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Study Island-American Revolution
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Generation Date: 12/07/2012
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1. What was the goal of the Sugar Act of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765?
A. to create revenue for the British government
B. to limit trade between the colonies and other nations
C. to demonstrate British authority in the colonies
D. to appease angry colonists by increasing their freedoms
June 29, 1767
Parliament passes the Townshend Acts.
March 5, 1770
The Boston Massacre leads to the death of five colonists.
April 12, 1770
All provisions of the Townshend Act are repealed, except for the duty on tea.
May 10, 1773
With the passage of the Tea Act, the East India Company is granted a virtual monopoly
on the tea trade in the colonies.
December 16, 1773
A group of men dressed as Mohawk Indians and led by Samuel Adams dump 342
chests of tea into Boston Harbor, an incident known as the Boston Tea Party.
March 31 – June 2, 1774
The British Parliament passes the Intolerable/Coercive Acts, four of which are made in
order to punish Massachusetts for the Tea Party and regain control of the colony. In
America, these acts are called the Intolerable Acts.
September 5, 1774
All the colonies except Georgia meet in the First Continental Congress.
2. How did the Boston Tea Party speed up the Declaration of Independence from Britain?
A. It resulted in passage of the Intolerable Acts.
B. It resulted in British support for American independence.
C. It resulted in passage of the Townshend Acts.
D. It led to French support for American independence.
Charles Townshend proposed the Townshend Acts to British Parliament in 1767.
These new acts placed a tax on various imported goods like paper, paint, lead, glass,
and tea. In Townshend's opinion, the colonists would not protest to these "external"
taxes since they were levied (paid for) only when the good was imported. The colonists
did protest, however, and began another boycott of British goods.
3. Except for one item, all the taxes placed by the Townshend Acts were repealed in 1770.
Which item remained taxed after the Acts were repealed?
A. paper
B. lead
C. paint
D. tea
4. Where did British General Cornwallis surrender to American forces, leading to the end of the
American Revolutionary War?
A. Boston, Massachusetts
B. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
C. Concord, Massachusetts
D. Yorktown, Virginia
5. What was the biggest challenge faced by George Washington when he agreed to lead the
Continental Army?
A. facing accusations of treason
B. developing diplomatic relations with other nations
C. gaining the respect of his troops
D. turning an undisciplined militia into an army
6. Who was a French aristocrat who fought with the American colonists against the British in the
American Revolution?
A. Napoleon Bonaparte
B. Charles de Gaulle
C. Marquis de Lafayette
D. François Mitterrand
7. Why did the Currency Act anger colonists when it was passed in 1764?
A. It placed limits on the amounts of new currency that could be minted in the colonies.
B. It set an unfavorable exchange rate between colonial currency and British pounds.
C. It prohibited colonists from issuing paper money.
D. It prohibited the colonists from possessing British currency.
8. The Boston Tea Party was a reaction to
A. the passage of the Townshend Acts, which taxed British goods.
B. the Boston Massacre, which killed five colonists and injured others.
C. the Tea Act, which granted a monopoly to the East India Tea Company.
D. the Intolerable Acts, which closed Boston Harbor to all trade.
9. Which founding father held the role of lead military general during the American
Revolutionary War?
A. George Washington
B. Benjamin Franklin
C. Paul Revere
D. Thomas Jefferson
The Effect of Colonial Grievances on the Constitution and Bill of Rights
Grievances in the
Declaration of Independence



The king had absolute
power
Colonials were taxed
without their consent
The king made war
against colonials
Impact on the Constitution
and Bill of Rights


Checks and balances
limit power of the
executive
Only Congress as the
representative of the
people can levy taxes



The king suspended trial
by jury
The king kept standing
armies in colonies and
required that citizens
quarter them in their
homes
The king dissolved
legislatures because they
opposed his invasions on
the rights of people




Only Congress can
declare war
Citizens are
guaranteed speedy
and fair trials
No one can be forced
to keep soldiers in his
home in times of
peace
Freedom of religion,
speech, press, and
assembly are
guaranteed
10. What step did the colonists take to make sure that they would never be taxed without
representation in the new United States?
