American Revolution Test

Question 0

Which are true of Ft. Ticonderoga?
I. The militia manger to capture a heavily fortified British encampment.
II. The attack was led by Benedict Arnold.
III. Many Americans died in the attack.
IV. Many weapons were captured and later used to force the British army out of Boston.

Answer 0

II and IV

Question 1

Which in an important action taken by the Second Continental Congress?

Answer 1

They appoint George Washington as commander of the continental army.

Question 2

What were General Gage's goals in advancing on Concord?
I. To defeat the militia in Lexington
II. To destroy the arsenal in Concord
III. To kill Paul Revere 
IV. To arrest Sam Adams and John Hancock

Answer 2

II and IV

Question 3

Why did the Battle of Bunker Hill occur?
A) The Americans had won the High ground on Breed’s Hill, threatening the city.
B) The Americans were defending several of the patriots that the British were trying to arrest.
C) The Americans were trying to steal British weapons from Boston.
D) The British were angry about the Second Continental Congress meeting.
E) The British were trying to break through the siege lines around Boston.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Which is NOT true of the battles at Lexington and Concord?

Answer 4

They started the American Revolution.

Question 5

What is the Olive branch petition?
A) An offer of peace sent to the Second Continental Congress by the British government.
B) An offer of peace sent to the British government by the Second Continental Congress.
C) An early resolution taken by the Virginia Assembly not to get involved in the conflict.
D) A letter sent to foreign governments asking for their help in the conflict.

Answer 5

B

Question 6

Who help convince the colonies, especially Virginia, to be in military preparations?
A) Thomas Paine
B) Patrick Henry
C) Nathan Hale 
D) George Washington 
E) John Adams

Answer 6

B

Question 7

Who wrote Common Sense?
A) Patrick Henry
B) John Adams 
C) Nathan Hale
D) Thomas Paine 
E) George Washington

Answer 7

D

Question 8

How did the colonist plan to pay for a war?

Answer 8

By issuing Continental Currency and borrowing money

Question 9

Which a NOT an action of the 2nd Continental Congress?
A) Hired freelance Hessian (Germans) soldiers
B) Established a formal spy network
C) Affirmed their loyalty to the King
D) Issued paper money
E) Overthrew royal governments where they existed in the colonies

Answer 9

A

Question 10

On what Enlightenment principle is the Declaration of Independence based?

Answer 10

The consent of the governed

Question 11

What concept was removed from the Declaration?
A) A defense of independence
B) Grievance against the King 
C) Opposition to slavery
D) Consent of the governed

Answer 11

C

Question 12

Who wrote the first draft of the Declaration?
A) Samuel Adams
B) Thomas Jefferson 
C) John Adams 
D) Thomas Paine
E) John Locke

Answer 12

B

Question 13

What is NOT true of the Declaration?
A) It was not originally accepted as it was written.
B) It inspired similar revolutions around the world.
C) It declares loyalty to the king if he guarantees their rights.
D) It sets a purpose for America’s government

Answer 13

C

Question 14

When was the Declaration of Independence approved?

Answer 14

July 4, 1776

Question 15

Who was most likely to be a patriot?
A) A Pennsylvania colonist
B) A married woman
C) A small merchant 
D) An African American
E) A Native American

Answer 15

C

Question 16

What was a common reason why Americans agreed to fight for the British?

Answer 16

Slaves fought for the British in order to gain their freedom.

Question 17

Who was most likely to be a loyalist?
A) A Native American
B) A Pennsylvania colonist 
C) An African American 
D) A small merchant 
E) A married woman

Answer 17

A

Question 18

Whose son fought on opposite sides from him in the Revolution?

Answer 18

Benjamin Franklin

Question 19

Which does NOT describe the winter at Valley Forge?
A) Civilians helped care for the ailing troops.
B) The French army came to their rescue, driving away British forces.
C) About 1/4 of the Continental Army died.
D) American troops trained under a Prussian officer.
E) The Americans lived without shelter most of the winter.

Answer 19

E

Question 20

Which action prompted France to join the war on America’s side?

Answer 20

Winning the Battle of Saratoga

Question 21

Put these in chronological order, listening the earliest first: 
I. Americans win at Saratoga 
II. British forced from Boston 
III. France joins America's side
IV. Americans take Trenton 
V. British capture New York

Answer 21

II, V, IV, I, III

Question 22

Where were the two British armies located in 1777?
A) Philadelphia and Virginia
B) Boston and Philadelphia
C) Quebec and New York
D) Quebec and Boston
E) New York and Virginia

Answer 22

C

Question 23

Where did the Americans defeat British forces under General Burgoyne?

Answer 23

Saratoga

Question 24

The primary role of foreign Navies
A) Donated ships of the line to help America achieve naval superiority.
B) Blockaded England to turn public opinion against the war.
C) Bombarded American cities that were under British control.
D) Launched a successful invasion of England and several colonies.
E) Diverted British resources and attention away from the colonies.

Answer 24

E

Question 25

What happened on October 19, 1781?

Answer 25

The French Navy helped affect the British surrender.

Question 26

What is a privateer?
A) The unique flag that identifies each ship’s captain.
B) a merchant ship or other boat retrofitted to become a warship.
C) a private boat with a government commission to fight in a war.
D) a ship captain who commits piracy in times of war.

Answer 26

C

Question 27

Who was John Paul Jones?

Answer 27

A privateer and ‘founding father’ of the US Navy

Question 28

The primary role of the Continental Navy
A) Interfere with British commercial shipping
B) Engage the British at sea to draw them away from civilians
C) ch Submarines that would sink British ships in the harbors
D) Transport Southern troops to fight in the North

Answer 28

A

Question 29

What was the significance of the battle of Camden?

Answer 29

It was a humiliating American defeat.

Question 30

Who was Gen. Charles Cornwallis?
A) An American who took command of Southern forces.
B) An American who switched to the British side
C) The commander in chief of British forces in America
D) An American credited with winning at Saratoga
E) The British general who led his troops into position at Yorktown

Answer 30

E

Question 31

Where did Gen. Cornwallis believe he could finally end the war?
A) Yorktown, Virginia
B) Savannah, Georgia
C) Camden, South Carolina
D) West Point, New York
E) Charleston, South Carolina

Answer 31

A

Question 32

Who was Gen. Benedict Arnold?

Answer 32

An American who switched to the British side

Question 33

Which was a part of the Southern strategy?
A) Overthrow Patriot governments in Southern states and replace them with Loyalist governments.
B) Incite a Civil War between rich and poor in the south so they could not reinforce the war effort in New England
C) Promise southern American officers land and titles in England to recruit them to fight for the crown instead.
D) Use Loyalist forces, including freed slaves, to hold territory while the regular army marched on.
E) Isolate the north by capturing Virginia and moving south from there

Answer 33

D

Question 34

What happened on October 19, 1781?

Answer 34

Gen. Cornwallis surrendered

Question 35

How does the battle of Chesapeake relate to the Siege of Yorktown?
A) The Americans lost, leading to a successful last ditch effort at Yorktown.
B) The French won, gaining control of the bay behind Yorktown
C) The Americans won, encouraging them to press on to Yorktown
D) The British won, forcing the French army to regroup in Yorktown
E) The British lost, weakening the defenses in the countryside around Yorktown

Answer 35

B

Question 36

Who was Marquis de Lafayette?

Answer 36

A French general who helped plan the battle of Yorktown

Question 37

Which nation won the most territory in the 1783 Peace of Paris?
A) America
B) Britain
C) Holland 
D) Spain
E) France

Answer 37

A