Explore the US History Textbook 8th Grade Chapter 3 The American Revolution study material pdf and utilize it for learning all the covered concepts as it always helps in improving the conceptual knowledge.
i . The California Standards I Science Students understand the major events preceding the founding of the nation and relate their significance to the development of American constitutional democracy . Analysis Skills HI Students recognize that interpretations of history are subject to change . Arts Writing Relate a clear , coherent incident , event , or tion by using details . Reading Use word meanings within the appropriate context . Focus on SPEAKING Giving an Oral Report The Revolutionary War was a very exciting time in our history , a time filled with deeds of age and daring and ending with an amazing victory for the underdog . As you read this chapter , you will learn about the great events and heroic people of that time . Then you will prepare and give an oral report on the history of the can Revolution . 74 The First War begins Continental with the Congress ing at Lexington meets . and Concord . 14 CHAPTER
History Impact series Watch the video to understand the impact of being able to choose your own government . What You Will Learn ' Soldiers fight with muskets in this of the Revolutionary War . The men in the colonial militias did not have ' lar uniforms like the British soldiers did . They wore their own clothes and often used their own supplies . In this chapter you will learn about the American War for Independence . colonies issue the Declaration of The British Independence surrenderto The Treaty and break away from ' George Washington of Paris is signed , Great Britain at Yorktown . War . 1778 France allies Spain declares 1783 Simon with the Americans Britain . born war in against Great Britain . Venezuela . THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Reading Social Studies Economics Religion society Geography Politics ' Focus on Themes In this chapter you will read British army and how geography sometimes about the events of the Revolutionary War , the war affected their outcomes . You will also read by which the United States won its independence . the Declaration of Independence , one of the You will learn about some of the major battles that most important political documents in all of occurred between the American colonists and the American history Main Ideas in Social Studies FOCUS on Reading When you are reading , it is not always to remember every tiny detail of the text . Instead , what you want to remember are the main ideas , the most important concepts around which the text is based . Identifying Main Ideas Most paragraphs in history books include main ideas . Sometimes the main idea is stated clearly in a single . At other times , the main idea is suggested , not stated . However , that idea still shapes the paragraph content and the meaning of all of the facts and details in it . Topic The paragraph is Steps in Identifying Main Ideas about Americans loyalties . Read the paragraph . Ask during the Revolutionary War . Self , What 15 this paragraph mostly about , or its topic ?
the important facts and details that relate to that topic . Colonists known as Patriots chose to for . has and Details yourself , What Seems to called those who . Patriots Wanted be important point remained loyal to Great Britain . independence . I a ! the Historians estimate that 40 to ' Loyalists Wanted to remain gill Sa Off ' part of Great Britain . 45 percent of Americans were this paragraph , what would it Patriots , While 20 to 30 people stayed neutral . be ?
This is the main idea of the paragraph . cent were Loyalists . The rest were neutral . Main Idea Americans . loyalties were divided as the Additional reading colonies prepared for the support can be Revolutionary War . found in the I 16 CHAPTER ' ELA Reading Read and understand material . You Try It ! The following passage is from the chapter you are about to read . Read it and then answer the questions below . Americans and the War Effort During the war more than From served in the Continental Army . The typical soldier was young , often under the legal age of 16 . Most had little money , no property , and few opportunities in life . The army offered low pay , often rotten food , hard work , cold , heat , poor clothing and shelter , harsh discipline , and a high chance of ing a casualty . Yet for some young men and boys , it represented change and excitement . Finding and keeping dedicated soldiers throughout the long , hard war would be a constant chore . In time , the Continental Congress required states to supply soldiers . Men who could afford it often paid others , such as slaves or apprentices , to in their places . After you have read the passage , answer the following questions . The main idea of the second paragraph is stated in a sentence . Which sentence expresses the main idea ?
What is the first paragraph about ?
What facts and details are included in the paragraph ?
Based on your answers to these questions , what is the main idea of the first paragraph ?
and Chapter Section First Continental Congress ( 78 ) minutemen ( 79 ) Redcoats ( 80 ) Second Continental Congress ( 80 Continental Army ( 80 George Washington ( 80 Battle of Bunker Hill ( 81 ) Section Common Sense ( 83 Thomas Paine ( 83 ) Thomas Jefferson ( 84 ) Declaration of Independence ( 84 ) Patriots ( 84 ) Loyalists ( 84 ) Section mercenaries ( 92 ) Battle of Trenton ( 93 ) Battle of Saratoga ( Marquis de Lafayette ( 95 ) Bernardo de ( 95 ) John Paul Jones ( 97 ) George Rogers Clark ( 97 ) Section Francis Marion ( 99 ) Comte de Rochambeau ( 100 ) Battle of Yorktown ( 00 ) Treaty of Paris of 1783 ( 01 ) Academic Vocabulary Success in school is related to knowing academic the words that are frequently used in school assignments and . In this chapter , you will learn the following academic words reaction ( strategy ( 94 ) As you read Chapter , identify the main ideas of the paragraphs you are reading . THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 11
SECTION What You Will Learn . The First Continental Congress demanded certain rights from Great Britain . Armed conflict between British soldiers and colonists broke outwith the shot heard round the world . The Second Continental created the Continental Army to fight the British . The Big Idea The tensions between the colonies and Great Britain led to armed conflict . Key Terms and People First Continental Congress , 78 minutemen , 79 , 80 Second Continental Congress , 80 Continental Army , 80 George Washington , 80 Battle of Bunker Hill , 81 IE . Students understand the major events preceding the founding ofthe nation and relate their to the development of can constitutional democracy . 18 CHAPTER The Revolution Begins If YOU were there You are a member of the British Parliament in the 17705 . You and other officials have very different ideas about how to treat the American colonists . Some tell the king that the Americans are disobedient children who must be punished . Others point out that they are British citizens who have certain rights . Now the king must decide whether or not to impose harsher laws to punish the rebellious colonists . What advice would you give the king ?
BUILDING BACKGROUND Taxes and harsh new laws led some colonists to protest British . In some places , the protests turned violent . The British government , however , refused to listen to the colonists , ignoring their demands for more rights . That set the stage for war . First Continental Congress The closing of the port of Boston was the insult that led all of the colonies except Georgia to send delegates to the First Congress gathering in the fall of 1774 of delegates from throughout the colonies . At Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia , they engaged in tense debates . Virginia delegate Patrick Henry and er radicals believed that violence was unavoidable . Delegates from Pennsylvania and New York had strict orders to seek peace . At this historic crossroads , the delegates compromised . They halted all trade with Britain and alerted the colonial militias to prepare for war . Meanwhile , they drafted a Declaration of Rights , a list of 10 resolutions that included the right to life , liberty , and King George refused to consider the Declaration of Rights . Instead , British colonial leaders ordered their troops to prepare to seize the colonial militias weapons .
