wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

8th Grade American History - THE ROAD TO REVOLUTION

Total questions: 69

Worksheet time: 2hrs 18mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The needs of the British settlers for farmland led to conflict with the Native Americans. By the 1740s, British settlers were pushing into the ________ lands claimed by the French.

a)

Ohio River Valley

b)

Maine/Delaware border

c)

Nova Scotia

d)

Blue Ridge Mountain

2.

In 1753, the French began building forts to back their claim to the land between ________ and _________. This news alarmed the Virginia Colony which also claimed the Ohio River valley.

a)

Lake Erie

b)

Ohio River Valley

c)

Blue Ridge Mountains

d)

Lake Ticonderoga

3.

The Governor of Virginia send with the Virginia militia to tell the French they need to leave?

a)

Alexander Hamilton

b)

King George IV

c)

George Washington

d)

Ramses II

4.

True or False: The French left the Ohio River Valley after Virginia's governor asked them to.

a)

True

b)

False

5.

How many times did George Washington travel west to the Ohio River Valley?

a)

He never did.

b)

He went twice.

c)

He went one.

6.

What was the name of the fort the French were building when Washington arrived in the Ohio River Valley a second time?

a)

Fort Duquesne

b)

Fort Necessity

c)

Fort Lauderdale

d)

Fort Pitt

7.

What was the name of the fort Washington built on his second trip to the Ohio River Valley?

a)

Fort Duquesne

b)

Fort Necessity

c)

Fort Pitt

d)

Fort Lauderdale

8.

After the French captured Fort Necessity, they allowed Washington and his men to return home safely with the message that...

a)

they were trying to be peaceful and did not want conflict.

b)

they didn't respect the British.

c)

they despised the way the British fought.

d)

they would never give up the Ohio River Valley.

9.

True or False: The British wanted the colonies to agree to cooperate in defending themselves against the French.

a)

True

b)

False

10.

Who drew up a plan called the Albany Plan of Union?

a)

Alexander Hamilton

b)

George Washington

c)

John Adams

d)

Benjamin Franklin

11.

What were the items the Albany Plan of Union aimed to do? (Pick 4)

a)

call for a council of representatives that would have authority over western settlements

b)

negotiate relations with Native Americans

c)

organize armies and collect taxes to pay its own expenses

d)

move armies into Britain to help propel the revolution into action

e)

provide a way for the colonies to work together

12.

The Albany Congress approved Franklin’s plan but the colonial assemblies rejected it. Why?

a)

They wanted to control their own taxes and armies.

b)

They wanted to separate from Britain.

c)

They despised Benjamin Franklin and his ideas.

d)

They did not support the idea of moving forward into war.

13.

In 1755, it sent General __________ with orders to capture Fort Duquesne.

a)

Joseph Hooker

b)

Dwight D. Eisenhower

c)

Edward Braddock

d)

John J. Pershing

14.

True or False: General Edward Braddock's attack on the French and Native Americans was successful and killed half of the French forces.

a)

True

b)

False

15.

In 1757, when _______ became Prime Minister, Britain gained a fighting chance in the war. This was because _______ sought top military officials to lead the efforts in the west.

a)

George Washington

b)

William Pitt

c)

James Wolfe

d)

Thomas Fairfax

16.

In February 1763, Britain and France signed the _________________. France lost almost all of its North American possessions. It ceded French Canada to Great Britain.

a)

Declaration of Independence

b)

Bill of Rights

c)

Treaty of Paris

d)

Proclamation of 1763

17.

As a result of the Treaty of Paris, Great Britain also gained all other French territories east of the Mississippi ________ New Orleans and Spanish Florida.

a)

including

b)

except

18.

By 1763, Britain controlled almost all of North America _____ of the Mississippi River. Native Americans living west of the Appalachian Mountains were desperately trying to keep their lands.

a)

east

b)

north

c)

south

d)

west

19.

Fighting between Native Americans and white settlers began _____________ the French and Indian War ended.

a)

much after

b)

as soon as

20.

What was Pontiac's War?

a)

Pontiac and his allies attacked British forts and settlements throughout the Great Lakes.

b)

Pontiac's War is an alternate title for the beginning of the American Revolution.

c)

Adams and his allies attacked British ports and threw tea into the Boston Harbor.

21.

