Revolutionary Ideas
A colonist says:
“People are born with certain rights that the government should protect.”
Which idea from the Declaration of Independence does this statement support?
Natural Rights
A Continental Army general needs someone to serve as commander-in-chief.
Which person would be the logical choice based on the study guide?
George Washington
The Continental Army has fewer resources than the British but knows the land extremely well.
What could the Continental Army use to its advantage?
Geography
The Continental Army defeated the British at Saratoga.
What important event happened afterward?
France decided to support the colonists.
A student is researching who wrote the Declaration of Independence.
Which person should the student investigate?
Thomas Jefferson
A government prevents a person from freely making choices about his or her own life.
Which natural right is most directly affected?
A. Life
B. Liberty
C. Pursuit of happiness
D. Representation
Liberty
A colonist wants to persuade other colonists that they should support independence.
Which person's work would be most useful as evidence for this goal?
A. Benedict Arnold
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. King George III
D. Paul Revere
B. Thomas Jefferson
British soldiers enter an area they do not know well. Continental soldiers know every road, woods, and stone fence.
Which army has the geographic advantage?
Continental Army
A student creates this timeline:
Lexington and Concord → Saratoga → Yorktown
The student says:
“These battles were all important for exactly the same reason.”
Is the student's conclusion accurate? Explain.
No. The battles had different significance. Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the war, Saratoga was a turning point that helped bring French support, and Yorktown was the last major battle.
Why would a group of colonists need a document explaining why they wanted to separate from Great Britain?
They needed to explain why independence was necessary and give reasons for breaking away.
A student writes:
“The Declaration of Independence says that people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Why would these ideas be important to colonists who wanted independence?
They supported the idea that people have rights that a government should not take away. The colonists could use these ideas to explain why they believed British rule was unfair.
Why would Paul Revere's actions be important during the beginning of the Revolutionary War?
A. He wrote the Declaration of Independence.
B. He helped warn colonists that British troops were coming.
C. He commanded the Continental Army.
D. He switched sides during the war.
B. He helped warn colonists that British troops were coming.
At Lexington and Concord, Continental soldiers hid in the woods and behind stone fences.
Why was this a smart strategy?
They could use their knowledge of the land to hide from the British and attack from advantageous positions.
Why is Saratoga called a turning point rather than simply another battle?
The Continental Army's victory led France to support the colonists, changing the situation in the war.
The Declaration of Independence included ideas about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
What do these ideas have in common?
They are natural rights that people are believed to have
Imagine you are a colonist who believes the British government has abused its power.
Which argument would BEST support your decision to seek independence?
A. Britain had the largest navy.
B. Colonists believed people had natural rights that should be protected.
C. The Continental Army knew the land.
D. France wanted to help the colonies.
B. Colonists believed people had natural rights that should be protected.
A museum is creating an exhibit called “People Who Influenced the Revolution.”
Which TWO people would best fit the exhibit, and what did each contribute?
Any of these responses count!
The British have more money, weapons, cannons, and a powerful navy.
The Continental Army has fewer resources but knows the geography.
What does this comparison show about military advantages?
Having more resources does not guarantee victory. The Continental Army could use knowledge of the land as a strategic advantage.
Which cause-and-effect relationship is BEST supported by the study guide?
A. British military strength → Continental Army gains more resources
B. Continental victory at Saratoga → France supports the colonists
C. Yorktown → first battle of the war
D. Lexington and Concord → British gain control of France
B. Continental victory at Saratoga → France supports the colonists
A student reads this statement:
“A government should not have unlimited power to control people.”
How does this idea connect to the Declaration of Independence?
The Declaration responded to tyranny and abuse of power and argued that people have rights that should be protected.
A historian claims:
“The Declaration of Independence was more than a letter announcing that the colonies were leaving Great Britain.”
Which evidence from the study guide BEST supports this claim?
The Declaration explained ideas about natural rights and argued that independence was necessary because of tyranny and abuse of power. This connected the decision for independence to beliefs about how government should treat people.
A student says:
“Benedict Arnold was not important because he helped the British.”
Why is this reasoning incomplete?
Benedict Arnold was important because his actions influenced the Revolutionary War. He had been a Continental Army officer before switching sides and joining the British Army. His betrayal made him a significant figure in the conflict.
Imagine you are the commander of the Continental Army at Lexington and Concord.
You know:
What strategy would you choose and why?
I would use the woods and stone fences for cover, allowing soldiers to hide and attack from positions the British may not expect. This uses the Continental Army's knowledge of local geography to offset some of Britain's military advantages.
A historian creates this diagram:
Lexington and Concord → Saratoga → __________
What should the historian place after Saratoga based on the study guide?
A. France supports the colonists
B. British win the war
C. Continental Army loses its geographic advantage
D. The Declaration is written
A. France supports the colonists
A historian is trying to answer this question:
Why was the Declaration of Independence necessary?
Which response is the strongest?
A. The colonies needed a new battle strategy.
B. The colonies needed to explain their reasons for breaking away from Great Britain and respond to what they viewed as tyranny and abuse of power.
C. The colonies needed to convince France to fight Britain at Lexington and Concord.
D. The colonies needed to create the Continental Army.
B. The colonies needed to explain their reasons for breaking away from Great Britain and respond to what they viewed as tyranny and abuse of power.