Shot Heard round the World In early 1775 Patrick Henry predicted that news of hostilities in Boston would come at any moment . Addressing the hesitation of some of his fellow Virginia legislators , Henry uttered these famous words Gentlemen may cry , Peace , there is no war is actually . know not what course others may take but as for me , give me liberty or give me death ! Henry , quoted in Eyewitnesses and Others One month later , on the night of April 18 , a force of 700 British soldiers headed for cord , a town about 20 miles west of Boston . British general Thomas Gage had heard that Miles . Kilometers Battle of Lexington The Battle of Lexington was the battle of the Revolutionary War . The map shows the route that Paul Revere rode to warn the minutemen that the British were coming . spies had Revere by lighting a lantern in the steeple of Boston North Church . Below is a photo of the actual candle lantern that was used . I I the colonial militia had a major weapons storehouse there . In reaction , he sent his soldiers to destroy it . Local spies got the news to the patriot group , the Sons of Liberty . On a prearranged signal , Paul Revere , William Dawes , and Samuel Prescott set off on horseback to sound the alert that the British were coming . Across the countryside , drums and church bells called to duty the minutemen bers of the civilian volunteer militia . At dawn the British troops arrived at the town of Lexington , near Concord , where 70 armed minutemen awaited the British advance . Do unless fired upon , the tain yelled to his minutemen . But if they mean to have a war , let it begin here ! ACADEMIC VOCABULARY reaction response THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 19
Second Continental 0118 15 Ot ear i the The battle ended in minutes with only In May 1775 , delegates from 12 colonies met a few shots . When the musket smoke in Philadelphia for the Second Continental cleared , minutemen lay dead , and 10 were Congress . This second gathering of delegates wounded . The British , with only one man from the colonies was still far from wounded , marched on to Concord . They . Some called for a war , others for peace . destroyed the weapons they found . Once again , they compromised . The As the British retreated to Boston , the roads did not break away from Britain , but it swarmed with minutemen , firing from behind declared the Massachusetts militia to be the every tree , fence , The British Continental Army . This military force would coats , soldiers wearing red uniforms , made carry out the against Britain . Congress an easy target . By the end of the day more than named a Virginian , George Washington , to 250 British soldiers were dead , wounded , or command the army . missing . The counted fewer than AS Washington prepared for War , the 100 Congress pursued peace . On July the signed the Olive Branch Petition , Identifying and ! ing the king to restore harmony between What led to the fighting at Lexington and Concord , and the colonies , King George refused and how did it affect the colonies conflict with to read it and looked for new ways to punish Great Britain ?
the colonies , Map The colonists were forced to retreat from Breed Hill , but the British suffered heavy losses during the battle . Battles for General Washington arrived two i weeks later and took command of troops . In 1776 they drove the British from Boston . American advance I I American retreat American troops British advance ' British retreat ' Interactive Map SKILLS i INTERPRETING MAPS British victory . Place What geographic advantage did control of Boston provide ?
Movement How did British troops retreat from Boston ?
How can you tell ?
Mile juju Battle of Bunker Hill While Congress discussed peace , went on the offensive . Desperate for supplies , leaders in Boston authorized Benedict Arnold to raise a force of 400 men to attack the British at Fort . On May 10 , 1775 , during an early morning storm , the Patriots quickly took the fort and its large supply of weapons . Meanwhile , the poorly supplied men kept the British pinned down inside the city of Boston . As the British were making plans to break the colonial siege south of ton , they awoke 17 to a stunning sight . The colonial forces had quietly dug in at Breed Hill , a point overlooking northern Boston . The Redcoats would have to cross Boston Harbor in boats and their way up the hill . As the British force of advanced , the Americans waited . Low on gunpowder , the commander ordered his troops not to fire until you see the whites of their Finally , the colonists rained down their on the attackers . Climbing the exposed hillside with their heavy packs , the Redcoats were cut down . Twice they retreated . Stepping over the dead and wounded along the way , they marched back up the hill for a third try . The colonists were now out of . As the British rushed toward them , Patriots threw rocks . They swung their empty guns like clubs . They fought with their bare hands . At last , the Americans had to retreat . For the British , it was a tragic victory . They suffered more than casualties , about double the American losses . This tle , called the Battle of Bunker Hill , proved the colonists could take on the British . British Retreat from Boston Two weeks later , on July , General George Washington arrived to take command of the Continental Army of about men . After months of preparation , in March 1776 , Washington used the Fort to threaten the British from Nook Hill overlooking Boston . British guns could not reach the top of the hill . On March , General William Howe retreated from Boston . The birthplace of the rebellion was back in colonial hands . Identifying Cause and Effect How did geography influence the early battles around Boston ?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW The colonists could not avoid war with Great Britain . In the next section you will read about the Declaration of Independence . on Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People a . Identify What was the First Continental Congress ?
Make inferences Why did the First Continental send the Declaration of Rights to the king ?
Elaborate Why do you think King George III refused to consider the colonists Declaration of Rights ?
a . Identify Who warned the colonists of the British advance toward Concord ?
Analyze Why did the British army march on Lexington and Concord ?
Elaborate What do you think is meant by the sion the shot heard round the world ?
a . Describe What was the purpose of the Second Continental Congress ?
Draw Conclusions How was the Continental Army able to drive British forces out of Boston ?
Evaluate How would you evaluate the performance of the Continental Army in the early battles of the war ?
Explain your answer . Critical Thinking . Summarizing Copy the graphic organizer below . Use it to summarize the actions and results of the First and Second Continental Congresses . Continental Congress Actions Taken Results First Second . Thinking about the Beginning You have about five minutes for your report and only a minute or two to talk about the beginning of the war . What are the one or two most important things you want to say about the beginning ?
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 81 I RAP George Washington What would you do if you were asked to lead a new country ?
when did he live ?
Where did he live ?
George Washington was a true American , born in the colony . As president , he lived in New York City and Philadelphia , the first two capitals . When he retired , he returned to his plantation at Mount Vernon . What did he do ?
Although Washington was a wealthy farmer , he spent most of his life in the military and in politics . Leading the colonial forces to victory in the Revolutionary War , he then helped shape the new government of the United States . On April 30 , 1789 , he was sworn in as the first president of the United States . Why is he so important ?
George Washington inspired Americans and helped to unite them . One ' of his great accomplishments as president was to 11 . In keep the peace with Britain and France . Upon ' avoid becoming ' Drawing Conclusions How might Washington ship in the Revolutionary War have prepared him for his role as president ?