A. They designed a system of checks and balances for their new federal government.
B. No one could be forced to keep soldiers in their home during peacetime.
C. They created a Bill of Rights that granted citizens freedom of speech.
D. Only Congress, as representatives of the people, could levy taxes.
11. Which famous American is noted for his great contribution to the American Revolutionary
War effort with his literary talent?
A. George Washington
B. Benedict Arnold
C. Thomas Jefferson
D. Samuel Adams
12. Which of these best defines a Loyalist during the American Revolution?
A. a person who did not want the colonies to break away from British rule
B. a person who decided to move back to Britain when the war started
C. a person who had a neutral stance regarding war with the British
D. a person dedicated to gaining independence for the American colonies
13. One of the causes of the American Revolution was the fact that the colonists felt that the
British had deprived them of their liberty. Which of the following is one of the complaints that
the colonists had against the British?
A. The British made slavery illegal in all of the colonies.
B. The British eliminated all taxes in the colonies.
C. The Americans had been taxed without representation.
D. Britain had become allies with France after the French and Indian War.
14. Who was a French aristocrat who fought with the American colonists against the British in
the American Revolution?
A. Napoleon Bonaparte
B. François Mitterrand
C. Marquis de Lafayette
D. Charles de Gaulle
15. What prominent issue in the American colonies symbolized the core of their dispute with
British rule?
A. manifest destiny
B. forced enlistment in the army
C. taxation without representation
D. lack of governmental services
"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 - That to secure these Rights, Governments are
instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that
whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right
of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its
Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them
shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will
dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient
Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shown, that Mankind are more disposed to
suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to
which they are accustomed. But when a long Train of Abuses and Usurpations,
pursuing invariably the same Object, evinces a Design to reduce them under absolute
Despotism, it is their Right, it is their Duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide
new Guards for their future Security."
16. The passage above, taken from the Declaration of Independence,
A. makes a formal claim of independence from Great Britain and requests the support of other
nations.
B. makes a formal argument for the dissolution of all monarchies around the world.
C. expresses the responsibilities of modern government and justifies revolution.
D. expresses the specifics grievances held by the colonists against the king.
17. Which of the following best describes the Sons of Liberty?
A. a group of colonists who worked to protect the colonists from unfair British treatment
B. a group of colonists who attempted to get the colonists to realize the benefits of British rule
C. a group of British citizens who remained neutral in the years leading up to and during the
Revolution
D. a group of British soldiers stationed in Boston who were charged with keeping the peace
18.
• created a strategy for addressing complaints
• formulated a statement explaining the fair relationship between the colonies and
Britain
• established the Committees of Observation to enforce boycott of British goods
The actions above were all performed by
A. the Committees of Correspondence.
B. the Second Continental Congress.
C. the Sons of Liberty.
D. the First Continental Congress.
19. Which battle is regarded as the first military victory for the Americans during the American
Revolution?
A. Battle of Little Bighorn
B. Battle of Yorktown
C. Battle of Concord
D. Battle of Bunker Hill
20. The signing of which document ended the American Revolutionary War?
A. Declaration of Independence
B. U.S. Constitution
C. Treaty of Paris
D. Treaty of Versailles
21. Which document begins with the following:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and
secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity. . . ."
A. U.S. Constitution
B. Northwest Ordinance
C. Gettysburg Address
D. Declaration of Independence
22.
• the Sugar Act
• the Stamp Act
• the Declaratory Act
• the Townshend Acts
What happened as a result of the acts above?
A. Colonists united in their anger against British taxation without representation.
B. Colonists stopped trading with all European nations except Great Britain.
C. Colonists were appeased by these acts, which were beneficial to merchants.
D. Colonists started fighting amongst themselves for revenues generated by the acts.
23. Who was the monarch of Britain in the time leading up to and during the American
Revolution?
A. King James III
B. Queen Elizabeth II
C. King Louis VIII
D. King George III
24.
Which pre-revolutionary event is marked by the picture above?
A. the French and Indian War
B. the Boston Tea Party
C. the Proclamation of 1763
D. the Boston Massacre
25.
• Justified separation from Great Britain
• Articulated the responsibilities of modern government
• Announced to the world America's new status as free & independent
Which document accomplished all of the goals above?
