Deck 5: The American Revolution, 1776-1783

Question 1

Desertion was a big problem for Washington's army during the Revolution.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The first conflicts of the American Revolution took place in South Carolina.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The state militia units that made up the initial American military force and later came to augment the Continental army:

A) generally refused to ambush the British or to engage in hand-to-hand combat
B) often seemed to appear at crucial moments and then evaporate
C) provided the most seasoned troops of the war because of their past experience fighting the Indians
D) were highly successful as organized units even though they refused to wear uniforms
E) frequently mutinied and joined the British

Answer 3

often seemed to appear at crucial moments and then evaporate

Question 4

When the British attacked New York in late August 1776:

A) Washington ambushed and routed them
B) Washington met them with a larger, more experienced force
C) Washington learned the superiority of the militia to regular troops
D) the American army was fortunate to escape
E) the Americans received French reinforcements just in time

Question 5

Which of the following was NOT true of the expedition against Canada in 1775-1776?

A) Smallpox was perhaps their greatest adversary on that campaign.
B) It resulted in an important American victory and set the tone for the coming campaign.
C) It was led in part by General Benedict Arnold.
D) It had as its main goal the expulsion of Indian tribes in the area.
E) It made Americans see the long-term nature of their struggle.

Question 6

During the war, Iroquois tribes such as the Mohawks helped the Americans fight against the British.

Question 7

Thomas Paine's pamphlet, The American Crisis, gave the colonists inspiration with the line, "These are times that try men's souls."

Question 8

The timely arrival of the French navy off the coast of Yorktown gave Washington's forces the reinforcement they needed to defeat Cornwallis's British army.

Question 9

Which of the following provided most of the money raised by the Continental Congress for the Revolution?

A) loans from foreign countries
B) requisitions from the states
C) contributions from patriotic citizens
D) direct taxes on the American people
E) new issues of paper money

Question 10

Daniel Boone led settlers who fought both the British and the Indians in Kentucky.

Question 11

Under the Articles of Confederation, some legislative measures required different majorities for approval.

Question 12

Before the Revolution was over, the British were fighting the Spanish, the French, and the Dutch, as well as the Americans.

Question 13

The Articles of Confederation left many powers to the states.

Question 14

During the Revolution, Loyalists came exclusively from the elite ranks of society.

Question 15

The Patriot militia:

A) favored conventional European tactics in battle
B) frustrated Washington with its lack of discipline
C) enlisted for a three-year term of service
D) basically won the war against the British
E) was completely worthless

Question 16

Benedict Arnold, originally a British officer, switched to the American side halfway through the war.

Question 17

After 1778, most of the fighting in the Revolution was done in the South.

Question 18

Thomas Jefferson was the most notable Virginian to free his slaves during the Revolution.

Question 19

Many Loyalists emigrated from the American colonies during and after the American Revolution.

Question 20

The Anglican Church became the Episcopal Church after the American Revolution.

Question 21

The British shifted their military effort to the South:

A) to protect their settlements in Florida
B) to fight in a milder climate
C) to destroy rebel plantations
D) to utilize the strength of local Tories
E) to utilize the strength of their navy

Question 22

On the western frontier, Indian tribes such as the Mohawks, Shawnees, and Cherokees:

A) stayed neutral
B) supported the Americans
C) fled further west to escape the fighting
D) attacked frontier settlements in Virginia and the Carolinas
E) switched sides constantly

Question 23

In its winter camp at Valley Forge, Washington's army was decimated by all of the following EXCEPT:

A) hunger
B) desertion
C) enemy attack
D) resignations
E) brutal cold

Question 24

During the war, Tories:

A) refused to take prisoners
B) probably outnumbered Patriots
C) generally lived at peace with their Whig neighbors
D) controlled large areas for an extended time
E) came from all classes of society

Question 25

In late December 1776, George Washington was able to reverse American fortunes by:

A) recapturing New York City from the British
B) convincing Congress to give the army all the resources it needed
C) getting France and Spain to enter the conflict
D) destroying a British force outside of Boston
E) winning battles at Trenton and Princeton

Question 26

The great exploit of George Rogers Clark was the:

A) conquest of the Canadian side of the Great Lakes
B) conquest of the western frontier
C) termination of Pontiac's Rebellion in the Ohio Valley
D) destruction of the Cherokees on the Carolina frontier
E) defeat of the British in a major naval battle

Question 27

The war in the South was characterized by:

A) massive civilian casualties
B) killing of prisoners by both sides
C) conventional military tactics
D) an unbroken series of British victories
E) massive use of slave soldiers by the Americans

Question 28

The baron von Steuben's contribution to the American cause was to:

A) supply the army with weapons
B) instruct Washington in military strategy
C) drill American soldiers
D) train the American cavalry
E) use his fortune to pay the troops

Question 29

Benedict Arnold became notorious late in the war by:

A) recruiting slaves into the American army
B) questioning Washington's fitness for command
C) defecting to the British
D) selling weapons to Indians
E) trying to become a military dictator

Question 30

Which city did the British capture early in the American Revolution and hold for the remainder of the war?

