Unit 3, Lesson 8: The Declaration of Independence

Patrick Henry gave a famous speech that ended with the words “give me liberty, or give me death!” With which group did he identify himself?

• Patriots

• Loyalists

• British citizens

• members of Parliament

The Continental army was composed of

• troops from all the colonies.

• troops from throughout Great Britain.

• only troops from the New England colonies.

• only troops from Virginia and Massachusetts.

Which of these describes the mood of most colonies immediately following the events at Lexington and Concord?

• They were reluctant to start a war.

• They were eager to declare war against the British.

• They sided with the Loyalists against the Patriots.

• They wanted to move to Great Britain.

Which of these best describes the outcome of the Battle of Bunker Hill?

• The British won decisively.

• The militia won by a narrow margin.

• The militia surrendered to the British.

• The British won, but suffered many losses.

Why was George Washington chosen to be a military leader?

• He had experience.

• He wanted the role.

• He was very wealthy.

• He was highly educated.

What effect did Common Sense have in the colonies?

• It instilled fear of war in the colonists.

• It convinced the colonies to remain loyal to Great Britain.

• It persuaded many colonists that America should be independent.

• It petitioned the king to end the quarrel between the colonies and Great Britain.

What was the purpose of the Olive Branch Petition?

• to persuade British troops to leave Boston

• to encourage colonists to join the army

• to convince Parliament to repeal the Stamp Act

• to ask King George to make peace with the colonies.

Why was the Declaration of Independence written?

• to start the American Revolution

• to offer a peace settlement to Great Britain

• to instruct how a country wins its freedom

• to explain why the colonies were separating from Great Britain

How do natural rights, as described in the Declaration of Independence, differ from other rights?

• People are born with natural rights.

• People can vote to choose natural rights

• Natural rights are given only to citizens.

• Natural rights come from the government.

In a draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson charged the king with violating the “sacred rights of life and liberty . . . of a distant people [by] carrying them into slavery.” This passage was removed for all of these reasons EXCEPT

• it might lead to demands to free enslaved Africans.

• it was an unimportant issue in the colonies.

• it was unfair to blame the king for enslaving Africans.

• it might offend merchants who profited from the slave trade.