Chapter 5

Question 0

Assess and explain the responsibility of George III and parliament for the loss of their American colonies.

Answer 0

• based their stance on inaccurate info from the colonies

- colonists and individuals in England didn’t understand each other and compromise became difficult

Question 1

Describe the “expectant” nature of American society in the 1760’s especially in regard to colonial assemblies.

Answer 1

• young, optimistic, and prosperous
• looked toward the future with political and economic expectation
• did not expect revolution or look forward to national independence

Question 2

Describe the fundamental principles and the “politics of virtue” of the American perspective on imperial politics.

Answer 2

• Many political ideals were based on the traditions and theories of John Locke
• ideology included heavy emphasis on religious and moral components from the great awakening
• found power dangerous unless countered by virtue

Question 3

Analyze both the motivation of Grenville’s regulations and the popular mass movement that formed in resistance to them.

Answer 3

• insisted that Americans help pay for these British troops
• protested it as a scheme to deprive the colonies’ of right to decide their own taxes
• grew into mass movement in opposition to Britain’s stamp act

Question 4

Trace the Townshend duties from their origins through American resistance to their repeal.

Answer 4

• new ministry tried new taxes on American imports and enforcement mechanisms
• Americans resisted with boycott and circular letter suggesting ways to thwart the acts

Question 5

Trace the growing conflict between the colonists and the north ministry from the tea act through the fighting at Lexington concord.

Answer 5

• confrontation with troops led to Boston massacre
• parliament tried to stem the colonial irritation by dropping all duties except for tea
• first continental congress met (the fist blows fell at Lexington and concord.

Question 6

Analyze the American decision to declare independence from the convening of the second continental congress to the Declaration of Independence.

Answer 6

• fighting in Mass. led to second continental congress
• British action in the passage of prohibitory act and the emergence of Thomas Paine’s “common sense” pushed them to formal declaration

Question 7

Compare and contrast the military assets and liabilities of both the British and American forces in the war.

Answer 7

• English had logistical problems putting down colonial rebellion
• Americans had commitment to independence and maintained a regular army (to attract foreign support)

Question 8

Describe the role of African Americans in the fighting.

Answer 8

• thousands of African American colonists took up arms for the British
• hoped they would gain rights from British for their services

Question 9

Explain the significance of the American victory at Saratoga, Trenton, Yorktown, and bunker hill.

Answer 9

-In 1777 the Americans captured Burgoyne’s army at Saratoga, but they lost again in Germantown before digging in for the winter at valley forge

Question 10

Trace American diplomacy leading to the treaties with the French in February 1778

Answer 10

• exploited the already there hostility between French and British
• American diplomacy (led by Benjamin Franklin) persuaded French to offer alliance

Question 11

Analyze the British southern strategy and their victory at Charleston to Cornwall’s defeat in Yorktown

Answer 11

• southern strategy led loose fury

- prompted Americans to dig in and win a final victory on Yorktown

Question 12

Explain how Americans were the greatest losers

Answer 12

-American hatred and British distrust forced loyalists into a bitter flight from their homeland