Mount Vernon was Washington plantation . leaving the presidency , he urged Americans to KEY EVENTS Serves in Second Continental Congress selected commander of the Continental Army Inaugurated as president 1193 Begins second term as president 01196 Publishes his Farewell Address and retires to his tion at Mount Vernon Dies at Mount Vernon his will frees his slaves
Declaring Independence If YOU were there You live on a farm in New York in 1776 . The conflicts with the ish have torn your family apart . Your father is loyal to King George and wants to remain British . But your mother is a Patriot , and your brother wants to join the Continental Army Your father and others who feel the same way are moving to Canada . Now you must decide what you will do , Would you decide to go to Canada or support the Patriots ?
I BUILDING BACKGROUND The outbreak some by surprise . Many American colonists , like the farmer above , did independence from Britain . Gradually , though , the idea of independence became more popular . Paine Common Sense fI here is something Very absurd in supposing a continent to be perpetually forever governed by an This argument against British rule over America appeared in Common Sense , a pamphlet published in January 1776 that urged separation from Great Britain . Common Sense was published is , without the author name . The author , Thomas Paine , argued that citizens , not kings and queens , should make laws . At a time when monarchs ruled much of the world , this was a bold idea . News of the work spread throughout the colonies , eventually selling some copies . Paine reached a wide audience by writing as a common person speaking to common people . Common Sense changed the way many colonists Viewed their king . It made a strong case for economic freedom and for the right to military defense . It cried out against is , the abuse of ment power . Thomas Paine words rang out in his time , and they have echoed throughout American history . Supporting a Point of View Would you have agreed with Thomas Paine ?
Explain your answer . SECTION ) What You Learn . Thomas Paine Common Sense led many colonists to support independence . Colonists had differing tions to the Declaration of Independence . The Big Idea The colonies formally declared their independence from Great Britain . Key Terms and People Common Sense , 83 Thomas Paine , 83 Thomas Jefferson , 84 Declaration of Independence , 84 Patriots , 84 Loyalists , 84 Analyze the of government expressed in the Declaration of Independence , with an emphasis on government as a means of securing individual rights , key phrases such as all men are created equal , that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights ) REVOLUTION 83
THE IMPACT TODAY The Continental Congress voted for independence on July . ever , because the Declaration was not approved until July , the fourth is celebrated today as Day . Signing the Declaration of Independence Independence for Colonies Many colonial leaders agreed with Paine . They thought that the colonies should be free . In June 1776 the Second Continental Congress created a committee to write a document declaring the colonies independence . A New Philosophy of Government The committee members were John Adams , Benjamin Franklin , Thomas Jefferson , Robert Livingston , and Roger Sherman . Jefferson was the document main author . The Declaration of Independence mally announced the colonies break from Great Britain . In doing so , it expressed three main ideas . The idea Jefferson argued was that all men possess unalienable rights . He stated that these basic rights include life , liberty , and the pursuit of Jefferson next argument was that King George III had violated the colonists rights by passing unfair laws and interfering with colonial governments . Jefferson accused the king of taxing colonists without their sent and he felt that the large British army in the colonies violated colonists rights . 84 CHAPTER Third , Jefferson argued that the colonies had the right to break from Britain . He was by the Enlightenment idea of the social contract , which states that ments and rulers must protect the rights of citizens . In exchange , the people agree to be governed . Jefferson said that because King George III had broken the social contract , the colonists should no longer obey him . 776 , the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence . This act broke all ties to the British Crown . The United States of America was born . Choosing Sides Colonists known as Patriots chose to for independence . Loyalists called those who remained loyal to Great Britain . Historians estimate that 40 to 45 percent of Americans were Patriots , while 20 to 30 percent were . The rest were neutral . Once the Declaration was signed , Loyalists and Patriots became opponents . More than Loyalists during the Revolution . The war tore apart families . Even the great Patriot Benjamin Franklin had a Loyalist son .
John Adams Roger Sherman Robert Livingston Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin John Hancock Declaration from th i How realistic do you think this painting is ?
Other Reactions to the Declaration Today we can see that the Declaration ignored many colonists . At least one delegate wife , Abigail Adams , tried to her band to include women in the Declaration . Although many women were Patriots , the Declaration did not address their rights . Nor did the Declaration recognize the rights of enslaved African Americans . The Revolution raised questions about whether slavery should exist in a land that valued . Some Patriot writers had compared ing under British rule to living as slaves . The difference between the ideals of liberty and the practice of slavery was a subject of great disagreement among Americans . In July 1776 slavery was legal in all of the colonies . By the the New England were taking steps to end slavery . Even so , the over slavery continued long after the Revolutionary War had ended . Finding Main Ideas What groups were unrepresented in the Declaration of Independence ?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW In 1776 the declared their independence . The Declaration of Independence has inspired Americans throughout history with its message of freedom and equality . In order to maintain their freedom , however , would have to battle the British army and win a war . In the next section you will learn about some of the battles that took place early during the War . Early in the war , it seemed as if the British would defeat the colonists . online Quiz KEYWORD IE Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People a . Identify Who was Thomas Paine ?
Make inferences Why do you think Thomas Paine originally published Common Sense anonymously ?
Elaborate Do you think that most colonists would have supported independence from Britain without Thomas Paine publication of Common Sense ?
Explain your answer . a . Identify What two sides emerged in response to the Declaration of Independence ?
What did each side favor ?
Explain What arguments did the authors of the Declaration of Independence give for declaring the colonies free from British control ?
Predict How might some groups use the Declaration of Independence in the future to gain rights ?
Critical . Summarizing Copy the web below . Use it to identify the main ideas in the Declaration of Independence . Declaration of Independence Focus oN SPEAKING . Gathering Ideas about the Declaration of Independence Imagine you were living at the time of the American Revolution . What was new and surprising about the colonists actions ?
In one or two minutes , what is the most important thing you can say about the colonies declaring independence ?
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 85 Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration in a little more than two weeks . How is the idea about why governments are formed still important to our country today ?
Vocabulary impel force endowed provided wrongful seizures of power evinces clearly displays despotism unlimited power tyranny oppressive power exerted by a government or ruler candid fair Here the Declaration lists the charges that the colonists had against King George III . How does the language in the list appeal to people emotions ?
86 CHAPTER The Declaration of Independence In Congress , 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America , When in the Course of human events , it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another , and to assume among the Powers of the earth , the separate and equal tion to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature God entitle them , a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation . We hold these truths to be , 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 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 effect 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 , 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 has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government . The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and , 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 . He has refused his Assent to Laws , the most wholesome and necessary for the public good . He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and ing importance , unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained and when so suspended , he has utterly neglected to attend to them .