A. Bill of Rights
B. Articles of Confederation
C. Constitution
D. Declaration of Independence
26. Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence:
The History of the present King of Great Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and
Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over
these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World.
For cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our Towns, and destroyed the
Lives of our People.
What is the goal of the passage above?
A. to set up the laws of the new United States
B. to cause the overthrow of the King of Great Britain
C. to cause an outbreak of war between European nations
D. to justify the separation and secure support of other nations
27. Which of the following famous American writers published a pamphlet, Common Sense, that
led many to conclude that an American Revolution was necessary?
A. Benjamin Franklin
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. Patrick Henry
D. Thomas Paine
28. Which great American patriot and signer of the Declaration of Independence played the role
of chief diplomat for the colonies throughout the Revolutionary War period?
A. George Washington
B. Thomas Jefferson
C. Samuel Adams
D. Benjamin Franklin
29. Which of the following people said: "Give me liberty or give me death" in a speech given at
the Virginia House of Burgesses in order to convince colonists to support separation from Great
Britain?
A. Thomas Jefferson
B. Patrick Henry
C. Samuel Adams
D. Paul Revere
30. Who was the monarch of Britain in the time leading up to and during the American
Revolution?
A. King Louis VIII
B. King James III
C. King George III
D. Queen Elizabeth II
31.
• merchants who depended on trade with England
• members of the Anglican Church headed by the King George III
• Quaker pacifists
What do the groups above have in common?
A. They all benefited from the taxes collected as a result of the Stamp Act.
B. They all favored colonial independence from Great Britain.
C. They were opposed to declaring independence from Britain.
D. They were all instrumental in securing the repeal of the Stamp Act.
32.
• French support was secured
• 5,000 former slaves joined the Continental Army
• Britain lost interest in fighting a long, costly war
The list above contains reasons the Americans won the Revolutionary War. What other reason
contributed to their success?
A. The war was fought on American territory.
B. America had a larger population than Britain.
C. American weapons were more sophisticated.
D. The superiority of the American Navy.
33. British taxation of colonists without their consent was the major reason for
A. the Alien and Sedition Acts.
B. the Declaration of Independence.
C. the Boston Massacre.
D. wanting the Bill of Rights.
34.
Which of the following completes the chart?
A. Pacifists
B. Patriots
C. Loyalists
D. Generals
35. Which of the following sequences most accurately represents events preceding the
Declaration of Independence?
W. Sugar Act, Stamp Act
Congress
Tea Act
Common Sense
Y. Tea Act
A. Y
Boston Tea Party
1st Continental
Common Sense
Boston Tea Party
Stamp Act
1st Continental Congress
Battles of Lexington, Concord
boycott
Boston Tea Party
1st Continental Congress
Common
Battles of Lexington, Concord
Z. Stamp Act
Concord
Tea Act
Battles of Lexington, Concord
X. boycott
Sense
boycott
Common Sense
boycott
Tea Act
1st Continental Congress
Boston Tea Party
Battles of Lexington,
B. Z
C. W
D. X
36. Which battle marked the first military clash in the American Revolution?
A. Battle of Saratoga
B. Battle of Bunker Hill
C. Battle of Lexington
D. Battle of Yorktown
37. The American colonies opposed the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts because they
A. supported the Church of England.
B. referred to the colonists as "Englishmen."
C. forced the colonists to pay taxes.
D. made it illegal to own certain items.
38.
Which correctly completes in the graphic about the Articles of Confederation?
A. adopted the first 12 amendments in 1790
B. was replaced by the U.S. Constitution
C. was expanded to include the Bill of Rights
D. ruled invalid by the British Parliament in 1788
39. Which signer of the Declaration of Independence was the leader of the Boston Tea Party?
A. Benjamin Franklin
B. John Hancock
C. Samuel Adams
D. Thomas Jefferson
40. Which of the following is one way that the Founding Fathers sought to protect civil liberties
in the United States?
A. They added the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.
B. They issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
C. They wrote the Mayflower Compact.
D. They wrote Magna Carta.
41. Which of the following sentences best characterizes the nature of the Revolutionary War?
A. It was a slow war fought between an inexperienced militia and a traditional army in a huge
territory.
B. It was a hot, quick war fought between two highly trained fighting forces with only one
significant engagement.
