American Revolution: Causes and Issues

American Revolution: Causes and Issues

8.4A, 8.4C

Multiple Choice

How does the economic policy of mercantilism relate to the American Revolution?

• Colonists believed they should not be taxed without representation in Parliament.

• The British forced the colonists to pay for the costs associated with the French and Indian War.

• Colonist felt that it was unfair of Parliament to force them to house British soldiers.

• Colonists were angry about sending raw materials to Britain and having to buy finished products back from British merchants.

Multiple Choice

How did the outcome of the French and Indian War help lead to the later American Revolution?

• The British Parliament demanded an end to the triangular trade routes used by the American colonists.

• The British monarchy halted all colonial settlements west of the Mississippi River.

• The British government required colonists to pay a portion of the debt from the war.

• The colonists were required to surrender all lands west of the Appalachian Mountains to France.

Multiple Choice

How did the Proclamation of 1763 contribute to the outbreak of the American Revolution?

• It forced the colonists to relocate to west of the Appalachian Mountains.

• Colonist felt they had been cheated and saw it as an unjustified intrusion into their affairs.

• It forced colonists to accept British and Hessian troops into their homes.

• It imposed a series of new taxes on colonial merchants.

Multiple Choice

"My position is this, taxation and representation are inseparable..."

British Prime Minster George Greenville

Colonists cried, "No taxation without representation" in British Parliament.

How might Greenville have attempted to resolve or correct the problem of taxing the colonists, based on the views in the excerpt?

• Impose new taxes on the colonists without their consent

• Arrange for some form of colonial representation in Parliament

• Impose higher taxes in Britain to meet colonial expenses

• Reduce the number of unpopular taxes on the colonists

Multiple Choice

Time Line

1776 - Americans officially declare independence from Britain so other nations will ally with them against the British.

1777 - The Articles of Confederation written to establish the functions of the national government of the United States after it declared independence from Great Britain.

Which of the following best summarizes issues surrounding the Revolution era?

• Americans decided to officially declare independence, so that other nations might help them fight the British, and that decision created the need for writing the Articles of Confederation.

• After fighting at Lexington and Concord, Americans were soon able to sign a treaty ending the Revolution and wrote the Articles of Confederation to help define the role of George Washington as the New President.

Multiple Choice

We hold theses truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed [given] by their Creator with with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That secure these rights, Government are instituted among Men, deriving [obtaining] their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter, abolish it, and to institute an new Government...

Which of the following best issues surrounding Americans declaring independence from Britain?

• The colonists had representation in Parliament and felt that it was unfair of the government to impose taxes.

• Many believed that, because they had worked to colonize and settle the Atlantic coast, they were within their right to declare independence.

• Many people believed their rights were violated an that changing the type of government was the only way to protect their future.

• The colonists intended to establish a constitutional monarchy in order to ensure that all men were treated equally.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best summarizes the main issues surrounding fighting the battles of Lexington and Concord?

• The British were moving their army to Lexington/Concord to seize colonial militia weapons and arrest colonial Patriot leaders.

• Because of a lack of supplies, General George Washington's troops endured much hardship at the battle of Lexington and Concord.

• The fighting at the battle of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolution.

• Because of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Great Britain recognized the United States as an independent country.

Multiple Choice

Dear Brother,

We winter on with General Washington in the frigid cold of Pennsylvania. Supplies are scarce and we are often hungry. Frequently we are clothed only in rags that offer little protection from the bitter wind. We welcome what little warmth we can get as we huddle in log huts with the snow blowing through the cracks. We take comfort in Paine's words. We also take heart that, in the end, we know we will win.

Based on the letter, which of the following summarizes the effect of geographic factors of the morale of the Continental Army at Valley Forge?

• A number of soldiers decided to return home as a result of the poor conditions at valley Forge.

• Many soldiers became seriously ill and perished from the extreme cold.

• The extreme cold, disease, poor uniforms and housing did not discourage soldiers.

• Many soldiers were angry that the British were properly fed, clothed, and sheltered.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following best explains issues surrounding the Battle of Saratoga?

• The British, whose plan was to win the war by dividing the colonies in two, were overtaken by the Patriots. The victory convinced the French to provide the foreign aid and support needed to win the war.

• The victory at Saratoga convinced the Anti-Federalists that a strong national government was necessary to win the American Revolution. As a result, the Constitution of the United States was quickly ratified.

• The Patriots were able to retrieve valuable ammunition lost during the battles of Lexington and Concord. Furthermore, many of the leaders captured were released.

• Soldiers faced harsh weather at Saratoga. While many endured, a number of Patriots died or simply abandoned the cause due to lack of food and supplies.