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people , unless those people would relinquish the right of tion in the Legislature , a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only . He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual , uncomfortable , and distant from the depository of their Public Records , for the sole pose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures . He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly , for opposing with manly his invasions on the rights of the people . He has refused for a long time , after such , to cause others to be elected whereby the Legislative Powers , incapable of Annihilation , have returned to the People at large for their exercise the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without , and convulsions within . He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States for that pose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither , and raising the tions of new Appropriations of Lands . He has obstructed the Administration of Justice , by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers . He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone , for the tenure of their , and the amount and payment of their salaries . He has erected a multitude of New , and sent hither swarms of to harass our people , and eat out their substance . He has kept among us , in times of peace , Standing Annies without the Consent of our legislature . He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power . He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution , and unacknowledged by our laws giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended legislation For quartering large bodies of troops among us For protecting them , by a mock Trial , from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world For imposing taxes on us without our Consent For depriving us in many cases , of the of Trial by Jury Vocabulary relinquish release , yield inestimable priceless causing dread annihilation destruction convulsions violent disturbances naturalization of foreigners the process by which persons become citizens appropriations of lands setting aside land for settlement tenure term a multitude of many quartering lodging , housing been angry Colonists had over British tax policies since just French and Indian War . Why were the colonists protesting British tax policies ?
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 81 Vocabulary arbitrary on law render make abdicated given up foreign mercenaries soldiers hired to fight for a country not their own perfidy violation of trust insurrections rebellions petitioned for redress asked formally for a correction of wrongs unwarrantable jurisdiction unjustified authority magnanimity generous spirit conjured urgently called upon consanguinity common ancestry acquiesce consent to EXPLORING Here the ' Declaration calls the king a tyrant . What do you think tyrant means in this passage ?
88 CHAPTER For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province , establishing therein an Arbitrary govemment , and enlarging its aries so as to render it at once an example and instrument for the same absolute rule into these Colonies For taking away our Charters , abolishing our most valuable Laws , and ing fundamentally the Forms of our For suspending our own Legislature , and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever . He has abdicated Govemment here , by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us . He has plundered our seas , ravaged our Coasts , burnt our towns , and destroyed the lives of our people . He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to the works of death , desolation and tyranny , already begun with circumstances of Cruelty scarcely paralleled in the most ages , and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation . He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country , to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren , or to fall themselves by their Hands . He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us , and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers , the merciless Indian Savages , whose known rule of warfare , is an undistinguished destruction of all ages , sexes and conditions . In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury . A Prince , whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant , is to be the ruler of a free People . Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren . We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an over us . We have reminded them of the of our emigration and settlement here . We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity , and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these , which , would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence . They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity . We must , therefore , acquiesce in the necessity , which denounces our Separation , and hold them , as we hold the rest of mankind , Enemies in War , in Peace Friends .
We , therefore , the Representatives of the united States of America , in eral Congress , Assembled , appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions , do , in the Name , and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies , solemnly publish and declare , That these United Colonies are , and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown , and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain , is and ought to be totally dissolved and that as Free and Independent States , they have full Power to levy War , conclude Peace , contract Alliances , establish Commerce , and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do . And for the support of this Declaration , with a ance on the Protection of Divine Providence , we mutually pledge to each other our Lives , our Fortunes and our sacred Honor . John Hancock Button Lyman Hall George Walton William Hooper Joseph Hewes John Penn Edward Rutledge Thomas , Thomas Lynch , Arthur Middleton Samuel Chase William Paca Thomas Stone Charles Carroll of George Richard Henry Lee Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Harrison Thomas Nelson , Francis Lightfoot Lee Carter Braxton Robert Morris Benjamin Rush Benjamin Franklin John Morton George James Smith George Taylor James Wilson George Ross Caesar Rodney George Read Thomas William Floyd Philip Livingston Francis Lewis Lewis Morris Richard Stockton John Witherspoon Francis John Hart Abraham Clark Josiah Bartlett William Whipple Samuel Adams John Adams Robert Treat Paine Gerry Stephen Hopkins William Ellery Roger Sherman Samuel Huntington William Williams Oliver Wolcott Matthew Thornton Vocabulary rectitude rightness Here is where VIII the document declares the independence of the colonies . Whose authority does the Congress use to declare independence ?
The Congress adopted the final draft ofthe Declaration of Independence on , 1776 . copy , written on parchment paper , was signed on August , 1776 . The following . IS part of a passage that the Congress removed from original draft He has waged cruel war against human nature itself , violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him , captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere , orto incur miserable death in their transportation thither . Why do you think the Congress deleted this passage ?
DECLARATION or INDEPENDENCE 89 What You Will Learn . Many Americans contributed to the war effort . Despite early defeats by Britain , the Patriots claimed some victories . Saratoga was a turning point in the war . The winter at Valley Forge tested the strength of Patriot forces . The war continued at sea and in the West . The Big Idea Patriot forces faced many obstacles in the war against Britain . Key Terms and People mercenaries , 92 Battle of Trenton , 93 Battle of Saratoga , 94 Marquis de Lafayette , Bernardo de Galvez , 95 John Paul Jones , 97 George Rogers Clark , 97 IE Analyze howthe can Revolution affected other nations , especially France . 90 CHAPTER Patriots Gain New Hope If YOU were there You are a serving maid at an inn in New York City during the Revolutionary War . British officers and soldiers often stop at the inn for a meal . You can sometimes overhear their conversations , though they dont notice you . Now a Patriot leader has asked you to bring him any information you hear You want to help the Patriot cause but wonder what will happen if you are caught spying . How would you feel about spying on the British soldiers ?
BUILDING BACKGROUND Colonists from many different grounds worked forthe Patriot cause . Although men did most of the actual fighting , women like the maid above also made important contributions . Women and those too old to fight also and shops running , providing food and supplies . In spite of the colonists efforts , winning the war was a great challenge . Americans and the War Effort During the war more than soldiers served in the tal Army . The typical soldier was young , often under the legal age of 16 . Most had little money , no property , and few opportunities in life . The army offered low pay , often rotten food , hard work , cold , heat , poor clothing and shelter , harsh discipline , and a high chance of becoming a casualty . Yet for some young men and boys , it change and excitement . Finding and keeping dedicated soldiers throughout the long , hard war would be a constant chore . In time , the Continental required states to supply soldiers . Men who could afford it often paid others , such as slaves or apprentices , to in their places . One question facing George Washington was whether to recruit African Americans . Many white opposed the idea , and at first Washington banned African Americans from serving . When the British promised freedom to any slave who fought on their side ,
Map I Major Battles New York , August 1776 Trenton , December 1775 Battles in the Middle Colonies , Fort RI , Long Island ) Boston ) both ) Collection of The Historical Society Princeton , January 1777 ix ' New York if Brandywine , September 1777 , Valley Forge Brandywine British Forces ' Strengths , equipped soldiers Large , powerful navy Colonial Forces Strengths Fought for a cause they believed in Got help from European nations ATLANTIC Weaknesses Had to cross Atlantic Ocean Used mercenaries as soldiers British advance British victory Colonial advance Colonial victory Proclamation Line of 1763 Weaknesses Untrained , poorly equipped soldiers Small navy 75 150 Miles 75 15 ! Kilometers Interactive Map KEYWORD . GEOGRAPHY SKILLS . Movement About how Washington march from Boston to New York ?