A) Atlanta
B) Boston
C) Williamsburg
D) Philadelphia
E) New York

Question 31

In August 1776, General Washington had 28,000 men under his command. By December, he had:

A) 15,000
B) 13,000
C) 20,000
D) 3,000
E) 35,000

Question 32

On Christmas night 1776, Washington crossed the Delaware to defeat the:

A) Loyalists
B) Hessians
C) British
D) Iroquois
E) Tories

Question 33

In 1777, Washington dealt with the threat of smallpox to his army by:

A) ordering a mass inoculation
B) sending most of his soldiers home
C) placing his camp under quarantine
D) providing his soldiers with clean quarters and healthy food
E) asking for a halt in the fighting

Question 34

Thomas Paine's The American Crisis:

A) stated the impossibility of beating the British
B) urged Congress to make Washington a temporary dictator
C) bolstered American morale
D) supplied Washington with battle plans
E) blamed Congress for the army's defeats

Question 35

Which of the following statements is NOT true of the battle at Brandywine Creek?

A) It resulted in American forces abandoning New York City.
B) It forced Washington's army to withdraw into winter quarters in Valley Forge.
C) The Patriots lost Philadelphia as a result.
D) British forces spent the winter in relative comfort following their victory.
E) The Continental Congress fled after the battle.

Question 36

The Marquis de Lafayette served the American cause during the war as:

A) commander of the French navy
B) Washington's most trusted aide
C) France's ambassador to Congress
D) leader of the attack on the British in Canada
E) chief fundraiser in Europe

Question 37

During the war, Benjamin Franklin's son, William:

A) was a prominent American general
B) served as minister to France
C) stayed loyal to Britain
D) deserted from the Continental army
E) earned his father's admiration

Question 38

American settlers who defended Kentucky were led by:

A) Daniel Boone
B) George Rogers Clark
C) Ethan Allen
D) Francis Marion
E) Andrew Jackson

Question 39

Americans won a tremendous victory in October 1777 with the surrender at Saratoga of:

A) Lord Cornwallis
B) Banastre Tarleton
C) Johnny Burgoyne
D) Benedict Arnold
E) Lord Howe

Question 40

The American victory at Saratoga resulted in:

A) a new invasion of Canada
B) serious peace negotiations with the British
C) a huge increase in the size of the Continental army
D) France's entry on the American side
E) Dutch entry on the American side

Question 41

The Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom marked the general trend away from:

A) belief in God
B) religious diversity
C) public prayer
D) revivalism
E) state-supported churches

Question 42

The news of Yorktown inspired the British to:

A) recruit more soldiers
B) end the war
C) replace George III
D) sign a peace treaty with France
E) replace their commanders

Question 43

An important American victory-"the turn of the tide of success"-was at:

A) Savannah
B) Camden
C) Vincennes
D) Charleston
E) Kings Mountain

Question 44

Elite Virginians despised Lord Dunmore because of his:

A) harsh treatment of captured rebels
B) offer of freedom to slaves who would join the British
C) abolition of the slave trade
D) belief in true racial equality
E) arrogant British manners

Question 45

Which of the following was NOT a power of the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

A) full authority over foreign affairs
B) the right to levy taxes on trade and commerce
C) control of government in the western territories
D) authority to coin money, run a postal service, and direct Indian affairs
E) authority to settle disputes between states

Question 46

The treaty with Britain that ended the Revolutionary War:

A) protected the rights of Loyalists
B) gave Florida to the United States
C) recognized American independence
D) gave America a claim to Newfoundland
E) imposed war damages on the British

Question 47

The Articles of Confederation were fully ratified and became effective:

A) in 1781
B) in 1789
C) in 1776
D) because most people wanted a strong central government
E) never

Question 48

The American victory at Yorktown would have been impossible without:

A) French assistance
B) divine intervention
C) British incompetence
D) favorable weather
E) superior weapons

Question 49

The battle that resulted in a hard-fought and costly stalemate that ultimately forced Cornwallis to retreat to the coastline was:

A) Cowpens
B) Kings Mountain
C) Saratoga
D) Guilford Courthouse
E) Brandywine Creek

Question 50

Which of the following was NOT one of the provisions of the treaty ending the American Revolution?

A) Florida was given to Spain.
B) Congress would not prevent British merchants from collecting debts owed them by Americans.
C) The Mississippi River was recognized as the western boundary of the United States.
D) Congress would restore all property confiscated from Loyalists during the war.
E) Americans were allowed to fish off the Canadian coast.