Britain wanted to avoid further wars with Native Americans, so the British government issued the Proclamation of 1763, which BANNED COLONIAL SETTLEMENT ______ of the Appalachian Mountains.

a)

SOUTH

b)

EAST

c)

NORTH

d)

WEST

22.

True or False: The French and Indian War left Britain deeply in debt.

a)

True. The British government had to keep troops in North America to make sure France did not try to regain its lost territory and to protect settlers against Native American attacks.

b)

False. The British were able to set heavy reparations against France, leading to a lack of French goods in the colonies and a better economy.

23.

In 1764, Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which _________________________________.

a)

forced colonists to house British soldiers in their own homes and tend to their needs. It led to many leaving the colonies

b)

put a duty or import tax on several products, including molasses. It also severely punished smugglers

c)

stated that Parliament could tax the colonists whenever they wanted. This angered the colonists

24.

True or False: British leaders believed the colonists should pay part of the debt.

a)

True

b)

False

25.

In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed. It ____________________________________.

a)

required that all colonists buy special stamps for all kinds of products and activities

b)

put a duty or import tax on several products, including molasses

c)

required colonists to quarter, or house, the British troops and provide them with food and other supplies

d)

only affected certain colonies, such as New York and New Jersey

26.

The Townshend Acts of 1767 required that...

a)

required that all colonists buy special stamps for all kinds of products and activities.

b)

a duty or import tax be put on several products, including molasses.

c)

the colonists quarter, or house, the British troops and provide them with food and other supplies.

d)

Britain no longer tax products or activities inside the colonies.

27.

In October, delegates from nine colonies met in New York for the Stamp Act Congress. They __________________________________________.

a)

sent a petition to the King and Parliament demanding the end of both the Sugar Act and Stamp Act

b)

asked Britain for more paper goods and money

c)

required that the colonies send goods to help the trapped Bostonians and sent more military equipment

d)

did nothing useful

28.

The Declaratory Acts...

a)

required that all colonists buy special stamps for all kinds of products and activities.

b)

suggested that a duty or import tax be put on several products, including molasses.

c)

forced the colonists to quarter, or house, the British troops and provide them with food and other supplies.

d)

said that Parliament had total authority over the colonies.

29.

On March 5, 1770, Parliament repealed all of the Townshend duties except for the one on ______. This tax was left in force to demonstrate Parliament's right to tax the colonies.

a)

stamps

b)

coffee

c)

tea

d)

gunpowder

e)

clothing

30.

On the same day that Parliament repealed the Townshend duties (March 5, 1770), an angry crowd in Boston surrounded British soldiers. One of the soldiers fired into the crowd, leaving 5 dead and 6 wounded. What was this event called?

a)

The Tea Murders

b)

The Boston Massacre

c)

The British Butcherings

d)

The Holocaust

31.

________________, a leading defender of colonial rights against recent British policies, defended the soldiers because he believed that in a free country every person accused of a crime had the right to a lawyer and a fair trial.

a)

John Adams

b)

Samuel Adams

c)

George Washington

d)

Atticus Finch

e)

Paul Revere

32.

_____________, a cousin of John Adams, established what he called a Committee of Correspondence. The aim was to keep colonists informed of British actions.

a)

Samuel Adams

b)

Richard Adams

c)

Edward Baker

d)

George Washington

e)

Benjamin Franklin

33.

True or False: The soldiers convicted of murder in the Boston Massacre were harshly punished for their actions.

a)

True

b)

False

34.

In ____, the British Parliment passed the Tea Act, which was intended to help the British East India Company increase its profits. (Hint: The answer rhymes with "tea".)

a)

1776

b)

1800

c)

1771

d)

1773

35.

The Tea Act actually _________ the price of tea by allowing the East India Company to sell directly to the colonies

a)

LOWERED

b)

INCREASED

36.

Were the colonists content with the lowered tea prices the Tea Act offered?

a)

Yes. They were happy to have lowered prices and bought more tea as a result.

b)

No. They wanted to have the choice to buy from other merchants, not just the British.

37.

A group of colonists called the ________ soon organized in port cities to stop the East India Company tea from being unloaded.

a)

First Continental Congress

b)

Daughters of Freedom

c)

Patriots

d)

Sons of Liberty

38.

What was the purpose of the Committee of Correspondence?

a)

to keep colonists informed of British actions

b)

to keep the British informed of the colonists' actions

c)

to strengthen relations between the Iroquois and the colonists

d)

to deliver messages between colonies using horses and riders

39.