Interaction How did geography INTERPRETING MAPS however , thousands signed on . In response , the Continental Army began allowing free African Americans to serve . Native Americans fought on both sides during the war . Indians who had been pushed off their lands by colonial settlers aided the British . Mohawk leader ( persuaded many Iroquois to support the British . The Patriots had to work hard just to keep other American Indians neutral . While men served as soldiers , many Patriot women ran farms and businesses . Others helped the army by raising money for supplies or making clothing . Women British advance on Philadelphia ?
served as messengers , nurses , and spies . A few disguised themselves as men to in the war . Perhaps the most famous woman to serve in the war was Mary Ludwig Hays . She earned the nickname Molly Pitcher by ing water to the troops . When her husband was wounded in a 1778 battle , she took his place loading cannons . Another woman , Deborah Sampson , dressed as a man and fought in several battles . Summarizing How did various groups of colonists contribute to the war effort ! TODAY Women are still banned from ground combat , but in Operation Iraqi Freedom women operated warships and flew and helicopters forthe first time in a ground conflict . THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 91
Early Defeats The War for Independence did not explode with the shot heard round the Instead , it gathered steam throughout 1776 , becoming more intense and deadly . Defeat in Canada Some Patriots thought Canada should be the At bec , General Richard Montgomery joined forces with General Benedict Arnold . Yet ther army had cannons with which to bring down Quebec high walls . The generals decided to take a chance . They would wait for a snowstorm , hoping it would provide cover for a bold advance . The attack failed , and Montgomery was killed . The Patriots hopes of taking Canada faded . Defeat in New York New York City became the first major ground . General Washington had moved his troops to New York , expecting the ish arrival . Sure enough , in late June 1776 , a large of British ships approached New York Bay . Led by General William Howe , the British force pushed the Continental Army off of Long Island . Howe soldiers were much ter equipped than Washington men , most of whom were militia . The Patriot eral had to use all of his leadership skills just to save his army . In a series of battles , Howe pounded the Continental Army , forcing it to retreat ther and farther . The Redcoats captured many Patriots as well as valuable supplies . After eral months of , the British pushed Washington across the Hudson River into New Jersey . Howe revenge for his defeat at Boston was complete . During the New York campaigns , a young Connecticut named Nathan Hale went behind British lines to get secret information . Seized by the British with documents hidden in the soles of his shoes , Hale was ordered to 92 CHAPTER Crossing the Delaware George Washington and his troops crossed the partially frozen Delaware River on the night of December 25 , 1776 . This daring act led to a key Patriot victory at the Battle of ton . German American artist Emanuel created this famous painting of the event in 1851 . Washington Crossing the Delaware now hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City . What feelings do you think wanted to inspire with this painting ?
be hanged . Before his tion , he is said to have declared , I regret that I have but one life to lose for my Victory in New Jersey In November 1776 the tattered Continental Army was on the rim , retreating through New Jersey . Washington ing men were tired and discouraged . The contract for many of them would end on December Who would in this losing army , and who would volunteer to replace the soldiers who left ?
Washington hope of the in danger of simply vanishing . Thinking that the rebellion would end soon , Howe left New Jersey in the hands of soldiers from the German state of . The Hessians were mercenaries foreign soldiers who not out of loyalty , but for pay . On December Washington retreated across the Delaware River into nia . Even with fresh militiamen from Pennsylvania , the Patriots were near the end . These are the times that try men souls , wrote Thomas Paine in the first of a series of pamphlets called The American Crisis , which he began in late 1776 .
Without , Washington would lose his army . He decided to take a big chance and go on the offensive . The Americans would attack the Hessians at Trenton , New Jersey . On Christmas night , 1776 , with a winter storm lashing about them , Washington and soldiers silently rowed across the clogged Delaware River . As morning broke , the men , short on supplies and many with no shoes , marched through the snow to reach the enemy camp . The Hessians , having celebrated the holiday the night before , were fast asleep when the Patriots sprang upon them . can soldiers took more than 900 prisoners . This battle , called the Battle of Trenton , was an important Patriot Victory . British general Charles Cornwallis rushed to stop Washington as he marched northeast to Princeton . On the night of January , 1777 , the Patriots left their burning , then slipped into the darkness and circled behind the British troops . In the morning , ton attacked . A local resident witnessed it The battle was plainly seen from our door . and the guns went off so quick and many they could not be numbered Almost as soon as the was over , our house was and rounded with General Washington , quoted in Voices of 1776 by Richard Wheeler As Washington watched the Redcoats Princeton , he cheered , It is a fox chase , my Now , new soldiers joined the chase . Others . The the saved . Summarizing Explain eral Washington strategy at the Battle of Trenton . FOCUS ON READING You might not know what offensive means in this context . The sentence word explains that here it means attacking . THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Turning Point at Saratoga The two quick defeats stung the British . In the spring of 1777 , they wanted a victory . British General John Burgoyne came up with a plan to push through New York , capture the Hudson River valley , and cut off A ( New England from the other colonies . The ( strategy required perfect timing . strategy a plan I for a According to the plan , Burgoyne army battle would invade from Canada , recapture Fort , and sweep south to Albany . General Howe , in New York City , would sail up the Hudson River to meet him , strangling New England . Indeed , Burgoyne took in early July and then headed toward Albany . Here the timing went wrong for the British . Unknown to Burgoyne , Howe had his own plans . He left New York , sailed up the Bay , and captured the colonial capital of Philadelphia . Delegates to the tal Congress were forced to . Meanwhile , Burgoyne wagons and cannons became bogged down in thick forests . The Patriots had chopped down large trees and dammed rivers to create obstacles . All along the route , militiamen swarmed out of nowhere to attack the Redcoats . As Burgoyne neared Saratoga , New York , he found himself alone and outnumbered . Time Line The Patriots Gain Ground December Patriots win the Battle of Trenton . January Patriots win the Battle of Princeton . 94 CHAPTER British advance Patriot advance 50 When broke out near Saratoga , the Americans scored a major victory . Patriot General Horatio Gates crushed the British attempts to advance . Benedict Arnold then led a bold charge that forced the British to retreat . Burgoyne found himself surrounded . On October 17 , 1777 , he surrendered his entire army to General Gates . The Battle of Saratoga in New York was the greatest victory yet for the American forces . Morale soared . Patriot James wrote , This event will make one of the most brilliant pages of American Miles Burgoyne marched south , heading for Albany . They were crushed by Patriot forces under General Gates at Saratoga . July 27 , Marquis de Lafayette arrives in Philadelphia to offer his assistance to the Patriot cause .
