Section 7-1: The Revolution Begins

Name: Date: Section 7-1: The Revolution Begins Chapter 7 Study Guide 1. The First Continental Congress was a meeting of delegates from various colonies in September of 1774 to discuss the ongoing crisis with Britain. 2. The Minutemen were members of the Massachusetts militia that were considered ready to fight at a moment s notice. 3. General Thomas Gage was the British military governor of Massachusetts, and ordered the seizure of the militia s weapons, ammunition, and supplies at Concord. 4. The towns of Lexington and Concord saw the first fighting of the American Revolution. 5. The Shot heard round the world was the nickname given to the first shot of the American Revolution. 6. Americans (and others) referred to British soldiers as Redcoats because of their brightly colored uniforms. 7. At the Second Continental Congress, colonial delegates voted to send the Olive Branch Petition to King George III and created an army led by George Washington. 8. The Continental Congress created the Continental Army to defend the colonies against British aggression. 9. George Washington took command of this army at the request of the Continental Congress. 10. The Continental Congress chose to send the Olive Branch Petition to King George III and Parliament, reiterating their desire for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. 11. Siege is a military term that means to surround a city or fortress with the goal of forcing the inhabitants to surrender due to a lack of supplies. 12. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allan captured Fort Ticonderoga in New York, allowing George Washington to obtain much needed supplies and weapons. 14. (a) What was the purpose of the First Continental Congress? (b) What was its end result? (a) To decide how to respond to the unfair taxation policies and various violations of the colonists rights (b) Result was to continue boycotting British goods and to agree to meet again in a year s time; prepare the colonial militias for potential action

15. Describe the events surrounding Lexington and Concord. (a) Why did the British march there? (b) Who warned the colonists of the British approach and how? (c) How did the colonists respond and why? (d) What was the end result of this skirmish/battle? (a) British marched on Concord to seize the Massachusetts colonial militia s weapons and ammunition, and arrest Samuel Adams and John Hancock, rumored to be in Lexington (b) Paul Revere and William Dawes are the two most famous riders that rode out to warn the colonists of the British approach; also lit lanterns in Boston s Old North Church (one lantern if the British were coming by land, two lanterns if the British were coming by sea) (c) Colonial militia comprised of minutemen quickly gathered their gear and assembled at Lexington, where they met the approaching British troops; first shots of the Revolution fired here ( Shot heard round the world ); retreated to Concord where they faced the British again (d) Adams and Hancock escaped; Colonists managed to get to the supplies before the British, who retreated back to Boston, being chased and fired upon by the militiamen 16. (a) What was the purpose of the Second Continental Congress? (b) What decisions were made there? (c) What was its end result? (a) To consider further action against the British as America s demands were not being met (b) Decision was made to form the Continental Army with George Washington as its commanding general (c) Also decided to send the Olive Branch Petition to King George III, hoping that the conflict could be resolved peacefully 17. (a) What was the Olive Branch Petition? (b) Why was it named this? (c) Was it accepted or rejected by King George III? (a) Olive Branch Petition was a document detailing the colonists complaints and suggested that the situation could be peacefully resolved (b) Name comes from the olive branch, a symbol of peace dating back to ancient times (c) The petition was rejected by King George III 18. (a) Why was the capture of Fort Ticonderoga important? (b) What important supplies did the British have stored there and (c) how were they used later on? (a) Capture of Fort Ticonderoga important because it was an important strategic fort that could allow the Americans to invade Canada (b) Americans were also able to capture weapons and supplies, especially cannons that could be used in the siege of Boston by George Washington (c) Cannons were placed above Boston on Dorchester Heights, and British were forced to abandon Boston 19. What (a) advantages and (b) disadvantages did the colonists have at the Battle of Bunker Hill? (c) Who won this battle? (d) Which side suffered more casualties? (e) Finally, what did this battle show about the Americans ability to fight the British? (a) Advantages: Americans held the high ground on top of two hills: Breed s Hill and Bunker Hill (high ground easier to defend; Americans were passionate about fighting the British, had high morale (b) Disadvantages: Lack of military experience and leadership, low on weapons, ammunition, and supplies; outnumbered by the British (c) British technically won because they Americans forced to retreat due to low ammunition and supplies (d) British suffered more casualties, but were able to win the battle because of superior manpower (e) Even though the battle was a loss, it showed the Americans could fight the British and possibly win

