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1.  Where were the first shots of the American Revolution fired, marking the beginning of armed resistance by colonists to British rule?

A. Fort Ticonderoga 
B. Williamsburg
C. Lexington
D. Bunker Hill

2.  The "Olive Branch Petition" of the Second Continental Congress was

A. a vote by colonists to make the "minuteman" units around Boston into a real army.
B. a letter to King George III that said the colonists would remain loyal to England if their rights were recognized.
C. a letter to all the colonies asking them to form new state governments.
D. a declaration to Boston residents that the Congress would help them resist British rule.

3.  Which of the historical name match-ups below is NOT correct:

A.  Thomas Jefferson - Virginia lawyer who wrote the Declaration of Independence
B.  Paul Revere - Bostonian who rode to warn that the British were marching
C.  Benjamin Franklin - Virginia patriot famous for his speeches
D.  George Washington - Virginian appointed to command the Continental Army

4.  The British pulled their ships and troops out of Boston in 1776 because:

A. The colonists set up cannons overlooking Boston harbor.
B. The British heard that the minutemen were organizing into an army.
C. The British heard the colonists were about to declare independence.
D. The British heard that the colonists had developed a kind of submarine.

5.  Which of these statements best explains the "social contract theory" of government, as that idea is expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

A. The king must rule justly because that is part of his "contract” with God.
B. The people owe a duty to obey the government.
C. The government’s power to rule can only be based on the consent or approval of the people who are governed.
D. Governments should have at least three branches if they are to remain stable.

6.  The Declaration of Independence states that certain rights, such as the right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” are “unalienable.”  What exactly is the Declaration saying with those words?

A. Certain rights are part of  human nature, and cannot be taken away.
B. The British are taking away certain rights from the colonists. 
C. The rights listed have been claimed by the colonists in a unanimous vote.
D. The rights listed have never before been considered very important to rulers.

7.  Which of these is NOT found in the Declaration of Independence?

A. a statement that people have the right to abolish or change governments that are destructive of the people’s basic rights
B. a list of complaints about the actions of the British king and the Parliament
C. a plan explaining exactly how the new American government will be run
D. a promise that the signers are pledging their lives, fortunes, and honor in support of the Declaration

8.  What was a Loyalist in the Revolution?

A. a colonist who was loyal to the Revolution and its leaders
B. a colonist who was loyal to Great Britain and King George III
C. another name for a soldier in the Continental Army
D. a person who believed there should be a Continental Congress

9.  What does it mean to say that "inflation was a serious problem during the Revolution"? 

A. The prices of most products rose very high, and the value of money fell.
B. It became harder to find food for the soldiers as the size of the army grew.
C. Soldiers often ran away from the army.
D. Diseases killed many of the soldiers.

10.  Which battle is considered the turning point of the war because the American victory there helped convince the French to declare openly their support for the American cause?

A. Bunker Hill, near Boston
B. Charleston, South Carolina
C. Vincennes, north of the Ohio River
D. Saratoga, New York

11.  To say that the Revolution created a widespread sense of idealism means that:

A. Many Americans wanted to break from England.
B. Many Americans believed that their efforts would make the world a better place.
C. Many Americans were uncertain and confused about which side they should take.
D. Many Americans were fearful of dying in the struggle.

Use these letters and possible answers to indicate the correct author of the four famous phrases and works quoted below in questions 12 to 15.  Each letter choice and author is used only once.

 A.  Patrick Henry
 B.  Thomas Paine
 C.  Thomas Jefferson
 D.  Abigail Adams

12.  “O ye that love mankind!  Ye that dare oppose, not only the tyranny, but the tyrant, stand forth! . . . The birthday of a new world is at hand.”  (Common Sense, 1776)

13.  "Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could.”  (Letter, 1776)

14.  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."  (Declaration of Independence, 1776)

15.  "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”  (Speech, 1775)

16.  As the Revolution began, the former colonies created their own state constitutions based on the concept of the “rule of law.”  Which of these best defines a constitutional government based on the rule of law?

A. one in which government leaders have unlimited power to create new laws
B. one with clear rules approved by the citizens that the government must always follow
C. one with leaders who intend to work selflessly for the good of all citizens 
D. one that has a political system that includes both a legislature and a governor

17.  Where generally did the British have a military advantage during the years of the Revolution?

A. only in the New England states like Massachusetts
B. along the coastal areas with large cities and good harbors
C. in the interior regions, away from the coast
D. only in the southern states like Georgia and South Carolina

18.  Which of these was the location where General Washington managed to keep his troops together in camp through the hardships and cold winter of 1777 - 1778?

A. Valley Forge, Pennsylvania 
B. Saratoga, New York
C. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
D. Long Island, New York

19.  What was the most important factor in the successful strategy that finally brought victory to the Americans at Yorktown, Virginia? 

A. The American army there was larger than the British army.
B. The French fleet closed the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.
C. Williamsburg was nearby as a supply base for the American soldiers.
D. Gen. Cornwallis and his men were exhausted from fighting in South Carolina.
 

20.  What was the year of the American victory over the British at Yorktown?

A. 1776 
B. 1778 
C. 1781 
D. 1783
 

Copyright 2001, 2016 by David Burns
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