The victory at Saratoga gave the ots something they had been desperately seeking foreign help . It came from powerful enemies , France and Spain . old ally , Holland , also joined the on the side of the Patriots . Help from France Benjamin Franklin , a skilled diplomat , had gone to France in 1776 to work out details for an alliance . The Battle of Saratoga persuaded the French that the Americans could win the war . In May 1778 the Congress a treaty of support with France . A Frenchman and a Prussian The welfare of America is closely bound up with the welfare of mankind , declared a young French nobleman , the Marquis de Lafayette . Inspired by the ideas of the , Lafayette came to America in the mer of 1777 . He volunteered to serve in the Continental Army without pay . Although he spoke little English , had not seen battle , and was not yet 20 years old , Lafayette received the high post of major general . Though wounded in his battle outside Philadelphia , Lafayette went on to become a skilled military . In addition to his military service , he contributed of his own money to support the Revolution and helped persuade France to send more aid to the Americans . In February 1778 another European cer came to serve heroically under . Baron Friedrich von came with a lifetime of military experience from his home country of Prussia ( in Germany ) Congress quickly put him to work training the Continental Army . Von led with a combination of respect and fear . Although he could not speak the language of his men , he memorized English commands in order to teach them basic military skills . Von drills worked . He turned the Continental Army into a tough force . Spain Supports the Patriots Spain , also a bitter enemy of Britain , joined the war in 1779 . Bernardo de Galvez , the nor of Spanish Louisiana , became a key ally to the Patriots . Galvez gathered a small army of Spanish soldiers , French Americans , and Indians . Together , they made their way east from Louisiana . Galvez seized British posts all the way to , Florida . Summarizing Why wasthe Battle of Saratoga a turning point in the war ! SKILL READING TIME LINES Which nations joined the Patriot cause ?
Primary Source JOURNAL ENTRY Valley Forge A surgeon at Valley Forge , Waldo kept a nal of What he saw during the winter of . The Army which has been surprisingly healthy hitherto , now begins to grow sickly from the continued fatigues they have suffered this Campaign . Yet they still show a spirit of Alacrity cheerful readiness and Contentment not to be expected from so young Troops . I am out of humour Poor clothes Cookery . smoke and and pox on my bad , quoted in and Others ANALYSIS SKILL ANALYZING PRIMARY SOURCES Why did Waldo seem surprised by the soldiers altitude ?
Winter at Forge As winter roared in , soldiers quickly built crude shelters that offered little protection against the weather . Some soldiers had no shirts . Others had marched the shoes off their feet . At their guard posts , they stood on their hats to keep their feet from touching the freezing ground . One soldier wrote that getting food was the business that usually employed During that terrible winter , some soldiers died of disease and malnutrition . Amazingly , the survivors not only they drilled and marched to the orders of on von , becoming better soldiers . While the soldiers suffered through the winter at Valley Forge , the British lived a life of luxury in Philadelphia . Most of the ots had the city , leaving only Loyalists and British soldiers . Together they enjoyed To see men without clothes without blankets the Cit ) houses taverns and theaters and to lie upon , without shoes without a house held and or hut to cover them until those could be built , and submitting without a murmur , is a proof of Finding Main Ideas patience and Obedience What challenges did the Continental Army face at can scarcely be paralleled matched . quoted in Valley George A Collection The entry of France and Spain into the war came at a crucial moment . The tal Army was running very low on supplies . In December 1777 , Washington settled his men at Valley Forge , about 20 miles north of Philadelphia . There they suffered shortages of food and clothing . To this day , the name of Valley Forge brings to mind courage . Yet no battles took place here . The only enemy was the brutal winter of . Washington men lacked even the most basic protections against snows . In spite of the general repeated requests for supplies , over funding between state authorities and Congress kept supplies from coming . Washington wrote in a letter 96 CHAPTER
War at Sea and in the West Americans fought at sea and on the western frontier . Each area posed tough challenges . War at Sea The Continental Navy and the marines were established in late 1775 . The tiny was no match for the huge British navy . So instead of large battles , the Patriots attacked and sunk hundreds of individual British ships . When war broke out , John Paul Jones quickly gained fame as a brave and clever sailor . In Jones most famous victory , his ship , the Richard , suffered heavy damage . The British captain called out to Jones , Has your ship struck surrendered ?
He replied , I have not yet begun to fight ! The battle continued for more than two hours . Finally , the British ship surrendered . War in the West Only in his , George Rogers Clark had spent years exploring and mapping the western frontier . Now he traveled the tier gathering soldiers from small towns . In June 1778 Clark and 175 crossed southern Illinois to capture the British trading village of . Clark then organized meetings with an leaders , persuading some of them to remain neutral . During this period , the British captured the town of Vincennes on the Wabash River . Clark forces retook the town at the Battle of Vincennes in February 1779 . Clark never managed to capture Fort Detroit , Britain major frontier base . But his efforts helped contain the British in the West . I Finding Main Ideas Jones and Clark help the Patriots war effort ?
SUMMARY AND PREVIEW The Patriots faced hardships as the war continued . In the next section you will see how they hope . ram online Quiz Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People Em Critical Thinking a . Identify What groups helped in the Patriot war effort ?
How did each group contribute ?
Analyze Why was it difficult to find and keep soldiers in the Continental Army ?
a . Describe What early defeats did the Patriots face ?
Elaborate Do you think it was a mistake for the British to use mercenaries to help them fight the war ?
Why or why not ?
a . Describe How did the Battle of Saratoga help the Patriots ?
Elaborate Why do you think foreign nations supported the colonists rather than Great Britain ?
a . Describe What difficulties did the Patriots face at Valley Forge ?
Predict How might the winter at Valley Forge affect the Patriots war effort ?
a . Identify Who was John Paul Jones ?
Summarize How did the Patriots overcome challenges at sea and in the West ?
Drawing Conclusions Copy the chart below . Use it to identify the problems first faced by the Patriots in the North , at sea , and out West . Then identify Patriot successes in these areas . Patriot Problems Patriot Region Successes . Thinking about the Dark Hours Why was this period of the war so difficult for the Patriots ?
How did they struggle through ?
What are the one or two points that are the most important about this period of the war ?
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 91 SECTION What You Learn . Patriot many problems in the war in the South . The American Patriots finally defeated the British at the Battle of Yorktown . The British and the Americans officially ended the warwith the Treaty of Paris of 1783 . The Big Idea The war spread to the South , where the British were finally defeated . Key Terms and People Francis Marion , 99 Comte de Rochambeau , 100 Battle of Yorktown , 100 Treaty of Paris of 1783 , 101 ES Students understand the major events preceding the founding of the nation and relate their significance to the ment of American constitutional democracy . 98 CHAPTER Independence ! If YOU were there You have grown up on a farm in South Carolina . You know every inch of the woods and marshes around your home . You are too young to join the Continental Army , but you have heard stories about a brave group of soldiers who carry out quick raids on the British , then disappear into the woods . These fighters get no pay and live in constant danger Would you consider joining the ?
