-176595 CHAPTER 6—THE REVOLUTIONARY REPUBLIC Murrin, Johnson, McPherson, Fahs, Gerstle, Rosenberg & Rosenberg Copyright © 2008 Wadsworth Group Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People, 5e 0704lep5e.bmp
Times Instructions: Identify the following term(s). Those who remained loyal to the British crown made up about ____ of the white population in North America. one-sixth one-fourth one-third one-half two-thirds A Least Difficult p. 196 Factual 1 During the Revolutionary War, about ____ slaves fled their masters. 10,000 25,000 50,000 75,000 100,000 C Least Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 The Ohio Company was concerned with veterans' pensions. bridge building. road construction. logging and timber. land speculation. E Most Difficult p. 211 Factual 1 George Washington's forces were not permanently defeated by the British in the Battle for New York because of Washington's skilled troop movements. the British commanders were inept. the British commanders chose not to capture them. the British were woefully outnumbered. of the skilled fighting of the French troops. C Most Difficult p. 187 Analytical 1 Washington's victory at ____ over the Hessians on Christmas night was a dramatic morale booster to the American cause. Brooklyn Heights Trenton Valley Forge Westchester Yorktown B Least Difficult p. 187 Factual 1 British policy regarding the loyalists was well planned and executed. very important to the British war effort. poorly planned and implemented. nonexistent. based on the assumption that they were all spying for the Americans. C Average p. 196 Analytical 1 The most important outcome of the Battle of Saratoga was that the French entered the war on the side of the colonies. it ended the war in North America. it led to Washington's election as commander in chief. it brought an end to the British ministry that was waging the war. the Spanish entered the war on the side of the colonies. A Average p. 191-192 Factual 1 One of the major problems of the Confederation Congress was that it did have the power to ensure state sovereignty. regulate trade. borrow money. make foreign treaties. print money. B Average p. 195 Analytical 1 During the Revolutionary War, most Indian tribes remained neutral. sided with the revolutionaries. sided with the British. split down the middle. sided with the Spanish. C Average p. 197 Factual 1 After 1779, most fighting took place in the western frontier. the middle states. New England. the South. Canada. D Least Difficult p. 201 Factual 1 Loyalist forces in the South were under the command of Banastre Tarleton. Ben Butler. Francis Marion. Thomas Sumter. Nathaniel Green. A Average p. 202 Factual 1 The final major battle in the Revolutionary War was fought at Yorktown. Jamestown. Saratoga. Charleston. Concord. A Least Difficult p. 205 Factual 1 The peace treaty ending the war between Britain and America was the Treaty of London. Paris. Lisbon. Versailles. Ghent. B Least Difficult p. 206 Factual 1 The church that suffered most from the revolutionary conflict was the Congregational Church. Methodist Church. Catholic Church. Baptist Church. Anglican Church. E Average p. 207 Factual 1 The first state to end the institution of slavery through a gradual abolition law was Massachusetts. New York. Delaware. Pennsylvania. Georgia. D Least Difficult p. 209 Factual 1 All except which one of the following were important gains in women's rights in the post-revolutionary era? Female academies educated most of the native-born women of the Northeast. The common law rule of coverture was abolished. New Jersey briefly gave voting rights to female tax-paying heads of household. Increasingly, popular novels cast women as main characters. The ideal of "Republican" wife and mother gave women an expanded role within the family. B Most Difficult p. 210 Factual 1 The Northwest Ordinance included all of the following except a prohibition on slavery. a division of the territory into three to five future states. the prohibition on African Americans moving into the territory. provisions for the territories to enter the confederation on equal footing with those already in existence. protection for civil liberties. C Most Difficult p. 211 Factual 1 Spain chose to enter the war for independence because it was deeply committed to American independence. was hoping to get back at France for losses in the last war. hoped to retake Gibraltar and Florida. desired to take control of Canada. hoped to gain new island possessions in the Caribbean. C Average p. 192 Factual 1 Cornwallis and the British army were pinned down at Yorktown Port by a French navy under the command of Marquis de LaFayette. Pierre de Beaumarchais. Charles DeGaulle. Marquis de LaFitte François de Grasse. E Average p. 205 Factual 1 Many slaves earned their freedom during the Revolutionary War by fighting for the British. by running away. by fighting for the Americans. through court decisions and legislative actions. all of the above. E Average