C. It was a violent war fought with guerrilla tactics mainly in populous cities.
D. It was primarily a naval war fought between large ironclad ships off the coast of North
America.
42.
• Justified separation from Great Britain
• Articulated the responsibilities of modern government
• Announced to the world America's new status as free & independent
Which document accomplished all of the goals above?
A. Articles of Confederation
B. Bill of Rights
C. Constitution
D. Declaration of Independence
43. The Declaration of Independence states:
"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."
Which of the following is an example of how we have liberty in the United States?
A. The government tells us which books we can read.
B. We have political freedom.
C. We have the right break any laws we choose.
D. The government tells us which religions we can practice.
44. Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence:
The History of the present King of Great Britain is a History of repeated Injuries and
Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny over
these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid World.
For cutting off our Trade with all Parts of the World:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
He has plundered our Seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our Towns, and destroyed the
Lives of our People.
What is the goal of the passage above?
A. to cause an outbreak of war between European nations
B. to cause the overthrow of the King of Great Britain
C. to set up the laws of the new United States
D. to justify the separation and secure support of other nations
The Effect of Colonial Grievances on the Constitution and Bill of Rights
Grievances in the
Declaration of Independence





The king had absolute
power
Colonials were taxed
without their consent
The king made war
against colonials
The king suspended trial
by jury
The king kept standing
armies in colonies and
Impact on the Constitution
and Bill of Rights




Checks and balances
limit power of the
executive
Only Congress as the
representative of the
people can levy taxes
Only Congress can
declare war
Citizens are
guaranteed speedy

required that citizens
quarter them in their
homes
The king dissolved
legislatures because they
opposed his invasions on
the rights of people


and fair trials
No one can be forced
to keep soldiers in his
home in times of
peace
Freedom of religion,
speech, press, and
assembly are
guaranteed
45. Which colonial grievance resulted in the guarantee of fair trials in the Bill of Rights?
A. The king suspended trial by jury.
B. The king had absolute power.
C. The colonies were not allowed to trade with other countries.
D. Colonials were taxed without their consent.
Answers
1. A
2. A
3. D
4. D
5. D
6. C
7. C
8. C
9. A
10. D
11. C
12. A
13. C
14. C
15. C
16. C
17. A
18. D
19. C
20. C
21. A
22. A
23. D
24. D
25. D
26. D
27. D
28. D
29. B
30. C
31. C
32. A
33. B
34. B
35. C
36. C
37. C
38. B
39. C
40. A
41. A
42. D
43. B
44. D
45. A
Explanations
1. As a result of the French and Indian War, the British government had a large amount of debt.
Since some of the costs of the war had been to defend Britain's North American colonies, Britain
thought that the colonists should have to pay some of the debts; therefore, Britain enacted the
Sugar Act and the Stamp Act.
2. The Boston Tea Party resulted in the passage of laws meant to punish the city, called the
Intolerable (or Coercive) Acts. These laws closed Boston Harbor to all but essential goods,
required colonists to provide housing for British soldiers, and increased the number of British
soldiers in America.
3. Tea was the only item to remain taxed when the Townshend Acts were repealed. This decision
to keep the tax led directly to the Tea Act of 1773, which then caused the Boston Tea Party. All
the taxes above caused an increased resentment in the colonies, as well as a more unified belief
in "no taxation without representation."
4. British General Cornwallis surrendered to the American forces after the decisive American
victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. This was the last battle of the American Revolution,
and the war officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
5. Washington faced the enormous challenge of turning an undisciplined militia into a
functioning army that could face one of the most sophisticated fighting forces in the world. He
was successful in his goal, winning the war, and earning the undying loyalty of his men.
6. Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) was a French aristocrat who fought with the American
colonists against the British in the American Revolution. His participation at the Battle of
Yorktown contributed to the American defeat of the British and the end of the Revolutionary
War.
7. The Currency Act, passed along with the Sugar Act, came after a long period in which the
British Parliament ignored the colonies and let them do what they wanted. Therefore, this act
prohibiting colonists from issuing paper money (thereby forcing them to use British currency)
angered them. It seemed like an attempt to exert arbitrary authority and make life difficult for the
colonists.
