CHAPTER REVIEW
Rapid Review Guide
To achieve the perfect 5, you should be able to explain the following:
• The first armed resistance to the British army occurred at Lexington and Concord.
• The Second Continental Congress began to prepare the American colonics for war against the British, but by passing the Olive Branch Petition, they tried to accommodate colonial interests with those of the Crown.
• The impact of the message presented in Common Sense by Thomas Paine was widespread throughout the colonies.
• Many loyalists lived in the colonies at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War; many were members of the economic elite.
• Blacks and women played a large role in the war effort of the colonies.
• The defensive tactics of George Washington as leader of the continental forces proved decisive, since a longer war was disadvantageous to the British army.
• French assistance to the continental war effort proved invaluable; the French navy proved to be especially critical as the war progressed.
• The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War. In this treaty, American independence was recognized by the British and large amounts of territory west of the Appalachian became American territory.
• The Articles of Confederation created a weak national government, partially to avoid replicating the “tyranny” of the Crown in England.
• To many colonial observers, Shay’s Rebellion demonstrated that a stronger national government was needed.
Time Line
1775: Battles of Lexington and Concord Meeting of Second Continental Congress
1776: Common Sense published by Thomas Paine Declaration of Independence approved Surrender of British forces of General Burgoyne at Saratoga
1777: State constitutions written in 10 former colonies
1777-1778: Continental Army encamped for the winter at Valley Forge
1778: French begin to assist American war efforts
1781: Cornwallis surrenders at York town Articles of Confederation ratified
1783: Signing of the Treaty of Paris
1786-1787: Shay’s Rebellion in Massachusetts
1787: Northwest Ordinance establishes regulations for settlement of territories west of the Appalachian Mountains
Review Questions
1. The purpose of the Olive Branch petition was to
A. rally colonial support for war against Great Britain
B. petition the king for redress of economic grievances suffered by the colonies
C. ask the king to craft a solution to end the tensions between Great Britain and the colonies
D. request formal support of each colony for the formulation of the Second Continental Congress
E. ask the king to grant independence to the colonies
(Correct Answer: C. Although the Second Continental Congress began to prepare for colonies for war against Great Britain, the delegates also voted to send this petition to George III, asking him to create harmony between Great Britain and the colonies.)
2. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the British were extremely confident of victory because all of the following reasons except
A. they had outstanding generals that would be commanding British forces in the Americas
B. there were many loyalists throughout the American colonics
C. the Continental Army suffered from poor discipline
D. the British had an outstanding navy
E. the Continental Army was continually lacking in supplies
(Correct Answer: A. Several of the main generals commanding British troops in the Revolutionary War proved early on to be quite ordinary in tactical and leadership skills.)
3. All of the following were contained in the Treaty of Paris of 1783 except
A. Americans got fishing rights off the coast of Newfoundland
B. territory west of the Appalachian Mountains was ceded to the Americans
C. American independence was recognized by Great Britain
D. Quebec and the area immediately surrounding it was ceded to the Americans
E. former loyalists in the colonies could retrieve property seized from them during the Revolutionary War
(Correct Answer: D. None of the British territory in Canada was taken from them as a result of the treaty.)
4. Women were important in the war effort because they
A. provided much of the financial backing for the colonial cause
B. provided several delegates to the Second Continental Congress
C. wrote influential articles in colonial newspapers urging the colonies to resist the British
D. provided clothing and blankets for the frozen troops at Valley Forge
E. maintained economic stability in the colonies by managing households across the colonies while men were off fighting the British
(Correct Answer: E. Although women assisted the war effort in many ways, they made an important contribution by in managing estates and farms while their husbands were serving in the colonial militias or in the Continental Army.)
5. The weakness of the national government created by the Articles of Confederation was demonstrated by the fact that it was not given the power to
A. mediate disputes between states
B. raise an army
C. conduct foreign relations
D. borrow money
E. print money
(Correct Answer: B. The national government was not given the power to issue taxes, regulate commerce, or raise an army.)