American Revolution Review
1. What step did the Continental Congress take to try to maintain peace with Great Britain?
Sent the Olive Branch petition to King George III
2. Who wrote the pamphlet Common Sense? Thomas Paine
3. What is the main idea of Common Sense? The main idea of Common Sense is to persuade
ordinary people to declare independence.
4. The man that wrote Common Sense was a radical. Define radical. A radical is someone
that wants to make a drastic change in society.
5. What delegate from Virginia proposed independence? Richard Henry Lee (“these
United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States”)
6. Which Continental Congress declared independence? Second Continental Congress
7. Who actually wrote the Declaration of Independence? Thomas Jefferson
8. Thomas Jefferson borrowed ideas about government from whom? John Locke
9. Some of these Enlightenment ideas were about natural rights.
10. What did Thomas Jefferson think should happen to a government if it disregards
the rights of the people? The people have the right to abolish it.
11. Define grievance - Complaint
12. What are unalienable rights? Unalienable Rights are rights that are so basic, that
they cannot be taken away from you. They are rights that you are born with.
13. List the 3 unalienable rights. Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
14. What is the significance of July 4, 1776? The Declaration of Independence was
adopted. Colonists declared their independence from Great Britain. (This is why we
celebrate July 4th.)
15. According to Jefferson, what is the purpose of Government? The purpose of
government is to protect people’s basic rights.
16. Who does government get their powers from? From the consent of the governed,
the people
17. What country did the colonies want their independence from? Great Britain
18. The signers of the Declaration would be seen as traitors if the colonies lost the war.
Define traitor – someone that betrays his or her country
21. Abigail Adams was the first women’s rights activist.
22. Abigail Adams urged her husband, John Adams, to do what, when he was helping the Second
Continental Congress form a new code of laws? She urged him to “Remember the Ladies”.
23. Main parts of the Declaration:
Preamble (Introduction)
Purpose of Government is to Protect Basic Rights (unalienable rights)
British Wrongs (Grievances against King George III)
Formal Statement of Independence (“these United Colonies are, and of right ought to
be, free and independent States”)
The signers of the Declaration
24. Declaration of independence – written by Thomas Jefferson to state the grievances
against King George III and Parliament. Explains the reasons for separation and cites the
ideas of unalienable rights of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness as rights that
cannot be taken away.
25. Why did the colonist declare independence from Great Britain? List some grievances
(Formal complaints or reasons) *Taxing without representation
26. Explain what “no taxation without representation” meant? It was a colonial protest slogan
against British King and Parliament for passing laws without the consent of the colonist.
27. What was the Proclamation of 1763 and why was it issued? It was a Proclamation issued by
King George III that stated the colonist could not settle past the Appalachian Mountains.
It was issued to stop the fighting between the Natives (Indians) and Colonist.
Explain each of the following British Acts
28. Sugar Act of 1764 –tax on Molasses
29. Quartering Act 1765 – required Boston colonist to house and provide basic needs of soldiers.
30. Stamp Act 1765 – tax on legal documents, newspapers, playing cards and even dice.
31. Townshend Acts 1767 – taxed goods such a glass, paper, paint, lead, and tea.
32. Tea Act 1773 – taxed tea and then bypassed tea merchants and sold directly to the colonist.
33. Sons of Liberty – secret society who organized and protested against British
(boycotts, riots, articles) formed to keep colonies informed of events and organize
protests Samuel Adams, Patrick Henry…
34. Boston Tea Party – colonial protest of Tea Act (sons of liberty throw chests of tea
overboard in Boston Harbor) EXAMPLE of Civil Disobedience
35. Boston Massacre – colonial protest against British soldiers in Boston
36. Lexington and Concord – “shot heard round the world” 1st battles of the American Revolution
37. Battle of Saratoga – Turning point of the war. Patriots won. Convinced France to become an
American ally.
38. Battle of Yorktown – Last battle of the revolution. General Cornwallis surrendered to
George Washington
39. Boycott – to refuse to buy… #1 form of colonial protest.
40. Continental Army – colonial army led by George Washington
41. Valley Forge –winter encampment for American troops, thousands died from exposure,
disease and starvation.