8. The Boston Tea Party occurred in response to the Tea Act, which granted a monopoly to the
East India Tea Company. Colonists saw it as yet another example of Britain trying to control
colonial trade and taxes. Because Boston was so harshly punished for the Tea Party, desire for
independence grew stronger.
9. George Washington (1732-1799) was the commander of the American military forces during
the Revolutionary War. He became the first president of the United States in 1789 and served
until 1797.
10. Long-standing colonial grievances with the king in Great Britain played a large role in the
way the new United States government was designed. As a result of colonial frustration over
taxation without representation, the new Constitution granted only Congress, as representatives
of the people, the power to levy taxes.
11. Thomas Jefferson attended the Second Continental Congress and drafted the Declaration of
Independence, the work for which he is most famous. During most of the American Revolution,
Jefferson was a delegate in the Virginia legislature, where he drafted several new laws.
12. In the years leading up to the war, colonists were divided on the issue of independence.
Patriots were those who actively fought for independence, while Loyalists remained faithful to
the British Crown.
13. The Americans listed their justification for the Revolutionary War in the Declaration of
Independence. The colonists' complaints against King George III included taxation without
representation, keeping soldiers in the colonies during times of peace, and depriving people of
trial by jury.
14. Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834) was a French aristocrat who fought with the American
colonists against the British in the American Revolution. His participation at the Battle of
Yorktown contributed to the American defeat of the British and the end of the Revolutionary
War.
15. The colonies felt that it was unfair for them to be taxed by the British Parliament as long as
they had no representation in Parliament.
16. The Declaration of Independence can be divided into three parts: an articulation of the
purpose of modern government and the legitimacy of revolution when governments are
ineffective, a list of specific grievances against the King of England, and a formal claim of
independence. The excerpt in question is often quoted because it expresses the responsibilities of
modern government and justifies revolution when the rights of humans are not protected.
17. The Sons of Liberty was a group of American Patriots who worked to protect the colonists
from the unfair treatment by the British prior to the American Revolution. Some of the men
included in this group included: John Adams, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, John Hancock, and
Samuel Adams.
18. The First Continental Congress sent a letter listing their grievances to the king of England.
They also came up with a plan to boycott British goods until the Intolerable Acts were repealed.
The First Continental Congress laid the groundwork for the cooperation necessary to unite the
colonies in their fight for independence.
19. Occurring hours after the Battle of Lexington, the Battle of Concord was fought at Concord,
Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775. American colonists had gathered a large amount of
ammunition and military supplies at Concord, and British general Thomas Gage sent soldiers to
capture or destroy the supplies. The colonial militia, or minutemen, had been warned of the
British advance and prevented the British advance and forced the British troops to retreat toward
Boston.
20. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783 by Great Britain and the United States and formally
ended the American Revolution. According to the terms of the treaty, Great Britain recognized
the United States as an independent country. The treaty also set the boundaries for the United
States.
21. The lines above are from the beginning of the U.S. Constitution, which is called the Preamble
to the Constitution. The Preamble spells out the goals of the Constitution. One of the goals is to
"secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity," meaning that the government
has the responsibility to protect the liberty of all citizens.
22. All of these acts, in some form or another, taxed colonists without their representation in
Parliament. As a result, colonists united in their common anger toward Great Britain and came
ever closer to declaring independence.
23. King George III ruled the British Empire from 1760 until 1820, a period that included the
time of the American Revolution. Many American colonists were angered by different acts and
policies passed by George's government, and the king's actions are heavily criticized in the
Declaration of Independence.
24. British troops were sent to Boston in an attempt to maintain peace, as the Bostonians were
growing increasingly angry over the new British policies and taxes. As an angry mob of colonists
gathered outside the Boston Customs House, where the soldiers were stationed, they started
taunting the soldiers. One of the soldiers became enraged and fired into the crowd. Five civilians
were killed during the incident known as the Boston Massacre.
25. In the Declaration of Independence, the American colonies formally separated from Great
Britain. They listed specific actions of the king that had angered them.
26. The goal of this passage, and indeed the entire Declaration of Independence, was to
adequately justify the separation with Great Britain so as to secure the support of other nations in
the struggle for independence. In fact, without the aid of France during the American Revolution,
colonial victory may not have been possible.
