CHAPTER SUMMARY Even after Lexington and Concord, the Second Continental Congress did not at first pursue independence. The Congress s most important action was selecting George Washington as military commander. After further armed clashes, George III formally proclaimed the colonists in rebellion, and Thomas Paine s Common Sense finally persuaded Americans to fight for independence as well as liberty. Paine and other leaders promoted the Revolution as an opportunity for self-government by the people, though more conservative republicans wanted to retain political hierarchy without monarchy. Jefferson s Declaration of Independence deepened the meaning of the struggle by proclaiming its foundation in self-evident and universal human rights. Student Study Guide for the American Pageant Chapter 8 America Secedes from the Empire The committed Patriots, only a minority of the American population, had to fight both Loyalist Americans and the British. Loyalists were strongest among conservatives, city-dwellers, and Anglicans (except in Virginia), while Patriots were strongest in New England and among Presbyterians and Congregationalists. In the first phase of the war, Washington stalemated the British, who botched their plan to quash the rebellion quickly at Saratoga. When the French and others then aided the Americans, the Revolutionary War became a world war. American fortunes fell badly in 1780 1781, but the colonial army in the South held on until Cornwallis stumbled into a French-American trap at Yorktown. Lord North s ministry collapsed in Britain, and American negotiators achieved an extremely generous settlement from the Whigs. GLOSSARY - To build your social science vocabulary, familiarize yourself with the following terms: mercenary - A professional soldier who serves in a foreign army for pay. indictment - A formal written accusation charging someone with a crime. dictatorship - A form of government characterized by absolute state power and the unlimited authority of the ruler. neutral - A nation or person not taking sides in a war. civilian - A citizen not in military service. Traitor - One who betrays a country by aiding an enemy. Confiscate - To seize private property for public use, often as a penalty. Envoy - A messenger or agent sent by a government on official business. Rabble - A mass of disorderly and crude common people. Arsenal - A place for making or storing weapons and ammunition. Isolationist - Concerning the belief that a country should take little or no part in foreign affairs, especially through alliances or wars. Hereditary - Passed down from generation to generation. Blockade - The isolation of a place by hostile ships or troops. Privateer - A private vessel temporarily authorized to capture or plunder enemy ships in wartime. Graft - Taking advantage of one's official position to gain money or property by illegal means. 1
Memorize the following places on the map: a) Ticonderoga b) Bunker Hill c) Long Island d) Trenton e) Princeton f) Albany g) Yorktown h) Philadelphia i) Charleston j) Saratoga k) Newport l) Valley Forge Why were there misgivings regarding the selection of George Washington to head the army? (pg. 140). Arrange the following events in chronological order: (A) fighting at Lexington and Concord, (B) convening of the Second Continental Congress, (C) publication of Common Sense, (D) adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The Revolutionary War began with fighting in ; then in 1777 1778, fighting was concentrated in ; and the fighting concluded in. A) the South, the middle colonies, New England B) the middle colonies, New England, the South C) New England, the South, the middle colonies D) New England, the middle colonies, the South E) the middle colonies, the South, New England In 1775, once fighting between the colonies and Great Britain began: (pg. 141) A) America immediately declared its independence. D) the colonists affirmed their loyalty to the King. B) the tempo of warfare diminished. E) all of the above. C) the colonists denounced the Parliament. The colonial army eventually lost the Battle of Bunker Hill because: (pg. 141) What was the purpose of The Olive Branch Petition: (pg. 141) Why was the American invasion of Canada in 1775 a contradiction? (pg. 142). 2
For what reasons did the colonists delay their decision to declare their independence until July 4, 1776? (pg. 143) _ In a republic, where is power supposed to come from: (pg. 144). What was the purpose of Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense? (pg. 144). According to Thomas Paine, all government officials should derive their authority from? (pg. 144). What were some examples of colonial experience with self-governance, which prepared Americans for a republic, before the Revolution? (pg. 144). In what way was personal sacrifice a requirement for a successful Republican government? (pg. 144). What role did Abigail Adams play during the Revolutionary period? (pg. 147). Read the entire Declaration of Independence (pg. A29) Understand the differences between: Tories, Whigs and Loyalists What type of movement was the American Revolution? (pg. 146). The Patriot militia played a crucial role in the Revolution in all of the following ways except: (pg. 146) a) taking up the task of political education. b) raising funds to support the war effort. c) convincing people that the British army was an unreliable friend. d) mercilessly harassing small British detachments. e) as effective agents of Revolutionary ideas. Many Americans remained loyalists during the Revolution for all of the following reasons except: (pg. 146) a) fear of retribution. b) they believed a Patriot victory would lead to anarchy. c) some were promised freedom. d) they believed the British would preserve religious toleration. e) they believed in British military superiority. 3
Which of the following fates befell Loyalists after the Revolutionary War? (pg. 150) a. Some fled to England. c. Some had their property confiscated. b. Some re-established themselves in America. d. Some were exiled. e. all of the above. Loyalists were least numerous in what region? (pg. 150). Why did General William Howe decide not to pursue George Washington's army after the Battle of Long Island? (pg. 152) _. What event in late 1776 and early 1777 helped George Washington restore confidence in America's military?. The basic strategy of the British in 1777 was to try to: (pg. 152) a. control the Delaware Valley. d. hold the cities and let colonists control the countryside. b. invade the southern colonies. e. isolate the South. c. isolate New England. Arrange these battles in chronological order: (A) Trenton, (B) Saratoga, (C) Long Island, (D) Charleston. Why was The Battle of Saratoga a key victory for the Americans? (pg. 155). What was the primary motivating factor leading France to come to America's aid in the Revolution? (pg. 154) _ Who was the American diplomat that negotiated the Model Treaty with France? : (pg. 155). When the alliance with France was formalized, the Americans were able to: (pg. 156) a. gain access to large sums of money. d. gain immense amounts of equipment. b. double the size of their fighting forces. e. all of the above. c. avail themselves of French naval strength. The colonists suffered their heaviest losses of the Revolutionary War at the Battle of: (pg. 156) a) Charleston. d) Long Island. b) Cowpens. e) Brandywine Creek. c) Valley Forge. What was the main motivating factor for some Indian nations to join the British during the Revolutionary War? (pg. 157) 4
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix, the first treaty between the United States and an Indian nation, resulted in? (pg. 157) The most important contribution of the seagoing privateers during the Revolutionary War was that they? (pg. 158). Essay Questions: Explain some of the strengths of George Washington that made him a good choice to lead the continental army? (pg. 140-141) and Lecture notes List the three most important battles of the Revolutionary War. Justify your selections. Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner. Why, then, did he state in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal? See Lecture Notes Historians have argued for many years over why the Revolution occurred. In your opinion, what school of thought is the most convincing, and why? (Pg 162-163) Varying Viewpoints 5