Indiana Academic Super Bowl 2026 English Round A

Flashcards created to aid in the review of key concepts and details from the Indiana Academic Super Bowl 2026 English Round A lecture.

What critical error did General Washington make that contributed to the American defeat at the Battle of Long Island?

He misjudged the British flanking maneuver.

What ingenious maneuver did Washington employ to save his army after the defeat at Long Island?

A daring nighttime evacuation across the East River.

What role did disease play within the Continental Army during 1776?

It was a major cause of casualties and debilitation.

Which term best describes the dominant tone McCullough employs when describing the state of the Continental Army during the desperate retreat through New Jersey in late 1776?

Somber, desperate, and suspenseful.

The theme of 'The American Soldier' focuses heavily on the idea that the soldier's only true reward is:

The gratitude of the republic and the honor of a free land.

What was General Henry Clinton's strategic plan that led to the British victory at the Battle of Brooklyn?

A silent, overnight flanking march through the unguarded Jamaica Pass to attack the American rear.

What natural event occurred on the night of August 21, 1776, seen as an omen before the British invasion?

A massive, stationary thunderstorm with continuous lightning and thunder over the city.

Which American general led a doomed counterattack during the Battle of Brooklyn?

Lord Stirling.

What was General Howe's reason for halting the British advance on August 27?

He wished to avoid the high casualties of a frontal assault, remembering the lesson of Bunker Hill.

What factors were crucial to the success of the American evacuation from Brooklyn?

A favorable shift in the wind, the expertise of Glover’s mariners, and the timely arrival of a dense fog.

How did the Hessian and British soldiers perceive the American colonists' way of life after landing on Long Island?

They were astonished by the wealth, abundance, and fine furnishings they found.

In 'The British Prison-Ship,' what is suggested as a preferable fate to being captured by the British?

To die in battle, even if it means being 'cut to atoms.'

What significant outcome for the American cause resulted from the battle at Brooklyn despite the defeat?

Washington and the core of his army survived to fight another day.

What reason does McCullough give for the American failure to guard the Jamaica Pass?

It is impossible to explain the oversight by the American command.

How does Washington's decision with the Jamaica Pass compare to the British decision in Boston?

Both decisions contributed to a need for retreat due to failing to secure critical geographic advantages.

Why were the Hessians particularly dreaded by the Americans?

They were German mercenaries known for their discipline and brutal effectiveness with bayonets.

When Lord Stirling was surrounded during the Battle of Brooklyn, what did he choose to do?

He surrendered himself to a Hessian regiment, refusing to surrender to the British.

How were American officers treated compared to regular soldiers when captured?

Officers were treated with courtesy, while regular soldiers were verbally abused.

How does McCullough characterize George Washington during the 'fiasco' at the Battle of Brooklyn?

Washington was a model of what he frequently preached, being 'cool but determined' under pressure.

Whose regiment volunteered to remain at the rear of the retreat from Brooklyn to maintain Washington's reputation?

Mifflin.

After the retreat from Brooklyn, what does Alexander Graydon compare the quiet, stealthy night to?

A scene in Henry V, in which the night before a battle is arrayed with 'dread suspense'.

What literary device is used in 'The Wild Honeysuckle' when the speaker directly addresses the flower?

Apostrophe.

What is the central theme of the final stanza of Freneau's 'The Wild Honeysuckle'?

The transient and cyclical nature of life, where the brief existence is all that matters.

Which hardship is NOT explicitly mentioned in 'The British Prison-Ship'?

Torture for information about rebel plans.

What daily event underscores the high mortality rate aboard the British prison ships in 'The British Prison-Ship'?

The carrying of multiple dead bodies ashore for burial in shallow graves.

What literary device does Philip Freneau use to describe the flower's life in 'The Wild Honeysuckle'?

Personification.

To what does the speaker compare the flower's beauty to emphasize universality of decay?

The perfect but lost flowers of the Garden of Eden.

What is the central contrast in the first stanza of Freneau's 'The Wild Honeysuckle'?

The flower's delicate beauty growing in a 'silent, dull retreat'.

How is the medical care characterized for sick and dying prisoners in 'The British Prison-Ship'?

As a brief, violent, and torturous daily ritual by a doctor who seemed to murder, not heal.

What force does Freneau invoke to ensure the 'horrid deeds' of the prison ships are remembered?

The voice of the poet's Muse.

What does Freneau recommend soldiers do if there is potential for capture as a prisoner in 'The British Prison-Ship'?

To fight until death, as death on the battlefield is preferable to the cruel treatment on British prison ships.