People
Who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army?
George Washington
What happened on July 4, 1776?
The Declaration of Independence was signed
What is the first battle of the American Revolution?
Battles of Lexington and Concord
(April 19, 1775)
Name one advantage each side had in the American Revolution.
Possible answers:
American - knew the land, guerrilla warfare, fighting on home turf, French allies, good generals
British - large trained army, largest navy in the world, money
Which document was the Americans' final attempt to make peace with England?
The Olive Branch Petition
Who is the most infamous American traitor?
Benedict Arnold
What year did the American Revolution end?
1783
What was the last major battle of the American Revolution?
Yorktown
Why did the Americans win?
They were fighting for their freedom and a cause they believed in.
What did the Declaration of Independence do? (2 things)
1. The colonies officially declared themselves independent of Great Britain and to be their own nation
2. They gave their reasons for why they were breaking away
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson
(assisted by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin)
What year did the American Revolution start?
1775
Why did Howe want to take Philadelphia?
It was the colonial capital, so he thought taking it would end the war like taking a capital did in Europe.
Name two disadvantages each side had in the American Revolution?
Possible answers:
Americans - Not enough money to pay soldiers for for food/weapons/clothes etc., relied on militias, no navy
British - Fighting for pay not for cause, rivalry among the generals, fighting far from home, need long supply trains
What did the Treaty of Paris do? (name 2 things)
1. Officially ended the war between England and the colonies
2. England acknowledged the United States to be its own nation
3. England gave the US all the land east of the Mississippi River
4. Said the US would treat the American loyalists fairly
How did Baron von Steuben help the Continental Army?
He trained them during the winter of Valley Forge
What happened on October 19, 1781?
Surrender at Yorktown
Why is the Battle of Saratoga considered the turning point of the war? (give 2 reasons)
1. Biggest British surrender to Americans to date
2. The French agreed to become allies with the Americans
3. The British failed to take the Hudson River and so cut off the New England colonies
What does "no taxation without representation" mean?
It means that the colonies thought they could not be taxed by Parliament because they did not elect anyone to represent them, so they didn't have a say like they should have as Englishmen
How did "Common Sense" argue that the colonists should fight for independence rather than be reconciled with England? (name 2 things we read about)
1. The time for debate has ended--fighting has already started
2. England is not the "mother" country--she looks out for her own interests not those of the colonies
3. England doesn't protect the colonies, she involves them in her wars.
What two contributions did Thomas Paine make?
He wrote "Common Sense" which helped convince people to support independence and "American Crisis" which helped keep the cause alive in the winter of 1776-77.
When was the Treaty of Paris signed?
September 3, 1783
Why did the British move the war South? (3 reasons)
1. They thought there were more loyalists there who would support the Redcoats
2. They wanted to divide the colonies in two to conquer them more easily
3. They wanted the resources from the more valuable southern colonies
What caused the American revolution?
Parliament was taxing the colonists without representation. Parliament didn't listen to their complaints but punished the "rebels" so colonists responded by arming themselves.
What are the principles of government expressed in the Declaration? (5 elements)
1. People are naturally FREE and EQUAL
2. People have natural rights
3. The duty of government is to PROTECT these rights
4. Government gets its power from the people
5. The people can alter/abolish a government if it abuses its power and doesn't fulfill its purpose