WHEN and WHERE was the "shot heard 'round the world" fired?

a)

May 19, 1772; Concord

b)

April 17, 1775; Concord

c)

January 5, 1770; Lexington

d)

April 19, 1775; Lexington

40.

Finally, on the night of December 16, 1773, a large group of men disguised as ______ boarded the tea ship.

a)

Native Americans

b)

British soldiers

c)

colonists

d)

Virginians

41.

During the Boston Tea Party, the raiders threw 342 cases of tea into the harbor. They destroyed 90,000 pounds of tea worth _____ of dollars.

a)

hundreds

b)

billions

c)

thousands

d)

very few

42.

The Boston Tea Party outraged the British government. King George III called for tough action to make examples of the people of Boston and Massachusetts. WHAT ACT(S) WAS PASSED AS A RESULT OF THE BOSTON TEA PARTY?

a)

The Tea Act

b)

The Declaratory Act

c)

The Intolerable Acts

d)

The Quartering Act

e)

The Sugar Act

43.

Choose all that apply: What changes did the Intolerable/Coercive Acts bring to the colonies? (Pick 4)

a)

The port of Boston was closed.

b)

The powers of the royal governor were increased.

c)

The upper house of the Massachusetts legislature was abolished, cutting off town meetings.

d)

The Quartering Act of 1765 was strengthened.

e)

All products bought within the colonies now had an increased tax, causing financial hardship for many.

44.

True or False: Anyone accused of murdering a British colonial official would be tried in Britain following the Intolerable Acts.

a)

True

b)

False

45.

The Committee of Correspondence organized a meeting to discuss what to do after the passing of the Intolerable Acts. That meeting, known as the First Continental Congress, took place in Philadelphia in September and October of 1774. Twelve of the thirteen colonies sent delegates. Which colony DID NOT send representatives?

a)

New York

b)

Virginia

c)

Massachusetts

d)

Georgia

46.

Following the Intolerable Acts, the First Continental Congress demanded the repeal of the Intolerable Acts and declared that the colonies had a right to tax and govern themselves. What was the widely popular saying shouted in the streets to illustrate this point?

a)

"What a glorious morning for America!"

b)

"No taxation without representation."

c)

"Freedom is not a gift bestowed upon us by other men, but a right that belongs to us by the laws of God and nature."

d)

"Greed makes man blind and foolish, and makes him an easy prey for death."

47.

In April 1775, General Thomas Gage, the new governor of Massachusetts, learned the minutemen were storing arms in _______. On April 18, 1775, he sent about 700 troops to seize the arms and capture some important colonial leaders.

a)

New York

b)

Concord

c)

Lexington

d)

Boston

48.

Who fired the "shot heard 'round the world"?

a)

A boy

b)

A British soldier

c)

An American minuteman

d)

Nobody knows

49.

What tactic did the Americans use to defeat the British at Concord? (HINT: Remember, they were in the trees.)

a)

Stealth and speed

b)

Organized formation firing

c)

Slash and Burn

d)

Open Fire/Wild Fire

50.

True or False: After Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolution, most colonists ___________.

a)

favored independence.

b)

still did not favor independence.

51.

What was the first step the Second Continental Congress took to help set the revolution in motion?

a)

They asked France for supplies and Spain for mercenaries.

b)

They formed the Albany Plan of Union, written by Benjamin Franklin.

c)

They began forming an army, choosing George Washington to be its leader.

d)

They did not want to begin a revolution.

52.

Colonists who favored independence and were willing to fight for it took the name ___________.

a)

Freedom Fighters

b)

Loyalists

c)

Patriots

d)

Independent Colonists

53.

Colonists who remained loyal to Britain and the king called themselves _________.

a)

King's Men

b)

Patriots

c)

Loyalists

d)

True Colonists

54.

What THREE steps did the Second Continental Congress take following the passing of the Intolerable Acts?

a)

They began printing paper money.

b)

They formed an army.

c)

They found a commander for the newly formed Continental army.

d)

They elected a president to lead them against the British.

e)

They asked for donations of supplies and money from the Native Americans.

55.

In July of 1775, the Second Continental Congress sent the ________ to King George and Parliament, in an effort to make PEACE.

a)

Treaty of Boston

b)

Olive Branch Petition

c)

Declaration of the Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms

d)

Declaration of Independence

56.

