Revolution Study Guide
What is the difference between Patriots and Loyalists? Patriots supported Independence
whereas Loyalists wanted to remain subjects of Great Britain.
Why did Parliament repeal the Townshend Acts? It wanted to reduce tension in the
colonies.
When was Common Sense written? What effect would it have on Thomas Jefferson?
Common Sense was published early in the year 1776. The ideas Thomas Paine expresses
in Common Sense would have considerable influence on Thomas Jefferson as he is
writing the Declaration of Independence.
What were the details of the Coercive Acts (Intolerable Acts)? Boston Harbor closed,
Massachusetts charter cancelled, Thomas Gage is appointed the governor of
Massachusetts, the Quartering Act is passed, British officials accused of crimes were sent
to England for trial, and the Quartering Act was passed.
When, where, and why did the First Continental Congress meet? The First Continental
Congress met in Philadelphia in response to the Intolerable Acts in October of 1774.
What were the details of the Treaty of Paris in 1783? Great Britain recognized America’s
independence, America’s borders were set, Americans were allowed to settle west of the
Appalachian Mountains but east of the Mississippi River, Spain received Florida from
England in a separate treaty.
What did the members of the Second Continental Congress discuss? What did they
decide? The Second Continental Congress met in May of 1775 to discuss whether they
should seek a peaceful or violent solution with the British. They ultimately decided to
create the Continental Army and they appointed George Washington as the leader.
Who were the Sons of Liberty? The Sons of Liberty were an organization including Paul
Revere and Samuel Adams who gained support for the Patriot cause.
In what town were the colonial weapons stored that the British wanted to seize on April
18, 1775? The weapons store house was located in Concord, Massachusetts.
Why did the British begin taxing the colonists? The British began taxing the colonists to
help pay for the debt they had accumulated during the French and Indian War.
Why were the minutemen told, “Don’t fire unless fired upon” prior to the Battle of
Lexington? The colonial militia wanted to defend against an attack, not start a war.
Why did Thomas Paine think that citizens should make laws? Paine felt that people had a
natural right to govern themselves.
What was the first direct tax put on the colonists? The first DIRECT tax was the Stamp
Act.
Because the one-year contracts many of Washington’s soldiers were fighting under were
about to expire it was important for Washington to win at what two battles in late 1776
and early 1777? The Battles of Trenton and Princeton.
In an attempt to get colonists to join forces at the First Continental Congress, who said, “I
am not a Virginian, but an American?” Patrick Henry
Colonists began to desire political equality because of the influence of what two events?
The Enlightenment and the Great Awakening had a significant influence on the colonists
seeking independence.
Why were Thomas Paine’s ideas expressed in Common Sense considered so radical?
Because most of the world was still ruled by monarchs so the ideas of a government that
was ruled by the people were considered very bold.
What were the reasons Jefferson gave for breaking away from Great Britain? Great
Britain, particularly King George III, did not protect the rights of the colonists.
Why was the message of the Declaration of Independence not consistent with the practice
of slavery? The Declaration of Independence did not grant the right of independence to
slave because the colonists in the southern colonies wanted the practice of slavery to
continue as it was beneficial to them financially.
More than 50,000 Loyalists fled the colonies, one of George Washington’s closest friends
fled to Britain because he was a loyalist, and debates arose over the conflict between the
ideals of liberty and the practice of slavery over the signing of what document? The
Declaration of Independence.
What problem did the Patriots have in the war at sea? The Patriots had too few ships to
fight large battles with the British so they relied heavily on raids and attacking British
ships that were by themselves.
Why did thousands of African-American slaves join the British Army following the
Dunmore Proclamation? Following the Dunmore Proclamation thousands of slaves fled
their plantation to join the British Army because they were promised their freedom in
exchange for fighting in the Revolution.
The Continental Army went on the offensive for the first time at what battle? The Battle
of Trenton.
After what battle did the Patriots gain France and Spain as an ally? The Battle of
Saratoga because they proved to foreign countries that they could defeat the British in a
major battle.
What was Spain’s motive for joining the Patriot cause? Spain wished to regain Florida
from the British.
What was a common technique the patriots used to protest British taxes? The Patriots
effectively used boycotts to protest British taxes and boycotts forced the British to repeal
some taxes.
Why did Marquis de Lafayette fight for the Americans in the revolution? He was also
influenced by the Enlightenment so he believed that all nations should govern themselves.
What hardships did the Continental Army face at Valley Forge? The Continental Army
endured extremely cold conditions and they lacked protection and supplies.
What did “no taxation without representation” mean? Colonists did not wish to support
the British government because they had no voice in the British parliament.
Who was nicknamed “the Swamp Fox”? Francis Marion was nicknamed the Swamp Fox
because he fought in the swamps of South Carolina carrying out guerilla warfare tactics.
How did American Indians feel about the Revolution? Indians were intensely divided
over the cause because they were not sure of how the outcome would affect their lives.
What advantages and disadvantages did each side have during the war? See the notes we
took in class on advantages and disadvantages.
Why was General Cornwallis forced to surrender at Yorktown? General Cornwallis
surrendered because Washington and the Continental Army had him surrounded on land
and the French Navy had the British surrounded at Sea.
Where did the most brutal fighting of the war take place? The most brutal fighting of the
war occurred in the south, particularly in South Carolina.