Section 7-2: Declaring Independence 20. Common Sense was a widely published pamphlet that showed Americans why it made sense for the United States to declare its independence. 21. Englishman Thomas Paine was the author of the above pamphlet. 22. The Declaration of Independence is a document that enumerates (lists) basic natural rights, the colonies grievances (complaints) against King George III, and declared the United States to be an independent country from Great Britain. 23. Thomas Jefferson is considered the primary, but not the only, author of the above document. 24. In- or Un-alienable rights are rights that people are naturally born with and cannot be taken away. 25. Patriots are people who defend their country and believe strongly that people possess basic, natural rights such as life, liberty, and happiness. 26. Loyalists or Tories were those people who still gave allegiance to Great Britain, even after the start of the American Revolution. 27. Abigail Adams was the wife of Founding Father John Adams. 28. (a) What were the main points of the pamphlet Common Sense? (b) What audience was it intended for? (c) How was it written to accomplish this goal? (a) Points in Common Sense included: British were in violation of the colonists basic rights, Americans were culturally and politically different than the British, made little sense to be ruled by a King thousands of miles away who had never set foot in America (b) Intended to be read by the common American citizen; Common Sense convinced many Americans that the Revolution was necessary (c) Written in common language as opposed to flowery form of writing intended for upper class and wealthy 29. (a) Name the members of the committee charged with writing the Declaration of Independence. (b) What were the three main purposes of the Declaration? (c) When was the Declaration approved? (a) Primary authors included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams; Jefferson was to be the primary author (b) Three main points: 1) Human beings have basic, natural rights that, when violated, people have the right to overthrow a tyrant and replace him with a government that will respect their rights and rule justly, 2) Listed those rights that had been violated by King George III and Parliament, and 3) as a result of these violations, the colonies had no choice but to declare their independence (c) Declaration approved on July 2, announced on July 4, 1776 by the Continental Congress 30. (a) What are unalienable rights (give examples with your explanation)? (b) What philosophical movement inspired the idea of such rights? (a) Unalienable rights are those rights that you are born with and cannot be taken away ( alienated ) (b) Inspired by the thinkers of the Enlightenment period in Europe and America, who were influenced by the Scientific Revolution and the thinkers of ancient Greece and Rome

31. What are some of the grievances (complaints) against King George III listed in the Declaration of Independence? (a) Taxation without representation; the suspension of trial by jury in various cases; various acts of Parliament including the Intolerable Acts; the occupation of the colonies by British troops and forcing the colonists to quarter them in their homes; violation of their trading rights 32. (a) What two primary groups of people were largely ignored by the Declaration of Independence? (b) How did the Declaration cause people to question the institution of slavery? (a) Two groups ignored by the Declaration of Independence were women and slaves (b) All men are created equal was seen to mean free, white men; Authors of the Declaration wanted to avoid the issue of slavery to avoid causing division within the colonies and the Continental Congress; The Declaration s emphasis on liberty, freedom, and rights did cause some to seriously question the institution of slavery as incompatible with the values upon which the country was achieving its independence Section 7-3: Dark Hours for the Revolution 33. Mercenaries are professional soldiers who fight for pay rather than for any particular country. 34. The royal governor of Virginia issued Lord Dunmore s Proclamation, which offered freedom to any slave that fought on Great Britain s behalf in the American Revolution. 35. Thayendanegea was a Native American chief that supported and fought with the British in the American Revolution. 36. Now considered a mythical rather than actual person, Molly Pitcher supposedly brought water to thirsty soldiers on the battlefield and took over her husband s role as an artilleryman in the American Revolution after he was wounded. 37. Thomas Howe was a British general that defeated George Washington in several battles in and around New York City. 38. Describe the (a) strengths and (b) weaknesses of the British Army in America. Then describe the (c) strengths and (d) weaknesses of the Continental (American) Army. (a) British strengths: more manpower, weapons, supplies; were a professional army with veteran soldiers that had combat experience; superior leadership; British also had the world s largest, most powerful navy (b) British weaknesses: fighting in hostile, unfamiliar territory with troops that had no reason to fight other than being ordered to; used to standard, line infantry warfare, unlike the guerilla warfare many would face in America; long supply lines across the Atlantic Ocean (c) American strengths: fighting on home ground; fighting for their homes and country gave them an advantage in morale; familiar with the territory and could use the geography/terrain to their advantage (d) American weaknesses: poorly trained and equipped; no real military experience; lack of supplies such as weapons, ammunition, and proper uniforms/clothing; lack of money; lack of leadership

