Rising Tensions.
Why did the British raise taxes so high?
To pay off the debt from the French & Indian War.
What did the Declaration of Independence do?
It explained why the colonies were declaring independence, and declared America it's own country.
What were the first battles of the American Revolutionary War?
The Battles of Lexington & Concord.
Who was given command of the Continental Army?
George Washington.
Who was Charles Cornwallis?
The British general who surrendered to George Washington after the Battle of Yorktown.
Why did the Patriots carry out the Boston Tea Party?
To protest the British tax on tea.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
True or False: Only white Americans born in America fought in the Revolution.
False: People of all backgrounds fought in the American Revolution.
Who was Benedict Arnold?
A general who betrayed America and switched sides to help the British.
How did the American Revolutionary War end?
The French & Americans defeated the British at the Battle of Yorktown.
Why was the Boston Massacre important?
It raised tensions between the British and the Americans.
What was Thomas Paine's main argument in Common Sense?
That America should become it's own country.
What countries decided to help the U.S.?
France, Spain & The Netherlands.
What were the American ADVANTAGES in the war?
They knew the land well.
They were fighting for a cause they believed in.
What did Americans get out of the Treaty of Paris?
The U.S. would gain all land east of the Mississippi River.
What does "taxation without representation" mean?
The colonists were being taxed by Britain even though they did not have any representation in British Parliament.
What are natural rights?
Rights all people have from birth.
What role did women play in the Revolution?
They helped the army as nurses and cooks, took jobs and some fought in the war.
What were the American DISADVANTAGES in the war?
They were untrained.
They had no money.
They had no navy.
What did Britain get out of the Treaty of Paris?
The Americans agreed to pay Loyalists compensation for their property taken by Patriots.
What were the Intolerable Acts?
Laws passed by Britain to punish the colonies for the Boston Tea Party.
What are inalienable rights?
Rights that the government can not take from the people.
Why was Valley Forge important?
Camping at Valley Forge over the winter allowed Washington time to regroup and train his soldiers.
Why was the Battle of Saratoga important?
It convinced the French to help the United States.
It defeated the British army in New England.
What THREE factors led to America winning the Revolutionary War?
Geography: Americans knew the land & could get supplies easier.
Allies: America got help from France, Spain & the Netherlands.
They Stayed United: Americans from all three regions worked together.