What did the Olive Branch Petition state?

a)

The petition was just a way for the colonists to ask Britain for more resources to build homes, churches, and stores.

b)

The petition stated that the colonists were loyal to the king and asked George to stop the fighting so all disputes between the colonists and Britain could be solved peacefully.

c)

The petition stated that the king's demands were unrealistic and idiotic.

d)

The petition stated that the colonists were happy to help the king crush rebel forces and bring them to justice in the mother country.

57.

 King George did not bother to answer the Olive Branch Petition. Instead, he declared the colonies were __________

a)

"too unruly to be considered a part of Great Britain."

b)

"in open...rebellion."

c)

"irresponsible and need to be taught how to act."

d)

"not worth his trouble."

58.

On May 10, 1775, the same day the Second Continental Congress began meeting, an important battle took place in northern New York. A daring band of colonists made a surprise attack on _________. (HINT: Like the pencil.)

a)

Bunker Hill

b)

Fort Duquesne

c)

Fort Ticonderoga

d)

Lake Champlain

59.

Who led the attack on Fort Ticonderoga?

a)

Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys

b)

George Washington and the Continental Army

c)

Paul Revere and the Minutemen

d)

General William Howe and his army

60.

True or False: Many troops defended Fort Ticonderoga, leading to a hard, ruthless battle for control of the fort.

a)

True

b)

False

61.

Why was Fort Ticonderoga important? (Pick 2)

a)

It controlled the main route between Canada and the Hudson River Valley.

b)

It held valuable weapons, such as cannons, which assisted the colonists later in the revolution.

c)

It contained secret intelligence and the whereabouts of many British spies.

d)

Fort Ticonderoga was essential to the Native Americans, meaning the colonists now had bargaining material.

62.

Where were the cannons from Fort Ticonderoga taken following the seizure of the fort?

a)

Lexington

b)

New York

c)

Concord

d)

Boston

63.

How many of the BRITISH attacks on Bunker Hill were UNSUCCESSFUL before they forced the colonists to retreat?

a)

5; They were successful on the sixth attempt.

b)

1; They succeeded the second time.

c)

0; They were initially successful.

d)

2; They were successful the third time.

64.

Why were the British successful at Bunker Hill? (Why did the colonists retreat?)

a)

The British had more mercenaries.

b)

The minutemen did not have Native American help.

c)

The British had cannons and heavy artillery.

d)

The Americans ran out of ammunition.

65.

The British won the Battle of Bunker Hill...

a)

at a terrible cost.

b)

with nearly no cost.

66.

Even after Bunker Hill, Boston was still surrounded by American forces. The British only left after...

a)

George Washington arrived and the army moved cannons into positions overlooking Boston.

b)

they ran out of ammunition and mercenaries.

c)

the colonists threw them out of town during the Boston Massacre.

d)

they received direct orders from Parliament to return to Britain because King George III had died.

67.

Although the Americans won in Boston, Britain still held most of the advantages. Pick 3 of these advantages.

a)

The British had the world's largest navy.

b)

The British had mercenaries from other countries.

c)

The British had more time on their hands as they didn't need to worry about farmwork.

d)

The British had professionally trained soldiers.

e)

The British soldiers could easily camouflage in their red attire.

68.

Despite the fact that the Battle of Bunker Hill was not won by the Patriots, it was still significant to the Americans. Why?

a)

The battle was important for the colonists because even though the British won the battle, the colonists proved that they could fight and stand up to professional British soldiers.  

b)

The battle was important for the colonists because they realized that they could not defeat the British. They then abandoned the war effort.

c)

The battle was important for the colonists because they realized they could not defeat the British without the Native Americans.

d)

The battle of Bunker Hill caused the colonists to reevaluate their goals. They realized they needed to do much more planning and call in help from European countries such as France and Spain.

69.

What was significant about the battles at Lexington and Concord? (READ CAREFULLY)

a)

The battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Many colonists saw them as proof that only war could decide the future of 13 colonies.

b)

The battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Many colonists saw them as proof that Britain could change if prompted.

c)

The battles of Lexington and Concord marked the beginning of the American Revolution. Many colonists saw them as proof that the British army was reckless and the generals had no control over their army.

d)

The battles of Lexington and Concord were not significant to the Americans at all. They had already made their choice to stay with Britain. They frowned upon their more reckless and rebellious neighbors.