39. (a) What was the American attitude towards African-Americans serving in the Continental Army? (b) What approach did the British take towards African-Americans? (a) Most Americans opposed having African-Americans serve in the army, especially those in the South where they feared arming Africans or slaves because it might lead to slave rebellion/uprising; the idea of Africans being soldiers contradicted the main reasons why slaves were slaves, i.e. they are incapable of carrying out the duties of a soldier (b) British would offer freedom to any African-American that served in the British army during the Revolution; saw it as a way of hurting the American south economically 40. Describe the role of (a) Native Americans and (b) women in the Revolutionary war. (a) Native Americans were allies to both British and Americans during the war; British hoped to use them in order to keep Americans occupied on frontier; Americans hoped to keep them neutral at the very least; natives would be used as militia as well as scouts, spies, etc. (b) Women at home ran households and businesses, tended to farms, plantations, etc.; Produced important supplies for soldiers such as uniforms; Also served as nurses, spies, had duties on battlefield such as runners. Showed how war can often change the roles of various segments of society. 41. What were some major setbacks for the Americans in the early part of the war? Discuss the (a) American invasion of Canada and (b) the events in Philadelphia and New York. (c) What was the overall state of affairs during the early years of the Revolution? (a) American invasion of Canada was a major disaster; Americans lacked cold weather clothing; many Americans periods of enlistment were almost up so had to attack quickly; lacked cannons and artillery to take a major fortified city such as Quebec (b) British conquered New York City and Philadelphia, two of America s largest cities (c) Americans lost many early battles; number of men in Army fluctuated badly; high rates of desertion; low morale; lack of supplies and proper leadership Section 7-4: Patriots Gain New Hope 42. George Washington won a small but important victory over British and Prussian forces at the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776. 43. Soon after the above victory, Washington won another battle against British forces at the Battle of Princeton in New Jersey. 44. At the Battle of Brandywine Creek, Washington lost almost twice as many men as the British and was nearly captured. 45. The Americans won their first major victory of the Revolution at the Battle of Saratoga, where over 7,000 British soldiers surrendered, and showed America s allies they were capable of inflicting defeats upon the British. 46. General John Burgoyne was the commanding British general at the above battle. 47. Bernardo de Galvez was the Spanish governor of Louisiana, who gave access to the port of New Orleans and the Mississippi River to the United States. 48. Tadeusz Kosiuszko was a Polish military officer who brought his engineering skills to the Continental Army.