p. 197 Factual 1 The idea of the republican mother argued that women were equal to men in the fight for political authority. the true educators of patriotism for their children. guaranteed the same property rights as men. subordinate to men in all ways. required to fight in the military. B Average p. 210 Factual 1 The only state to meet the original deadline for ratifying the Articles of Confederation in 1778 was New York. Virginia. Rhode Island. Massachusetts. Georgia. B Average p. 195 Factual 1 Admiral Richard Howe and General William Howe were French commanders who assisted General Washington at Yorktown. had the same last name but were not related. forced General Washington and the Continental Army out of New York City in the fall of 1776. had the smallest army in North America but still managed to hold on to Boston throughout the Revolutionary War. were British spies in the American army. C Average p. 186 Factual 1 After the Battles of Trent and Princeton, the Continental Army was improved by increasing the term of enlistment to three years. instituting strict discipline and increasing the severity of punishment for misdeeds. introducing Prussian drill techniques and standards. offering cash bonuses and land bounties for those who reenlisted. all of the above. E Average p. 190 Factual 1 During the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin impressed the French by his arguing assertively with anyone who opposed the American Revolution. wearing plain clothes and a fur hat and appearing to be a simple frontiersman. references to his French ancestry. care in following the strict rules of French etiquette. establishment of a newspaper. B Average p. 191 Analytical 1 The state governments set up during the Revolution reflected the American belief in the British tradition of unwritten political precedents and customs. necessity for a written constitution to define citizens' rights and to limit the government's power. importance of a strong executive with compulsory powers. division of political power between economic classes. importance of strong courts to interpret law. B Most Difficult p. 192 Analytical 1 The central government under the Articles of Confederation raised money by enacting a national sales tax. passing import/export tariffs. attacking British merchant ships. imposing an income tax. requisitioning funds and printing currency. E Average p. 195 Factual 1 The Articles of Confederation gave the central government complete and compulsive power over the states and the citizens. included an independent executive branch. never went into effect because it was never ratified. created a strong court system. created a central government that was weaker than the individual states. E Most Difficult p. 196 Analytical 1 Most loyalists strongly rejected the American ideals of liberty and self-government. remained neutral during the American Revolution. sided with England because it seemed less risky than supporting an untried American union. patriotically participated in the fight for American independence. joined the Indian tribes. C Most Difficult p. 196 Analytical 1 George Washington is best described as a dignified, determined leader who often despaired over his disorganized, poorly equipped army. the greatest field commander in U.S. history, who almost single-handedly won the American Revolution, wrote the Constitution, and created the United States. a strong leader but an often inept military strategist. a devout Calvinist who led his men into battle with the cry "God is an American." a consistent supporter of the Revolutionary ideals of liberty and equality for all. A Most Difficult p. 186-187 Analytical 1 In the peace treaty that ended the American Revolution, New Englanders lost fishing rights off the Coast of Newfoundland. the English retained their forts in the Ohio territory. France acquired Florida. the Mississippi River was recognized as the western boundary of the United States. the Appalachian Mountains were recognized as the western boundary of the United States. D Average p. 206 Factual 1 In the years after the end of the American Revolution, slavery was gradually abolished in all the Northern states. became less important in the South because of the decline of the cotton culture. almost disappeared in the upper South. was strengthened in the Northern cities. remained the same as before the war. A Most Difficult p. 208-209 Factual 1 One ongoing source of trouble between England and the United States after the revolution was the breakdown of trade between the two countries. England's support of Barbary Coast pirate attacks on U.S. shipping. disputes over fishing rights off the coast of Maine. England's occupation of forts in the U.S.