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 after 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 Ba􏰃le 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 Thomas Paine's Common Sense have on 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.

Why did the Second Continental Congress send 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 considered an unimportant issue in the colonies.
• it was unfair to blame the king for enslaving Africans.
• it might offend merchants who traded enslaved people.