Forge, and what role did it play in the Revolutionary War?
It was an American military camp during the winter of 1777–78 where the Continental Army trained into a professional army.
What was one major power the national government could NOT exercise under the Articles of Confederation?
It could not levy taxes.
What was mercantilism, and what was its basic philosophy concerning the colonies?
Mercantilism was Britain's economic system in which the colonies existed for the good of the mother country.
Who was the Bostonian who fomented dissent and publicized the Boston Massacre?
Samuel Adams
What was significant about the Battle of Bunker Hill?
It was a British victory and the bloodiest battle of the American Revolution according to the class material.
Describe one of the two Providential Moments of Washington?
What did Shays' Rebellion cause many Americans, including George Washington, to consider?
The need for a new, stronger national government.
What were two British trade requirements?
All goods to and from the American colonies had to go through Great Britain first, and the Navigation Laws regulated colonial trade.
Who was the Virginian who famously argued, "Give me liberty or give me death"?
Patrick Henry
Why was the Battle of Saratoga important?
It was America's first major victory and began the French alliance.
What were three of the key ingredients that helped America defeat Britain?
How did the Biblical Doctrine of the Fall influence the structure of the new government?
The founders did not trust any single person or group with power, so they divided power throughout the government using checks and balances.
How did American colonists initially respond to Britain's new taxes?
They used petitions and boycotts and argued that "taxation without representation is tyranny."
Identify the following people and their roles: Henry Knox, Lafayette, and Benedict Arnold.
List the five major moments of 1776 in chronological order and give the month of each.
Why did King George III reportedly call George Washington "the greatest man alive"?
Because Washington resigned his commission and returned to farm life instead of becoming king.
What was the problem concerning representation at the Constitutional Convention, and how was it resolved?
The issue was whether states should have equal representation or representation based on population.
How did Britain respond to the colonists' protests over taxation?
Britain temporarily lowered the taxes but maintained its claimed right to tax the colonies whenever it wanted.
Who were the three indispensable figures of the Revolution, and why was each considered indispensable?
Give the date, victor, and significance of the Battle of Yorktown.
October 1781; American victory. Washington captured Cornwallis with the help of the French fleet, effectively winning the war.
Name one American negotiator of the Treaty of Paris and explain three things the treaty stipulated.
Negotiators included Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams.
Explain the Three-Fifths Compromise and answer both of these questions: Who proposed it according to your class material, and why?
Enslaved persons were counted as three-fifths of a person for census/population purposes when determining representation.