Why ?
BUILDING BACKGROUND As the war moved to the South , can forces encountered new problems . They suffered several major defeats . But American resistance in the South was strong . woods fighters confused and frustrated the British army . Eventually , with help from its allies , American persistence won out . War in the South The war across the ocean was not going the way the British ment in London had planned . The northern colonies , with their ragged , scrappy , proved to be tough to tame . So the British switched strategies and set their sights on the South . The British hoped to support from the large Loyalist living in Georgia , the Carolinas , and Virginia . They also planned to free slaves and put guns in their hands as they moved across the South . Under the leadership of a new commander , eral Henry Clinton , the new strategy paid a while . Brutal Fighting The southern war was particularly brutal . Much more than in the North , this phase of the war pitted versus one another in direct combat . The British also destroyed crops , farm animals , and other property as they marched through the South . One British officer , sowed
Swamp Fox Francis Marion , the Swamp Fox , leads his soldiers down a river in South Carolina . Marion built a hideout on one of the rivers islands . From there , he would lead raids against British communication and supply lines . Which do you think is Francis Marion ?
Why ?
fear throughout the South by refusing to take prisoners and killing soldiers who tried to surrender . Georgia , the last colony to join the , was the first to fall to the British . A force of Redcoats easily took Savannah in 1778 and soon put in place a new colonial government . Britain next major target was Charleston , South Carolina . In early 1780 General ton landed a force of troops around the port City . With a minimal cost of about 250 casualties , the British scored one of their biggest victories of the war . The Patriots rendered Charleston in May , handing over four ships and some prisoners . A Failed Attack In August 1780 , Patriot forces led by Horatio Gates tried to drive the British out of den , South Carolina . The attack was poorly planned , however . Gates had only half as many soldiers as he had planned for , and most were tired and hungry . In the heat of battle , many panicked and ran . The Patriot attack quickly fell apart . Of some American troops , only about 700 escaped . General Greene arrived to reorganize the army . As he rode through the southern Countryside , he was discouraged by the devastation . I have never witnessed such scenes , he later wrote . Guerrilla Warfare The southern Patriots switched to swift attacks known as guerrilla warfare . No Patriot was better at this style of than Francis Marion . He organized Marion Brigade , a group of guerrilla soldiers . Marion Brigade used surprise attacks to disrupt British communication and supply lines . Despite their great efforts , the British could not catch Marion and his men . One frustrated general claimed , As for this . old fox , the devil himself could not catch From that point on , Marion was known as the Swamp Fox . Sequencing events of the war in the South in chronological order . THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 99
Map History American troop positions American siege lines French troop positions British troop positions British defensive lines Mile The British scuttled , or purposely sank , dozens of their ships . This formed a barrier that kept the French ships from coming too close . Interactive Map SKILLS , ANALYZING VISUALS KEYWORD . Movement How did colonial and French forces trap the British at Yorktown ?
How did the French help the Patriots ?
ATLANTIC OCEAN Battle of Yorktown In early 781 the war was going badly for the Patriots . They were low on money to pay and buy supplies . The help of their eign allies had not ended the war as quickly as they had hoped . The British held most of the South , plus Philadelphia and New York City . American morale took another blow when Benedict Arnold , one of America most gifted officers , turned traitor . Regrouped under Greene , the Continental Army began harassing British general Charles in the Carolinas . Hoping to stay in communication with the British naval , Cornwallis moved his force of men to Yorktown , Virginia . It was a fatal mistake . General Washington , in New York , saw a chance to trap Cornwallis at Yorktown . He ordered Lafayette to block escape by land . Then he combined his troops with French troops commanded by the Comte de Rochambeau ( CHAPTER Washington led the force on a swift march to Virginia to cut off the other escape routes . The Patriots surrounded Cornwallis with some soldiers . while , a French naval seized control of the Chesapeake Bay , preventing British ships from rescuing Cornwallis stranded army . The siege began . For weeks , the ing steadily wore down the British defenses . In early October , Washington prepared for a major attack on the weakened British troops . Facing defeat , on October 19 , 1781 , Cornwallis sent a and a soldier with a white of surrender to camp . The Patriots took some British largest British army in America . The Battle of Yorktown , was the last major battle of the American Revolution . Prime Minister Lord North received word of the Yorktown surrender in November . In shock he declared , It is all over ! Drawing Conclusions Why did the at Yorktown end the war ?
The Treaty of Paris North after the After Yorktown , only a few small battles Of took place . Lacking the money to pay for a new army , Great Britain entered into peace talks with America . Benjamin Franklin had an role in the negotiations . Delegates took more than two years to come to a peace agreement . In the Treaty of Paris of 1783 , Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States . The treaty also set America borders . A separate treaty between Britain and Spain returned Florida to the Spanish . British leaders also accepted American rights to settle and trade west of the original thirteen colonies . At the war end , Patriot soldiers returned ' GEOGRAPHY . to their homes and families . The courage of INTERPRETING MAPS Region Which three countries disputed the area in the northwest of the continent ?
soldiers and civilians had made victory possible . As they returned home , George Washington thanked his troops for their devotion . I . wish that your latter days be as prosperous as your former ones have been SUMMARY AND PREVIEW The Americans gained their independence in 1783 . In Summarizing Explain how the next chapter you will learn about how the Independence finally came to an end . they formed their first government . 30 ram Section Assessment Reviewing Ideas , Terms , and People IE Critical Thinking a . Describe What problems did the Patriots . Sequencing Copy the graphic organizer below . in the war in the South ?
Use it to list the major events that led to the end Analyze What advantages did the southern of the Revolutionary War . Patriots have over the British in the South ?
a . Describe What was the Patriots strategy for defeating the British at Yorktown ?
Elaborate Why do you think General Cornwallis decided to surrender at the Battle of Yorktown ?
a . Identify Who helped to negotiate the peace Treaty of Paris treaty for the Patriots ?
Taking Notes on the Revolution Ending After . Predict How might relations between Great reading this section , you have a picture of the Britain and their former colonies be affected by whole war . In your talk , what do you want to say the war ?
about how the war ended ?
Were there any moments that were especially trying for the colonists ?
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Social Studies Skills Critical A a Thinking Participation tory are change as new information is ered . Understanding Historical Interpretation Define the Skill Historical interpretations are ways of explaining the past . They are based on what is known about the people , ideas , and actions that make up tory . Two historians can look at the same set of facts about a person or event of the past and see things in different ways . Their explanations of the person or event , and the conclusions they reach , can be very different . The ability to recognize , understand , and evaluate historical interpretations is a valuable skill in the study of history . Learn the Skill When people study the past , they decide which facts are the most important in explaining why something happened . One person may believe tain facts to be important , while other people may believe other facts are more important . Therefore , their explanation of the topic , and the conclusions they draw about it , may not be the same . In tion , if new facts are uncovered about the topic , still more interpretations of it may result . Asking the following questions will help you to understand and evaluate historical interpretations . What is the main idea in the way the topic is explained ?