-owned territory bordering the Great Lakes. The Americans' continuing efforts to take over Canada. D Average p. 210-211 Factual 1 Shays's rebellion was significant because it convinced many conservatives that a stronger central government was necessary. led to state laws exempting farmland from foreclosure. was the only internal rebellion in U.S. history. destroyed the power of the "cosmopolitan" group in Massachusetts politics. marked the beginning of the labor movement in American history. A Most Difficult p. 215 Analytical 1 In the Virginia Plan, James Madison proposed that the president and senators serve lifetime terms of office. a two-house legislature with representation based on population. that all public officials be elected by popular vote. a one house legislature based on the principle of one state, one vote. separation of church and state. B Average p. 216 Factual 1 The Connecticut Compromise of the Constitution defined the status of slaves for taxation purposes. was proposed by Alexander Hamilton. created the Bill of Rights. established proportional representation in one house and state equality in the other. determined how slaves were to be counted. D Most Difficult p. 216 Factual 1 The Constitution of 1787 provided that the president and vice president would be elected by popular vote. chosen by state legislatures. chosen by an electoral college. limited to two terms of office. elected by the House and Senate. C Least Difficult p. 217 Factual 1 The central government created by the Constitution of 1787 had the power to tax. control foreign trade. pass and enforce laws. regulate interstate trade. all of the above. E Average p. 217 Factual 1 The framers of the Constitution of 1787 established it would be ratified by the unanimous consent of the state legislatures. a majority vote from all eligible adult white males. its acceptance by at least nine states in special conventions. the governors of three-fourths of the states. the Confederation Congress. C Average p. 217 Factual 1 The most serious criticism of the Constitution during ratification was the establishment of a standing army. lack of a specific list of individual rights. absence of references to God. failure to designate a national capital. undemocratic nature of the electoral college. B Average p. 217 Factual 1 The protection of state sovereignty included in the Articles of Confederation was the brainchild of North Carolina. South Carolina. Virginia. Georgia. Rhode Island. A Most Difficult p. 195 Factual 1 During the Revolution, approximately ____ slaves were evacuated by the British. 1,000 10,000 20,000 40,000 60,000 B Average p. 197 Factual 1 After the Revolution, ____ colonists left the states for other parts of the British Empire. 5,000 to 10,000 20,000 to 30,000 60,000 to 70,000 90,000 to 100,000 140,000 C Most Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 The first state to ratify the Constitution was Virginia. Delaware. Connecticut. Pennsylvania. Rhode Island. B Least Difficult p. 217 Factual 1 British ally Joseph Brant was a Shawnee. Mohawk. Oneida. Cherokee. Apache B Most Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 Shawnee and Delaware leaders who pursued friendly relations with the Americans but refused to fight other Indians included all of the following except Joseph Brant. White Eyes. Killbuck. Corn planter. none of the above. A Most Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 During the Revolution, Congress passed all of the following except "resolves." "orders." "laws." "ordinances." none of the above. C Most Difficult p. 205 Factual 1 The idea of proportional representation in one house and state equality in the other was proposed by New Hampshire. Rhode Island. Maryland. Connecticut. New York. D Average p. 216 Factual 1 In contrast with those who enlisted in the Continental Army, militia troops tended to be loyal to the British. willing to sign up for longer periods of time. less likely to attend church. from the more secure sector of their communities. those who could not find work anywhere else. D Most Difficult p. 190 Analytical 1 In his efforts to persuade the French to ally with the Americans, Benjamin Franklin threatened the use of military force against them. identified strongly with the aristocratic elements of French society. lived in France for a time. alienated most Frenchmen. learned to speak French. C Least Difficult p. 191 Analytical 1 The French secretly aided the American rebellion through a fictitious corporation. T Most Difficult p. 191 Factual 1 Philadelphia's "Fort Wilson" riot was a violent confrontation between supporters and opponents of price controls. T Average p. 205 Factual 1 The Revolutionary War officially came to a close with the Treaty of Paris (1783). T Least Difficult p. 206 Factual 1 An attempted coup d'etat of Continental Army officers was put down by George Washington at Yorktown. F Most Difficult p. 205 Factual 1 The Northwest Ordinance (1787) prohibited slavery in the Northwest (Ohio) Territory. T Most Difficult p. 211 Factual 1 Ratification of the Constitution was a relatively easy and quick affair once the document had been written. F Average p. 217 Analytical 1 In Federalist #10, James Madison argued for the greater stability of a