27. In 1776, Thomas Paine anonymously published the pamphlet Common Sense which called
for American independence from Great Britain. The popular pamphlet helped encourage the
issuance of the Declaration of Independence six months later.
28. Benjamin Franklin became ambassador to France in 1776, and he quickly became a popular
figure in France. His influence was critical in convincing France to recognize United States
independence in 1778, and Franklin also participated in the negotiations of the Treaty of Paris,
which ended the Revolutionary War in 1783.
29. On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivered his famous speech to the Virginia House of
Burgesses, in which he advocated that the colonists fight against the British in order to protect
their freedom. The Revolutionary War started shortly afterwards.
30. King George III ruled the British Empire from 1760 until 1820, a period that included the
time of the American Revolution. Many American colonists were angered by different acts and
policies passed by George's government, and the king's actions are heavily criticized in the
Declaration of Independence.
31. Although many colonists wanted independence from Great Britain, not all colonists were in
favor of such an idea. Several groups, including merchants who depended on trade with England,
members of the Anglican Church, and Quaker pacifists, did not support the independence
movement.
32. In 1776 the American victory seemed unlikely. The British army was large, well-trained, and
experienced. The Americans had an undisciplined militia and only the beginnings of a regular
army. But Americans fought on their own territory, and in order to win they did not have to
defeat the British but only to convince the British that the colonists could not be defeated.
33. British taxation of colonists without their consent (or representation in British Parliament)
was one of the major reasons that the colonies decided to declare their independence from Great
Britain in 1776.
34. John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Alexander Hamilton were among the most prominent
Patriots of the American Revolution. Today, all three of these men are considered founding
fathers.
35. The period preceding the Declaration of Independence was one of escalating tensions
between colonists and the king. The Sugar Act and Stamp Act led to boycotts. The Tea Act led to
rebellion (Boston Tea Party), and the Coercive Acts led colonists to get organized and form the
1st Continental Congress and become increasingly interested in independence (as evidenced by
the publication of Common Sense and the first shots of the Revolutionary War in 1775.
36. The Battle of Lexington took place on April 19, 1775, when fighting broke out between some
70 colonial minutemen and about 700 British soldiers who were on their way to Concord,
Massachusetts. The American militia had been warned by Paul Revere that the British were
coming.
37. The Stamp Act, passed in 1765, required legal documents, newspapers, playing cards, and
other items to carry a stamp on them that was taxed. Colonists spoke out against this act bitterly,
and it was repealed in 1766. In 1767, however, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts and
placed a tax on many different goods that were imported from Britain. More protests from the
colonies caused most of these taxes to be repealed by 1770, but the tax on tea remained.
38. The Second Continental Congress introduced the Articles of Confederation in 1777. The
document was not completely ratified or adopted by all the states until 1781. From 1781 to 1788,
the Articles served as the law for the United States. However, the Articles had several problems,
which eventually led Congress to replace the document with the U.S. Constitution.
39. Samuel Adams of Boston was an American patriot who spoke out against British policies
before the American Revolution. He protested against the Stamp Act and played an important
role in the Boston Tea Party in 1773. He later served as governor of Massachusetts.
40. The Bill of Rights protects the liberties of individuals in the United States. The Bill of Rights
is the name for the first 10 amendments that were made to the Constitution, and they went into
effect on December 15, 1791.
41. The Revolutionary War was long (1775-1782) and slow, with only intermittent battles in
which the British were worn down. The huge territory of America made containing the colonists
difficult.
42. In the Declaration of Independence, the American colonies formally separated from Great
Britain. They listed specific actions of the king that had angered them.
43. Liberty means "the state of being free." In the United States, we have political freedom,
which means that we have the right to express our opinions without being punished by the
government.
44. The goal of this passage, and indeed the entire Declaration of Independence, was to
adequately justify the separation with Great Britain so as to secure the support of other nations in
the struggle for independence. In fact, without the aid of France during the American Revolution,
colonial victory may not have been possible.
45. This chart shows that the colonists had many grievances with the king. While taxation
without representation was perhaps the most significant grievance leading to the Declaration of
Independence, the Bill of Rights guaranteed fair trials in response to the king's suspension of
trials by jury.