42. Loyalist – A colonist that remained loyal to the King (Great Britain)
43. Patriot – Colonists that were against British policies and wanted independence
44. Militia – civilian army
45. Propaganda –– information used to persuade opinions for a cause. (Example: Boston
Massacre…Paul Revere’s picture)
46. Parliament – British law making body
47. First Continental Congress - meeting of colonial delegates to discuss taxes…called on
formation of colonial militias…wrote the Olive Branch Petition…called for a boycott of British
goods.
48. Second Continental Congress – wrote Declaration of Independence
49. Patrick Henry – member of the sons of liberty. Patriot who said “Give me Liberty or
Give Me Death”
50. Samuel Adams - founder of the sons of liberty who organized committees of
correspondence. Led the Boston Tea Party. Signer of the Declaration of Independence.
51. John Paul Jones - naval hero who said, “I have not yet begun to fight”
52. Benedict Arnold - America’s first Traitor
53. Marquis de Lafayette – Frenchman and loyal aide to George Washington. Was in charge of
forcing the British army to surrender at Yorktown using their naval fleet.
54. General Charles Cornwallis – British General that surrendered at Yorktown
55. Benjamin Franklin – signer of the Declaration of Independence and Enlightenment Thinker
56. George III – King of England (Great Britain) during the American Revolution
57. Haym Solomon – Polish Jew and businessman who made loans to the continental congress to
support the American Revolution.
58. Thomas Paine – author of Common Sense
59. Paul Revere – Patriot who is famous for his Midnight ride at Lexington and Concord
60. George Washington – commander in chief of continental army.
61. John Adams – patriot and signer of the Declaration of Independence
62. Thomas Jefferson – wrote the Declaration of Independence
63 Bernardo de Galvez - sent gunpowder, rifles, bullets, blankets, medicine and other supplies
to the armies of General George Washington. Helped drive the British out of the Gulf of
Mexico.
64. Wentworth Cheswell – rode in Midnight Ride with Paul Revere. Revolutionary war veteran who
was the first African American elected to office.
65. Mercy Otis Warren - Revolutionary play write who wrote plays that made fun of British
officials. She also helped Samuel Adams found the Committees of Correspondence.
66. James Armistead – Born into slavery he gathered information for the Patriot cause at
the Battle of Yorktown. He spied on British activities and Gen. Cornwallis.
67. Advantages of American troops: George Washington chosen as commander, were
fighting for independence, (stronger motivation), fighting with their own weapons.
Knew the land…fighting for their homes.
Disadvantages of American troops: Lack of supplies and training, no navy, men were
not willing to enlist for long periods of time in Continental Army.
68. Treaty of Paris 1783 – ended the Revolutionary War. United States is recognized as an
Independent nation from Great Britain.
69. Civic Virtue – putting personal lives aside for the good of community…ex: signing the
Declaration of Independence (pledging lives, fortunes, and sacred honor) and serving on
Continental Congress without pay. Ex: George Washington
70. Crispus Attucks – 1st African American killed in the name of freedom…sailor who was
killed at the Boston Massacre.
71. Writ of assistance – legal document that allowed British customs officials to inspect a
ship’s cargo without giving a reason. SEARCH WARRANT
72. Salutary neglect – pre-1763 British policy overlooked colonial violations of Britain's trade laws
and allowed the colonies to govern themselves
73. Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts) 1774 - Harsh taxes to punish Boston colonist for the Boston
Tea party and shut down the port of Boston to trade. Forbade colonists to hold town meetings
without governor’s permission.
1607 - Jamestown Founded - 1st successful British colony
1620 - Mayflower Compact was signed by Pilgrims (first self gov’t in the new world
1776 - Declaration of Independence was signed
1787 - Constitution Written at the Constitutional Convention
1803 – Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the U.S.
1861-1865 – war fought over slavery and states’ rights between the North and the South – Civil War