large republic over a small one. T Least Difficult p. 217-218 Factual 1 The British victory at Saratoga convinced France to stay out of the American war for independence. F Least Difficult p. 192 Factual 1 The greatest opposition to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 came from the South over the institution of slavery. F Average p. 211 Factual 1 Before 1787, most of the land in the Northwest Territory was purchased by independent settlers. F Average p. 211 Factual 1 Benedict Arnold attempted to undermine the revolutionary cause by betraying New York City to the British. F Average p. 202 Factual 1 Most Indians hoped that the colonies would be victorious in the Revolutionary War. F Least Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 American exports to Britain in 1784 were less than half the level of 1774. T Average p. 212 Factual 1 The Massachusetts constitution that was ratified in 1780 is still in effect and is the oldest constitution in the world. T Average p. 195 Factual 1 Loyalists were colonists who supported the Continental Army in the American Revolution. F Least Difficult p. 196 Factual 1 Southern delegates to Congress all opposed the Northwest Ordinance. F Average p. 211 Analytical 1 The British never had a realistic chance to win a decisive military victory during the Revolution. F Average p. 186 Analytical 1 The Revolutionary War demonstrated the weakness of Congress. T Average p. 187 Factual 1 George Washington's attack on Trenton resulted in substantial patriot losses. F Average p. 187 Factual 1 The Land Ordinance of 1785 required purchasers to buy a six square mile township. F Most Difficult p. 211 Analytical 1 After the Battles of Trenton and Princeton, Congress promised a cash bonus to all soldiers who served for the duration of the conflict. F Average p. 190 Analytical 1 French aid to the Americans during the Revolution was insignificant. F Least Difficult p. 191 Analytical 1 In 1779, Spain signed a direct treaty of alliance with the United States. F Average p. 192 Factual 1 John Adams presided over the Constitutional Convention in 1787. F Least Difficult p. 216 Factual 1 Most slaves who reached British units during the Revolution won their freedom. T Average p. 197 Factual 1 Massachusetts slave Elizabeth Freeman sued her master in 1781 and won her liberty. T Average p. 209 Factual 1 After 1778, political opposition in England to the war in America had disappeared. F Average p. 198 Factual 1 By 1780, military leaders on both sides believed that events in Virginia would decide the war. T Average p. 205 Factual 1 Kentucky was heavily populated by Native Americans. F Average p. 210 Factual 1 The 1790 Federal Census reported that the population of Kentucky was about half of the population of Tennessee. F Average p. 210 Factual 1 Indians who had supported the Americans during the Revolution suffered the most from land seizures after 1783. T Average p. 211 Analytical 1 When the first townships in Ohio were offered for sale in late 1787, there were few buyers. T Average p. 211 Factual 1 No southern state supported the 1786 treaty that John Jay negotiated with Spain. T Least Difficult p. 215 Factual 1 The Annapolis Conference was called to discuss revisions to the Articles of Confederation. F Average p. 215 Analytical 1 Most Indians and slaves hoped that Britain would win the Revolution. T Least Difficult p. 185 Factual 1 During their winter at Valley Forge, George Washington's troops became much more soldierly. T Most Difficult p. 190 Factual 1 British military strategy was generally poor in 1777. T Least Difficult p. 187 Analytical 1 France declared war on England after the treaties with the United States were signed in early 1778. F Most Difficult p. 192 Analytical 1 All Anglican churchmen supported the Revolution. F Average p. 207 Factual 1 Thomas Jefferson wrote Thoughts on Government in 1776. F Average p. 192 Factual 1 The commander of British troops at the Battle of Saratoga was John ____________________. Burgoyne Average p. 190 Factual 1 0 The ____________________ linked the American states together before the Constitution of 1787 was written. Articles of Confederation Least Difficult p. 195 Factual 1 0 ____________________ headed the Ohio Company. Manassah Cutler Most Difficult p. 211 Factual 1 0 The war for American independence was ended with the Treaty of ____________________. Paris Average p. 206 Factual 1 0 The last state to ratify the Articles of Confederation was ____________________. Maryland Average p. 195-196 Factual 1 0 ____________________ closed the Mississippi River to travel in 1784. Spain Average p. 211 Factual 1 0 The only state that refused to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 was ____________________. Rhode Island Least Difficult p. 215 Factual 1 0 The ____________________ compromise of the Constitution established the ratio for counting slaves for the purposes of taxation and representation. three-fifths Average p. 217 Factual 1 0 The supporters