What conclusions are reached ?
Be aware that these may not be directly stated but only hinted at in the information provided . On what facts has the writer or speaker relied ?
Do these facts seem to support his or her nation and conclusions ?
102 CHAPTER Is there important information about the topic that the writer or speaker has dismissed or ignored ?
If so , you should suspect the may be inaccurate and deliberately slanted to prove a particular point of view . Just because interpretations differ , one is not necessarily right and others As long as a person considers all the evidence , and draws based on a fair evaluation of that evidence , his or her interpretation is probably acceptable . Remember , however , that trained historians let the facts lead them to conclusions . People who start with a conclusion , select only facts that support it , and ignore opposing evidence produce tions that have little value for understanding history . Practice the Skill Two widely accepted interpretations exist of the causes of the American Revolution . One holds that the Revolution was a struggle by Americans to be free from harsh British rule . In this view the colonists were used to and resisted British efforts to take rights they claimed . The other interpretation is that a clash of economic interests caused the Revolution . In this view , it resulted from a struggle between British and merchants over control of Americas economy . Review Sections and of Chapter and Sections and of Chapter . Then answer the lowing questions . I . What facts in the textbook support the nomic interpretation of the Revolution ?
What evidence supports the political interpretation ?
Which interpretation seems more convincing ?
Explain why . id Students of Visual Summary the main ideas of the chapter . Patriots fought Loyalists in the Revolutionary War Speeches and protests ignited revolutionary feelings . Reviewing Vocabulary , Terms , and People I . What were American colonists who remained loyal to Great Britain called ?
Royalists Loyalists . Democrats . What was the name of the battle in which the Patriots finally defeated the British ?
a . Battle of Saratoga Battle of Yorktown . Battle of New Jersey . Battle of Valley Forge . What was the name for the colonial military force created to the British ?
mercenaries Hessians Redcoats . Continental Army Who was the French nobleman who helped the Patriots fight the British ?
Bernardo de Galvez Baron von Marquis de Lafayette . Lord Dunmore Standards Review Use the visual summary below to help you review A The American colonies gained independence and became the United States . Comprehension and Critical Thinking SECTION ( Pages ) Em a . Recall What actions did the First and Second Continental Congresses take ?
Analyze How did the events at Lexington and Concord change the between Great Britain and the colonies ?
Elaborate Why do you think that control of Boston early in the Revolutionary War was important ?
SECTION ( Pages ) IE a . Identify Why is July , 1776 , a date ?
Draw Conclusions What effect did Common Sense have on colonial attitudes toward Great Britain ?
Predict How might the Declaration of lead to questions over the issue of slavery ?
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION ( Pages ) a . Describe What did the Patriots experience in the early years of the war ?
Analyze How did the Patriots turn the tide of war ?
Elaborate Do you think the Patriots could have succeeded in the war without foreign help ?
Explain . Pages ) 53 a . Recall Why did the British think they might find support in the South ?
Make inferences Why might it have taken more than two years for the British and the Americans to agree to the terms of the Treaty of Paris ?
Evaluate In your opinion , what was the most important reason for the Patriots defeat of the British ?
Social Studies Skills Understanding Historical Interpretation Use the Social Studies Skills taught in this chapter to answer the questions about the reading selection below . The Continental Navy and the marines were established in late 1775 . The tiny was no match for the huge British navy . So instead of large battles , the Patriots attacked and sunk hundreds of individual British ships . 97 ) Which statement from the passage is an of historical facts ?
a . The tiny was no match for the huge British navy . The Patriots attacked and sunk hundreds of individual British ships . The Continental Navy and the marines were established in late 1775 . What might be a different interpretation of the facts ?
Reviewing Themes . Politics What are three important listed in the Declaration of Independence ?
Geography What role did geography play in the fighting that took place in the West ?
CHAPTER Reading Skills Understanding Words through Context Clues Use the Reading Skills taught in this chapter to answer the question about the reading selection below . Indians who had been pushed off their lands by colonial settlers aided the British . Mohawk leader persuaded many Iroquois to support the British . The Patriots had to work hard just to keep other American Indians neutral . 91 ) Using context clues from the passage above , what is a possible of the word neutral ?
supporting the British not choosing sides settling on Indian lands leading Mohawks Using the Internet . Activity Researching The Battle of Saratoga showed the world that the Patriots were capable of defeating the British . Benjamin fame as a scientist and diplomat gave him the chance to use this victory to convince France to aid the Americans . Enter the activity keyword and explain how these factors led to a Patriot victory and how the American Revolution affected France . 15 . Preparing Your Oral Report Review your notes and be sure you one or two tant ideas , events , or people for each period of the war . Now , start to prepare your oral report by writing a introduction to your talk . Then write a sentence or two about each period of the war . Write a concluding sentence that makes a quick connection between the Revolutionary War and our lives today . tice your talk until you can give it with only a glance or two at your notes .
Standards Assessment DIRECTIONS Read each question and write the letter of the best response . These are the times that try men souls . The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will , in this crisis , shrink from the service of his country , but he that stands it now , deserves the love and thanks of man and woman . Tyranny . is not easily , yet we have this consolation with us , that the harder the conflict , the more glorious the Paine , The Crisis , 1776 What point is Paine trying to make in this passage ?
A that although war is glorious , many people are unwilling to take part in it that the price of independence may be too high for what will be gained by obtaining it that most colonists do not understand what sacrifices some are making for their freedom that despite the difficulties , the colonists cause is worthy and they should not give up a What action would a Loyalist have been least likely to take during the Revolution ?
A flee the colonies for England support the Olive Branch Petition oppose the Declaration of Independence join the Continental Army Which of the following events took place last ?
A The Declaration of Independence was issued . The Second Continental Congress met . The battles at Lexington and Concord occurred . The Battle of Bunker Hill took place . I Why was the Patriots victory at the Battle of Saratoga so important to the American cause ?
A It allowed the Declaration of Independence to be issued . It forced the British army to retreat from Boston . It convinced France to aid the colonies in their fight . It caused the British government to give up the war . The most brutal and destructive fighting of the war probably occurred A in the southern colonies . at Valley Forge . in New England . at Lexington and Concord . Connecting with Past Learnings The Declaration of lndependence claim that people have a right to life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness shows the influence of what earlier European Enlightenment thinker ?
A Luther Locke Ignatius of Which other great revolution that you learned about in Grade did the colonists successful fight for independence inspire ?
A the Russian Revolution the Glorious Revolution the French Revolution the Scientific Revolution THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION