Spy of the American Revolution (Scholastic Article)

What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article?

• To describe the military strategies used in the American Revolution

• To inform readers about an overlooked historical figure’s contributions

• To persuade readers to visit Colonial Williamsburg

• To compare British and American views on espionage

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How does the author develop the idea that James was a brave and strategic individual?

• By explaining the weapons James carried during his missions

• By including a quote from George Washington about James

• By narrating James’s repeated risks and clever use of deception

• By listing all of the battles James fought in

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Which inference is best supported by the passage?

• James believed the British would offer him full freedom immediately.

• James’s ability to speak French allowed him to convince Lafayette to trust him.

• The British were more interested in James’s loyalty than verifying his background.

• Lafayette doubted James’s loyalty until Washington intervened.

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What is the effect of including the quote from Cornwallis at the end of the “Siege of Yorktown” section?

• It shows that Cornwallis forgave James for his betrayal.

• It adds humor and reinforces the theme of James’s cleverness.

• It clarifies that Cornwallis still didn’t understand how he lost.

• It proves that Cornwallis had known James was a spy all along.

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Which sentence from the article best supports the idea that James had to earn his freedom even after the war ended?

• “James, who carried no weapon, must have felt a moment of terror.”

• “James had served as a spy, however—not a soldier. The law did not apply to him.”

• “His goals were to gain his freedom and to remain with his family in Virginia.”

• “He moved back and forth between British and American camps...”

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Why is the section “The Double Agent” crucial to understanding James’s impact on the war?

• It shows how James created a spy network to trap Cornwallis.

• It reveals that James worked for the French and the Americans.

• It highlights how James’s intelligence led directly to the victory at Yorktown.

• It explains why Lafayette gave James a medal for bravery.

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What central idea is developed across both “Joining the Fight” and “Another Fight for Freedom”?

• James’s intelligence was more useful than his physical strength.

• James’s contributions to the war were more important than Lafayette’s.

• James faced injustice both during and after the American Revolution.

• James should have remained loyal to the British for offering escape from slavery.

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What tone does the author create in the opening section (“Like all great spy stories…”)?

• Formal and detached

• Mysterious and suspenseful

• Sarcastic and critical

• Humble and apologetic

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What is the meaning of the word industriously as used in Lafayette’s letter describing James?

• Secretly and quietly

• Quickly and carelessly

• Diligently and thoroughly

• Hesitantly and fearfully

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Which best explains why the author includes the 1824 reunion between James and Lafayette?

• To suggest Lafayette had forgotten about James’s service

• To contrast Lafayette’s success with James’s struggles

• To show the long-lasting respect and bond between the two men

• To argue that James should have moved to France with Lafayette

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