Question 51

Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress:

A) combined legislative and executive power
B) shared power with a supreme court
C) was superior to the various state governments
D) was largely a debating society with no clear areas of authority
E) would elect the president

Question 52

The most complete American victory of the Revolution took place at:

A) Yorktown
B) Bunker Hill
C) Saratoga
D) Cowpens
E) Guilford Courthouse

Question 53

Which of the following did NOT participate in the negotiations that resulted in the Treaty of Paris?

A) Thomas Jefferson
B) John Jay
C) Benjamin Franklin
D) John Adams
E) George Washington

Question 54

During the period of the Revolution, a slave might gain his freedom:

A) claiming amnesty as a political prisoner
B) appealing to George Washington
C) suing for freedom in local courts
D) running away to northern states
E) joining the British army

Question 55

Because of associations with the British, the Revolution was especially detrimental to the status of the:

A) Quakers
B) Baptists
C) Methodists
D) Presbyterians
E) Anglicans

Question 56

The Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom was written by:

A) John Adams
B) Alexander Hamilton
C) Patrick Henry
D) Thomas Paine
E) Thomas Jefferson

Question 57

The peace treaty was signed in:

A) Brussels
B) London
C) Madrid
D) Amsterdam
E) Paris

Question 58

Most of the state constitutions adopted during the Revolution:

A) gave governors extensive powers
B) granted universal manhood suffrage
C) contained bills of rights
D) abolished slavery
E) were rejected by Congress

Question 59

The Revolution did all of the following EXCEPT:

A) foster a spirit of social equality
B) lower property requirements for the vote
C) limit opportunities to acquire land in the West
D) encourage greater participation in politics
E) establish American independence

Question 60

Which of the following statements about the English army's condition at Yorktown is true?

A) Cornwallis's force had been pushed to the brink of exhaustion by a persistent Washington.
B) The British navy showed itself to be much weaker in the face of Americans than anyone expected.
C) Cornwallis's combined force numbered only 7,200 men.
D) Cornwallis could have escaped but for a second duplicity by Benedict Arnold.
E) Washington had to march his army from Massachusetts to meet Cornwallis at Yorktown.

Question 61

With the end of the war, many Americans viewed the United States as a:

A) nation with a special destiny
B) future imperial power
C) temporary expedient until it could reunite with Britain
D) North American extension of Europe
E) leader in science and technological innovation

Question 62

In what ways were the campaigns in the North different from those in the South?

Question 63

Discuss the evolution of the Articles of Confederation. What type of government was established and how effective was the Confederation government?

Question 64

In the era of the Revolution, the northern states:

A) took steps to abolish slavery
B) elected a number of free blacks to office
C) gave free blacks full equality
D) outlawed racist language
E) sent many former slaves to Canada

Question 65

Trace the negotiations and details of the Treaty of Paris of 1783.

Question 66

Discuss the validity of the following assertion: "Without the cooperation of the French, American victory in the Revolution would not have been possible."

Question 67

The nationalism that grew out of the Revolution brought with it the concept that the new nation had a unique destiny. Examine that idea of American exceptionalism alongside modern manifestations of the same idea.

Question 68

Discuss Lord Dunmore's proclamation and how it impacted the colonists.

Question 69

Describe the preparations, strength, and experience of the American and British armies during the American Revolution.

Question 70

Immediately after the end of the Revolution, the most popular public ritual in the United States became:

A) Washington's birthday
B) Lexington and Concord
C) Independence Day
D) Christmas
E) Thanksgiving

Question 71

George Washington's winter at Valley Forge was a special moment in American history. Examine that winter and discuss the important developments that helped transform the Continental army.

Question 72

Describe the problems in America of finance, supplies, and troops during the Revolution. How did Americans attempt to solve these problems? How successful were they?

Question 73

Describe the basic military strategy (or strategies) of the two sides during the Revolution. How might the British have been more successful?

Question 74

Discuss the choices colonists had to make concerning which side to support during the American Revolution.

Question 75

Which of the following statements was NOT true of women during the Revolutionary era?

A) sometimes disguised themselves as men in order to enlist in the Continental army
B) were often considered the property of their husbands without an opportunity to establish a public life for themselves
C) had few opportunities to receive an education
D) on at least one occasion, commanded an artillery company in Washington's army
E) frequently worked behind the scenes to supply soldiers with food and clothing

Question 76

Indian participation in European conflicts in North America was not new at the time of the American Revolution. Examine the roles of native tribes and discuss what they hoped to receive from their activity.

Question 77

Explain why 1777 has been referred to as the "year of setbacks" for the British.

Question 78

Abigail Adams's appeal to her husband, John, to "remember the Ladies":

A) resulted in more rights for women
B) proved her subordinate nature
C) showed her rejection of women's domestic role
D) was basically ignored
E) revealed her political ambitions

Question 79

At the end of the American Revolution, many of the old traditions were replaced with new ones. Examine how religion changed as a result.

Question 80

Discuss the social effects of the Revolution. In what areas was the Revolutionary promise or spirit most fulfilled? In what areas was it least fulfilled?