Chapter Seven Flashcards
List at least two of the grievances colonists had with the British government by July of 1776
How did the Continental Congress respond to these grievances
-standing army in the colonies
-dissolution of colonial legislation
-taxation without representation in Parliament
-Incite Indian warfare
-hire German mercenaries
The drafting of a formal document including these grievances called the Declaration of Independence
Why were many Americans reluctant to pursue independence from Great Britain?2
Fear it would impact political stability
Difficult to conceive independence from the King
Why did the British exercise restraint in their efforts to defeat the colonists
-sought to restore old colonial governments
-regain loyalty not conquer
Discuss the two tasks facing the Second Continental Congress when the delegates meet on May 10, 1775. What initial steps did they take to carry out their goals?
-Raise and supply an army
-negotiate reconciliation with England
They create the Continental army and draft The Olive Branch Petition
Who were the Loyalists during the Revolutionary War? From which social strata did they come from?
Wealthy Merchants
Upper Class
What impact did the French alliance have on the outcome of the Revolutionary War?
Provided troops, money, and navy
Second battle of the war, on June 16, 1775, involving a massive British attack on New England militia units near Boston. The militiamen finally yielded, but not before inflicting heavy casualties on the British
Battle of Bunker Hill
A document containing philosophical principles and a list of grievances that declared separation from Britain. Adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, it ended a period of intense debate with moderates still hoping to reconcile with Britain.
Declaration of Independence
A multistage battle in New York ending with the decisive defeat and surrender of British General John Burgoyne on October 17, 1777. France was convinced by this victory to throw its official support to the Americans.
Battle of Saratoga
First major engagement of the new Continental army, defending against 45,000 British troops newly arrived in what is now Brooklyn. The Continentals retreated, with high casualties and many taken prisoner.
Battle of Long Island
A Philadelphia organization that collected substantial money donations in 1780 to gift to the Continental troops showing citizens’ appreciation.
Ladie’s Association
Legislative body that governed the United States from May 1775 through the war’s duration. It established an army, created its own money, and declared independence once el all hope for a peaceful reconciliation with Britain was gone.
Second Continental Congress
October 1781 battle that sealed American victory in the Revolutionary War. American troops and a French fleet trapped the British army under the command of General Charles Cornwallis in Virginia.
Battle of Yorktown
A punishing defeat for Americans in a ravine near Fort Stanwix in New York in August
1777. German-American militiamen aided by allied Oneida warriors were ambushed by Mohawk and Seneca Indians, and 500 on the revolutionary side were killed.
Battle of Oriskany
September 3, 1783, agreement that ended the Revolutionary War. The pact acknowledged America’s independence, set its boundaries, and promised the quick withdrawal of British troops from American soil. It failed to recognize Indians as players in the conflict
Treaty of Paris
Colonists who remained loyal to Britain during the Revolutionary War, probably numbering around one-fifth of the population in 1776.
Loyalists
The army created in June 1775 by the Second Continental Congress to oppose the British. Virginian George Washington, commander in chief, had the task of turning local militias and untrained volunteers into a disciplined army.
Continental Army
Pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1776 that laid out the case for independence. In it, Paine rejected monarchy, advocating its replacement with republican government based on the consent of the people. The pamphlet influenced public opinion throughout the colonies.
Common Sense
Where did delegates from all of the colonies meet to discuss their course of action after the skirmishes at Lexington and Concord?
Second Continental Congress
What was the initial goal of the Second Continental Congress?
To raise and supply an army
Why did the delegates to the Second Continental Congress remain reluctant to break with Britain in 1775?
The delegates worried that independence would destroy political stability
The delegates to the Second Continental Congress chose George Washington as commander in chief because
They wanted to show England that there was commitment to war outside England
What was the significance of the battle of Bunker Hill?
The British won a very costly battle
In the Olive Branch Petition of July 1775, congressional moderates proposed that
American colonial assemblies be recognized as individual Parliaments
In his radical pamphlet Common Sense, Thomas Paine encouraged Americans to
Declare independence from Great Britain
In their revisions to the Declaration of Independence, Georgia and South Carolina removed
Any mention of the issue of slavery
The British goal in fighting the war in America was to
Regain colonial alliance
How did the Congress raise the necessary troops for the Continental Army?
It offered land grants to those who committed for the wars duration
What was the American strategy in the war with Britain?
Turn back and defeat the invading armies
The Continental army enjoyed its first victory over the British in Christmas night in 1776, when the Americans
Surprised the Hessians in New Jersey
Many of the most visible and dedicated loyalists (also called Tories by their enemies) came from which group?
Wealthy merchants
Which of the following was a treasonable act as defined by state laws in 1775 and 1776?
Supply the British army
As the currency depreciated, the Continental Congress paid soldiers by
Issuing land grant certificates
In August 1777, instead of sailing north on the Hudson River, General Howe chose which surprising military strategy?
He sailed to Philadelphia
Why was General John Burgoyne’s defeat at the battle of Saratoga a decisive moment in the Revolutionary War?
It brought France into the war on the side of the patriots
Where did the British troops achieve victory at the beginning of their campaign in the South in 1778 and 1780?
Georgia and South Carolina
Where did the Americans suffer their worst defeat of the Revolutionary War?
Camden, South Carolina
How did battle tactics in the South change after Gate’s defeat and Arnold’s treason?
Guerilla warfare erupted across the southern backcountry
After General Charles Cornwallis achieved the upper hand in Virginia, the balance of power on the battlefield changed dramatically because
The French gave military support to Washington
What was the content of the first article of the Treaty of Paris?
The King recognized the independence of the United States
