Road to Revolution
What was the main cause of the French and Indian War?
Competition between Britain and France for control of the Ohio River Valley.
What event’s first shots were called “the shot heard ’round the world”?
The Battles of Lexington and Concord.
Why is the Battle of Saratoga considered the turning point of the war?
It convinced France and Spain to ally with the colonies.
Who wrote the Declaration of Independence and in what year?
Thomas Jefferson, 1776.
What treaty officially ended the American Revolution?
The Treaty of Paris (1783).
What did the Proclamation of 1763 do?
It banned colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to avoid conflict with Native Americans.
What was the outcome of the Battle of Bunker Hill?
The British won, but suffered heavy losses, boosting colonial confidence.
What best explains the American victories at Trenton and Princeton?
Washington’s surprise attacks boosted morale and caught the British off guard.
What was George Washington’s primary role during the Revolution?
Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.
What were two major outcomes of the Treaty of Paris?
U.S. independence recognized and borders extended to the Mississippi River.
Why did colonists oppose the Stamp Act and other British taxes?
They claimed “no taxation without representation.”
How did the Second Continental Congress respond to Lexington and Concord?
They formed the Continental Army and named George Washington as commander.
What were the effects of Valley Forge on Washington’s army?
Soldiers became better trained and more disciplined thanks to von Steuben.
Who was known as the “Swamp Fox” for his hit-and-run tactics in the South?
Francis Marion.
Why did the British move their strategy to the South?
They hoped to gain Loyalist support there.
What was the immediate British response to the Boston Tea Party?
They passed the Coercive (Intolerable) Acts.
What document inspired colonists to support independence from Britain?
Thomas Paine’s Common Sense.
What was the British Southern Strategy?
Free Loyalists trapped in Southern States
Who trained troops at Valley Forge?
Friedrich von Steuben.
How did Native Americans respond during the Revolution?
Most sided with the British to protect their lands from American settlers.
What was the purpose of the Albany Plan?
To unite the colonies for defense during the French and Indian War.
What was the main purpose of the final section of the Declaration of Independence?
To formally declare the colonies free and independent from Britain.
What was the final major battle of the war, leading to British surrender?
The Battle of Yorktown.
How were the ideals of the Declaration incompatible with slavery?
It declared all men are created equal, yet slavery denied that equality.
What made it difficult for the Continental Congress to form a national army?
Lack of money, supplies, and a central government.