Download The Revolutionary War Home Front

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The Revolutionary War
Home Front
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Question 1
Why were the Native Americans nervous about the
Revolution? What side did many Native Americans
fight for?
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Answer
A number of tribes feared the Revolution would
replace the British - who had worked hard to
protect their lands from the colonists - with the
land-hungry colonials. As a result, these tribes
fought for the British.
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Question 2
What are 3 ways African Americans won their
freedom?
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Answer
Because so much of the fighting in the last years of
the war took place in the South, many slaves
escaped to fight for the British.
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Answer (Continued)
The British, hoping to weaken the American war
effort, emancipated (or freed) and evacuated
thousands of ex-slaves.
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Answer (Continued)
A few African Americans also won their freedom
by fighting in the Continental Army despite the
prejudices of Patriot leaders.
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Question 3
How did women impact the spirits of Americans
during the war?
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Answer
Women whose husbands and other male relatives
went to war had to assume many of their
responsibilities, whether was running the farm or
a small business.
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Answer (Continued)
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Cities throughout the United States witnessed
growing populations of poor women, and many
women did not stay at home when their husbands
went off to war. Instead, these women flocked to
the army camps to join male relatives.
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Answer (Continued)
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There they helped boost American spirits while
doing traditional women's chores such as
cooking, laundry, nursing, and so forth.
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Note:
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, a member
of Congress. She wrote to her husband:
“I can not say that I think you [are] very generous to
the Ladies, for [while] you are proclaiming peace and
good will to Men, Emancipating (or freeing) all
Nations, you insist upon retaining an absolute power
over Wives.”
- from Adams Family Papers
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Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams, delegate
to the Continental Congress. She had a close
relationship with her husband, and the two wrote often
about the political issues of the day. Abigail Adams
famously argued for women’s rights in a letter to her
husband, telling him,
“If [particular] care and attention is not paid to the
Ladies we are determined to [start] a [rebellion], and
will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we
have no voice, or Representation.”
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Abigail Adams
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Question 4
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What 2 reasons does the author give for the
Revolutionary War also being called a Civil War?
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Answer
 Most
of the land war was fought on United
States' soil.
 Somewhere
between 20 to 30 percent of the
population remained loyal to the Crown.
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Question 5
 What
is inflation? Why was it uncontrolled
during the American Revolution?
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Answer
The Continental Congress was unable to raise
taxes to pay for the war, so it relied on the printing
press to issue nearly $250 million in paper money
(the so-called Continental.)
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Answer (Continued)
The paper money was backed only by the good
faith of the Congress, and because of interruptions
in trade and manufacturing, there was too much
money competing for too few goods. The result
was uncontrolled inflation. This is when it takes
more and more money to buy the same amount of
goods.
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Inflation Example
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Question 6
Imagine you are a woman, Native American, or
African American during this time period.
Describe what life is like for you and include 2
challenges that you are facing.
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Possible Answer
I am a woman living during the Revolutionary
War. One of the challenges I face is that my
family is very poor, and so I have had to go to
camp to help out with the chores. I am frightened
by the sounds of the battles, but I am glad I can
help out my husband. I am tired from doing work
all day, but I am happy to help out my family. My
friend has a family business, and she has had to
do work there since her husband is off at war. She
does not have a lot of experience doing this, but
she is brave and willing to take on the challenge.