of the Constitution of 1787 during the ratification process were called ____________________. Federalists Average p. 217 Factual 1 0 George Washington refused to accept a letter from brothers William and Richard Howe about discussing peace terms in the summer of 1776 because it did not address him as ____________________. General Most Difficult p. 186 Factual 1 0 Congress never came close to raising the ____________________ soldiers it had hoped for. 75,000 Average p. 190 Factual 1 0 ____________________ headed the series of Spanish missions in California. Junípero Serra Average p. 192 Factual 1 0 In June 1776, ____________________ became the first state to adopt a permanent, republican constitution. Virginia Average p. 193 Factual 1 0 The only Indians in the Deep South to fight on the American side during the Revolution were the ____________________. Catawbas Most Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 0 Philadelphia merchant ____________________ helped to organize the Bank of North America. Robert Morris Average p. 205 Factual 1 0 The American victory at ____________________ brought down the British government. Yorktown Average p. 205 Factual 1 0 ____________________ authored Virginia's Statute on Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson Average p. 207 Factual 1 0 ____________________ of Maryland was the first Roman Catholic bishop in the United States. John Carroll Average p. 208 Factual 1 0 In the 1780s, the Church of England in the United States reorganized itself as the Protestant ____________________ Church. Episcopal Average p. 208 Factual 1 0 ____________________ presided over the Constitutional Convention. George Washington Average p. 216 Factual 1 0 The Tennessee settlers who seceded from North Carolina called their separate state ____________________. Franklin Most Difficult p. 211 Factual 1 0 ____________________ drafted the large state plan discussed at the Constitutional Convention. James Madison Average p. 216 Factual 1 0 ____________________ drafted the state of Virginia's declaration of rights. George Mason Most Difficult p. 193 Factual 1 0 The British believed that the ____________________ was the most likely recruiting ground for armed loyalists. Deep South Most Difficult p. 196 Analytical 1 0 During the Revolution, about ____________________ percent of slaves fled their owners. 10 Least Difficult p. 197 Factual 1 0 Virginia's ____________________ thwarted an attempted all-out Indian offensive along the frontier with his capture of Vincennes. George Rogers Clark Most Difficult p. 198 Factual 1 0 ____________________ enacted the modern world's first gradual emancipation statute in 1780. Pennsylvania Average p. 209 Factual 1 0 The ____________________ state constitution of 1776 allowed women to vote if they headed a household and paid taxes. New Jersey Most Difficult p. 210 Factual 1 0 By ____________________, nearly all native-born women in the northeast had become literate. 1830 Most Difficult p. 210 Factual 1 0 After their defeat in 1776, ____________________ ceded a large tract of land in Tennessee. Cherokees Average p. 211 Factual 1 0 Charles Lord Cornwallis: British commander of the 1780-81 southern campaign that ended in defeat at Yorktown. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Statute for Religious Freedom (1786): written by Thomas Jefferson. Argued for the disestablishment of the Anglican Church as the official church of Virginia and affirmed religious liberty for all citizens. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Daniel Boone: North Carolina hunter who led the settlement of Kentucky. Created the Wilderness Road through the Appalachian Mountains. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Shays's Rebellion: large-scale, unsuccessful rural revolt in early 1787 in western Massachusetts. Led by debtor farmers against commercial forces located in the eastern part of the state. Convinced many gentlemen and artisans of the need for a strong central government. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 New Jersey Plan: proposed by William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention. Called for equal representation among all the states in Congress. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Benedict Arnold: Revolutionary War hero of battles of Quebec and Saratoga. Disgruntled because he felt his bravery was not rewarded. Plotted to turn over West Point to the English in return for money. When his plot was exposed, he escaped and became a British general. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Robert Morris: merchant from Philadelphia. Appointed as the first secretary of finance under the Articles of Confederation. Set up the first Bank of North America. Helped equip the Continental Army. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 The Federalist: a series of eighty-five newspaper articles, later published in pamphlet form, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. Explained each provision of the Constitution. Helped convince people to support ratification. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Gnadenhutten massacre: 1782 slaughter of 100 Moravian mission Indians in Ohio by Americans. Nearly all were women and children who knelt in prayer as they were murdered. Led Indians to resume selective ritual torture of prisoners. When known leaders of the massacre were captured, they were burned alive. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Land Ordinance of 1785: authorized the survey of the Northwest Territory into townships 6 miles square. Land would be sold at auction, with bids starting at one dollar an acre. TYPE: Identifications 1 -1 Describe the role of loyalists in the American Revolution. Loyalists occupied a confused and, at times, contradictory role in British strategy during the American Revolution. Always overestimated in size by British policymakers, loyalists never made up more than one-sixth of the white population. At the beginning of the war, loyalists enjoyed little or no role in British strategy. They felt safe pledging their allegiance to the king in those areas not controlled by rebel leaders. Throughout 1775 and 1776, with little or no support from the crown, many loyalists were forced to relocate (from the Mohawk Valley and western New Jersey, for example). In 1776, with the large British force under Sir William Howe in possession of New York City, loyalists in the middle states were persuaded by the British to express their loyalty to the crown openly. Loyalists were left to their own devices, however, when British forces left New Jersey. Not until 1777 and 1778 did the British realize that loyalists could be valuable in the military arena. Indeed, in the final stage of the war in the South, loyalists were an integral part of the British military machine. About 1,900 loyalists took up arms during the war, and many of these saw fighting in the South. The British believed that a majority of southerners were loyalists, and this would help the crown in its attempt to "win the hearts and minds" of the southern population. The loyalists were not that powerful, however, and still were left exposed at crucial points by the British government. Ultimately, British policymakers never fully constructed an effective role for the "loyal Americans," certainly a factor in their final defeat. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Compare and contrast the Virginia and New Jersey Plans that were debated at the Constitutional Convention. Both the Virginia and New Jersey Plans were attempts at governmental organization and were promoted by various supporters at the Philadelphia convention. Both plans were attempts to restructure the old Confederation government that, most agreed, was ineffective. The Virginia Plan put forward by Edmund Randolph proposed a bicameral legislature, with both houses apportioned according to population, which would choose the national executive and the national judiciary. Several of the smaller states, alarmed at the power being granted to the larger states, responded with the New Jersey Plan. The work of William Paterson, the New Jersey Plan proposed to strengthen the existing Congress with the power to regulate trade and impose some taxes. Unlike Randolph's plan, the New Jersey Plan retained state equality in Congress. The small states claimed they would bolt the convention before they would approve a document based on the Virginia model. Ultimately, the "Connecticut Compromise" called for state equality in the upper house and proportional representation in the lower, and was agreed to by both factions. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Explore the implications of the American Revolution for black Americans. The war had mixed results for African Americans. Although many thousands achieved emancipation from the institution of slavery, nowhere did African Americans achieve equality of opportunity. Many slaves were offered their freedom by invading British armies. Thousands of others fought for the Continental Army in order to achieve emancipation. Ultimately, the northern states, following the lead of Pennsylvania, put into motion the framework for the abolition of slavery in the North. The South, however, did not end the institution of slavery. Although certain religious groups advocated abolition, as a rule, southern states supported the strengthening of slavery. Indeed, on balance, although the ideology of the Revolution promoted the idea of abolition, there was little room for equal opportunity. The policy of gradual emancipation guaranteed that black men, when they became adults, could not possess the same economic resources that most white men enjoyed. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Describe the failure of the British military strategy in the war for American independence. Part of the problem with British military strategy lay, of course, in the great distance between Britain and its colonies. Attempts to devise tactics and strategy several thousand miles and two months' journey from the battlefield took its toll. In addition, those controlling the war effort knew too little about the political atmosphere of the colonies and were often under the false assumption that many loyalists were ready to spring into action to assist British armies. Equally important to the British failure was the inability of the armies and their commanders to coordinate their activities effectively. The best example of this, of course, was William Howe's failure to come to the aid of General John Burgoyne at Saratoga. Finally, even under the best of circumstances, British victory may have been impossible. Even if the British had been successful militarily, it was overly ambitious of the British to expect to fully pacify the North American continent and make the colonists loyal subjects once again. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Describe the internal civil war that commenced with the beginning of hostilities in 1775. Although in popular imagery and memory the Revolutionary War is seen as a battle between George Washington's Continental Army and British "redcoats," a far deeper internal struggle often manifested itself during the fighting. New England, the site of the war's beginning, had relatively few vocal Tories, but the middle and southern colonies had many more men and women (from all social strata) who maintained their loyalty to the crown. Loyalists, poorly employed by the British at the beginning of the war, were increasingly important in the western campaigns (most notably the Mohawk Valley) and in the South. One of the most vicious of the "civil wars" took place in New York's Mohawk River Valley. There, loyalists who had fled the region at the war's beginning invaded the valley in 1777 and engaged in brutal warfare with their own former neighbors. The siege of Fort Stanwix and the Battle of Oriskany were fought primarily between Americans. The same was true of the civil war in the Carolina backcountry, where loyalists under Banastre Tarleton regularly engaged in vicious combat with rebel troops led by Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion. Atrocities abounded in these campaigns, far worse than those between regular army units. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Examine the provisions and significance of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The Confederation Congress did not have the authority to pass and enforce laws that were binding on the states but it could legislate for the territories. In order to convince Maryland to ratify the Articles, Virginia and other states ceded their western land claims to the central government. In 1784, Thomas Jefferson drew up a resolution that would have organized and prepared the territories for eventual statehood, but his ideas were not accepted by the original states. The following year, Congress passed a land ordinance that established a process for surveying the territories, establishing townships, and auctioning land in the Northwest. In 1787, the issue of western land claims was revisited by members of both Congress and the Constitutional Convention. Revolutionary War veterans from Massachusetts organized the Ohio Company, and New York land speculators set up the Scioto Company to develop the Northwest. Both groups appealed to Congress for grants of millions of acres of land. The Confederation Congress responded by passing the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The Northwest Ordinance established a three-step process through which the territories would be organized, gradually introduced to self-government, and eventually admitted to the union as full and equal members of the body politic. The area would be divided into from three to five territories in which slavery was prohibited. Inhabitants of the new territories would have civil rights and public schools. When the population of the territory was below 5,000 the governor and council would be chosen by Congress; in the next stage the inhabitants would elect a legislature; and finally, when the population grew to 60,000, the territory could draw up a constitution and request admission as a state. This policy established a coherent system that was followed as the United States continued to expand its borders westward. The ordinance also outlawed slavery in the Northwest Territory and provided for education in the various localities that would be carved from it. