Chapter 5: The American Revolution Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts, historical figures, battles, political developments, and constitutional foundations from Chapter 5: The American Revolution.

How did American colonists feel about their goals when conflicts with England intensified in 1775?

They were deeply divided about what they were fighting for.

Who wrote the influential pamphlet Common Sense, published in January 1776?

Thomas Paine

According to Thomas Paine in Common Sense, what was the greatest problem facing the colonists?

The English constitution

What source material did the Declaration of Independence borrow heavily from?

Previously published colonial documents

Why was financing the Revolutionary War difficult for the American side?

Hard currency was scarce in the colonies.

How was the American war effort during the Revolution primarily financed?

By borrowing from abroad

How was George Washington regarded by Patriots as commander of the Continental army?

He was admired, respected, and trusted by nearly all Patriots.

What key advantage did the American colonists possess over the British at the start of the Revolution?

A greater commitment to the war

Which major event took place during the first phase (1775-1776) of the Revolutionary War?

British troops evacuated Boston.

What was the outcome regarding British troops in the Battle of Bunker Hill?

The British suffered heavy casualties.

What hampered British military efforts during the second phase (1776-1778) of the war?

A series of tactical blunders and misfortunes

Who was George Washington intent on surprising when he crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night, 1776?

The Hessians

Which prominent military commander was an American general rather than a British general?

Horatio Gates

What major setback did British General John Burgoyne experience during the 1777 campaigns?

He suffered a major defeat at Saratoga.

What official position did the Iroquois Confederacy take during the American Revolution?

It officially declared its neutrality.

What action did France take in early 1778 to support the American war effort?

France recognized the United States as a sovereign nation to help prevent it from abandoning the war effort.

Why did the former colonies begin calling themselves 'states' following the Declaration of Independence?

Due to the belief that each was a sovereign entity

Which European nation entered a general war against England alongside France during the American Revolution?

The Netherlands

What significant mistake did the British make during the final phase (1778-1781) of the war?

They badly overestimated the support of American Loyalists.

How did public opinion in isolated communities change as fighting reached them during the final phase of the war?

Support for independence greatly increased.

What treasonous act did Benedict Arnold conspire to commit against the Patriots?

He conspired with the British to betray a Patriot stronghold at West Point, New York.

Which location served as the site of a substantial British victory during the final phase (1778-1781)?

Charleston

What strategy did General Nathanael Greene employ against Cornwallis in the southern theater?

He divided his forces into fast-moving contingents to confuse and exasperate Cornwallis.

What forces cooperated to achieve victory in the battle at Yorktown?

A combined French and American army and navy

Who were the primary American diplomats who negotiated the peace terms with Great Britain?

Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay

What main outcome did the United States secure under the terms of the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

Formal British recognition of American independence

What proportion of the white colonial population was made up of Loyalists during the Revolution?

As many as one-third of the white colonial population

How was the Anglican Church in America affected by the American Revolution?

It was weakened.

How did the British attempt to use enslaved African Americans to disrupt the American war effort?

They assisted enslaved African Americans to escape.

What factor prevented English colonists in the Caribbean islands from joining the American revolt?

Fear of slave rebellions

What policy did American Patriots generally pursue regarding Native Americans during the war?

They generally tried to persuade Native Americans to remain neutral in the war.

What function did female 'camp followers' serve during the Revolutionary War?

They assisted in the support of regular troops.

How did the American Revolution affect women's social consciousness regarding their status?

It led some women to question their position in society.

What did Abigail Adams advocate for in 1776?

New protections for women against abusive and tyrannical men

What right was emphasized most strongly by essayist Judith Sargent Murray?

The right of women to obtain an education

Under English common law in colonial America, what was the legal status of a married woman regarding property?

A married woman could not own property.

Which female role gained greater social importance as the republic took shape in the 1780s?

Mothers

What British trade action stimulated post-Revolution American domestic manufacturing?

The closing of British ports to American trade

According to postwar American political ideology, on whom did the success of republican government depend?

Independent landowners

How did most Revolutionary American political thinkers define the concept of equality?

Equality of opportunity

What institutional rule regarding governors was established in every new state constitution during the 1780s?

Governors were prevented from holding a seat in the legislature.

What trend did most state governments follow during the 1780s regarding popular power?

They moved to limit popular power.

How did Massachusetts alter the selection process of its governor in 1780?

By having the governor elected directly by the people

What key principle was established by the Virginia Statute of Religious Liberty of 1786?

A complete separation of church and state

What legal action regarding slave trade was taken by many southern states in the 1780s?

They prohibited the importation of slaves from abroad.

Which branch of federal government existed under the Articles of Confederation in 1777?

A federal Congress

What financial authority was granted to the national government under the Articles of Confederation?

The power to borrow and issue money

How were legislative votes distributed among the states under the Articles of Confederation?

Each state had one vote in Congress.

What action by individual states was required before the Articles of Confederation were finally adopted?

States had to give up their claims to western lands.

What economic action did the British government take against the U.S. soon after signing the Treaty of Paris of 1783?

It restricted American access to British markets.

Who was dispatched to London in 1784 as minister to resolve peace treaty disputes with the British?

John Adams

What was the main purpose of the Ordinances of 1784 and 1785?

To provide for the admission of new states into the union

What were the key provisions established by the Northwest Ordinance of 1787?

It created a single territory out of lands north of Ohio, guaranteed freedom of religion, and prohibited slavery in the region.

What was Little Turtle attempting to achieve through his actions in the early 1790s?

To resist white expansion by military force

What was the direct consequence of the 1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers for the Miami Indians?

It forced the Miami Indians into negotiations with the United States.

What principle regarding Indian land transfers was affirmed by the U.S. in the 1795 Treaty of Greenville?

Indian lands could be ceded only by the tribes themselves.

What was a major demand made by Daniel Shays and his followers during their 1780s uprising?

A moratorium on debt collection

What significant political effect resulted from Shays's Rebellion?

It contributed to the growing belief that the national government needed reform.