49. The Marquis de Lafayette was a French nobleman who fought on behalf of the United States, donated large amounts of money to the American cause, and became one of George Washington s most trusted advisors. 50. Washington chose to rest his army at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania during the winter of 1777-1778. 51. Baron Friedrich von Steuben was a Prussian (German) military officer who helped train the Continental Army and turn it into a professional fighting force. 52. John Paul Jones was a famous American naval captain who won a series of impressive victories over British vessels during the American Revolution. 53. The above captain commanded a vessel known as the Bonhomme Richard, which defeated the British ship HMS Serapis in 1779. 54. Describe the American victories at the Battles of (a) Trenton and (b) Princeton. What strategies did Washington use to win these battles? (c) Who else, besides the British, were the Americans fighting in these battles? (a) Washington defeated Hessian troops at Trenton by launching a surprise attack on Christmas Night, 1776; crossed the Delaware River under cover of darkness and took Hessians by surprise. (b) At Princeton, lit campfires to fool the British into thinking the Continental Army was camped for the night; Then led the army under the cover of darkness around behind the British, catching them by surprise (c) Hessian, or German, mercenary soldiers 55. (a) Describe the Battle of Saratoga. (b) What was the outcome of this battle? (c) Why was it important in terms of gaining allies and support for the American cause? (a) British tried to have three armies converge on Americans in New York; due to poor communication and unforeseen circumstances, British ended up being surrounded and lost their first major battle to Americans (b) Battle of Saratoga significant because it was the first major victory for the Americans in a large battle; able to capture 7000 British soldiers, and numerous weapons, supplies, etc. (c) After victory at Saratoga, secured French support for Revolution and French recognized American independence; led to treaty in which France would support America with much needed military support, including the involvement of the French navy; Spain also recognized American independence and would assist America with military support 56. (a) How did Friedrich von Steuben help the Continental Army at Valley Forge? (b) What is his legacy or contribution to the US military today? (a) Von Steuben, a Prussian military officer, came to Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-78 and taught the American army how to drill properly, specifically how to fight together as a well-trained unit ; Instilled discipline in the Americans, boosting their fighting ability and morale (b) Considered the father of military drill in the American military 57. (a) What was the state of the American Navy at the beginning of the war? (b) What was the American naval strategy? (c) Was this strategy effective, and if so, explain how? (a) America had no navy at the beginning of the war; Mostly armed merchant ships and relied on vessels donated by countries like France and Spain (b) Naval strategy was to only fight British ships one-on-one but avoid large scale naval battles; also used what few vessels the navy had to attack British merchant ships in the Atlantic to disrupt British trade and supply routes

(c) Strategy was effective, mainly in boosting America s morale and showing the British they were not invulnerable to American attacks at sea Section 7-5: Independence 58. George Rogers Clark was an American leader in the West and frontier who had success against the British. 59. Horatio Gates was an American general who was defeated at the Battle of Camden in South Carolina, the worst American defeat of the entire Revolution. 60. Guerilla Warfare is a type of warfare characterized by ambushes, hit-and-run tactics, using terrain and geography to one s advantage, etc. 61. Francis Marion was an American leader in the South and was popularly known by his nickname, The Swamp Fox. 62. Henry Clinton was a British general who commanded the British Army in the South. 63. Charles Cornwallis was the commander of British troops at Yorktown, where he surrendered to George Washington. 64. The Comte de Rochambeau was the commanding general of French forces fighting against the British in the American Revolution. 65. The Battle of Yorktown was the final battle of the American Revolution in which the British were defeated by combined American and French forces on land and at sea. 66. The American Revolution came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. 67. (a) Were the Americans successful in large battles against the British in the South? (b) What fighting tactic was effective against the British, and (c) which American leader was an expert in this type of warfare? (a) Americans were unsuccessful fighting the British in the southern states; lost most of the major battles there (b) Guerilla style warfare was the most effective tactic against the British hit and run tactics, ambushes, assassinations, sabotage, etc.; attacking the British supply lines and trying to wear down the British morale with guerilla warfare, a style of warfare the British were unfamiliar with (c) South Carolina s Francis Marion, aka The Swamp Fox was an expert in this type of warfare 68. Describe how the Americans were able to decisively defeat the British at Yorktown. (a) Americans were able to trap British General Charles Cornwallis on a peninsula near Yorktown, Virginia and Chesapeake Bay; American and French troops outnumbered the British and cut off any escape route by land; the French navy was able to cut off any escape by sea; With no other options, Cornwallis was forced to surrender along with thousands of British soldiers; this defeat convinced the British that America s independence was inevitable, i.e. bound to happen eventually, and began negotiations for peace 69. What were the main terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

(a) America recognized as a fully independent country (b) American territory would extend from the Atlantic to the Mississippi, and north to the Great Lakes region and Canada (c) Britain would remove all troops from the American frontier and agree to stop supporting native Americans in the region