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Describe John Adams's ideas regarding the separation of powers. John Adams disagreed with Thomas Paine's assertion that a one-house assembly was the best repository of the sovereignty of the people. He also questioned the British view of the superiority of a "mixed and balanced" constitution that reflected the nation's economic and social stratification. Adams wrote Thoughts on Government in which he examined the concept of separation of powers. Adams advocated a three-branch government with provisions that checked the possible abuse of power by any one branch. He suggested an executive with the power to veto legislation, a two-house legislature, and an independent judiciary. Each branch would balance and counteract the excesses of the others. In Adams's opinion, the government was responsible for promoting the happiness of the citizens. He believed that patriotism and public/private virtue were the foundations of a republican system. The British policy of separating the social orders into a House of Lords and a House of Commons was impossible and undemocratic in a nation of commoners such as the United States. Instead, Adams believed, a more complex system that mirrored the diversity of American society was needed. The discussion of these ideas provided the impetus for state constitutional conventions that established strong state legislatures during the American Revolution. TYPE: Short Essays 1 -1 Examine the British strategy of 1776 and 1777 that attempted to bring the war to a close. Why did this strategy fail? Essay should address several key points: A. Howe brothers (William and Richard) and large British armada arrive in New York City 1. Attempt to wear down Washington's army a. Best chance for British to win the war b. Size and capabilities of British forces 2. Peace offerings to Continental Congress a. Attempt to convince Congress to surrender b. Full pardons offered B. Campaign for New York City 1. Battles for Long Island, Manhattan, White Plains, and Brooklyn 2. Washington defeated, but escapes 3. Washington's Trenton-Princeton campaign leads to evacuation of New Jersey C. Burgoyne and Saratoga campaign 1. Failure of Howe to reinforce Burgoyne 2. Communications problems inherent in the war 3. Defeat of Burgoyne at Saratoga D. Reasons for British failure 1. Sympathetic leanings of Howes a. Howe brothers both suspected of some sympathy toward American cause (why they were given command) b. Results 2. Jealousies among commanding officers 3. Logistical problems a. Conflicting strategy b. Consequences
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1 Describe the major debates and points of tension at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Essay should address several key points: A. Desires and goal of large states' representatives 1. Edmund Randolph and Virginia Plan a. Bicameral legislature apportioned by population b. No mention of taxation and trade regulation 2. William Paterson and New Jersey Plan a. Continuance of the existing Congress by granting it the power to levy imposts b. Regulate trade and commerce c. Retain state equality in Congress 3. Connecticut Compromise a. State equality in one house b. Proportional representation in the second
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1 Explore the implications of the American Revolution for both women and black Americans. Essay should address several key points: A. Implications for women 1. Women gain added authority a. Gain control of household while males are away at war b. Few changes in practices of coverture and divorce c. Literacy 2. Republican motherhood a. Women given expanded educational role within the household b. Women became the inculcators of virtue and patriotism of their husbands and sons B. Implications for black Americans l. British offer freedom to blacks who fight for the crown a. Many blacks use the war to emancipate themselves b. Consequences 2. Ideology of the Revolution encourages abolition a. Pennsylvania and northern states lead path to emancipation b. Debates begin in southern states, but planters resistant to abolition c. On balance, Revolution ended slavery in the North, and in the South, reforms to humanize the institution were encouraged.
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1 Discuss the Confederation era and analyze the state constitutions and the government created by the Articles of Confederation. How did the central government deal with the major issues of the period? Essay should address certain key points: A. State constitutions 1. Areas of agreement a. Importance of written constitution b. Reliance on popular sovereignty 2. Models for state governments a. Virginia constitution b. Pennsylvania constitution c. Massachusetts constitution B. Articles of Confederation 1. Basic provisions a. Representation b. Taxes and trade c. Monetary policy d. State powers 2. Ratification a. Land claims and disputes b. Maryland and Virginia compromise C. Major problems 1. Discontent in the army a. Mutiny in Pennsylvania b. "Fort Wilson" riot c. Congressional reforms 2. Legislative issues a. Amendments require unanimous state approval b. No power to pass or enforce laws 3. Western land policies a. Expansion into Kentucky and Tennessee b. Conflict with Indians and Spanish c. Northwest Ordinance of 1787 4. Monetary problems a. Trade imbalance with England b. Paying the nation's debts c. Shays's Rebellion
TYPE: Long Essays 1 -1