American Revolution — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. What does "no taxation without representation" mean?
A) Colonists refused to pay any taxes
B) Colonists wanted a voice in Parliament before being taxed
C) Britain gave colonists free representation
D) Colonists created their own tax system
The phrase means colonists believed they should have representatives in Parliament who could vote on taxes before those taxes were imposed on them.
2. Which event came first in the timeline of the Revolution?
A) Battle of Yorktown
B) Signing of the Declaration
C) Boston Massacre
D) Treaty of Paris
The Boston Massacre occurred in 1770, before the Declaration (1776), Yorktown (1781), and Treaty of Paris (1783).
3. Why was the Battle of Yorktown important?
A) It was the first battle of the war
B) The British won a major victory there
C) The British surrendered, ending major fighting
D) France left the war after this battle
At Yorktown (1781), British General Cornwallis surrendered to Washington, effectively ending the Revolutionary War.
4. Which country helped the American colonists during the Revolution?
A) Spain
B) France
C) Germany
D) Netherlands
France became a formal ally of the colonists in 1778, providing troops, ships, and financial support.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The war lasted from 1775 to 1781.
Active fighting lasted from 1775 to 1781 (Yorktown), though the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783.
2. The Declaration of Independence lists the colonists' rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Jefferson's Declaration states that people have unalienable rights including 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'
3. The Boston Tea Party was a protest against the Tea Act of 1773.
The Boston Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773, in Boston Harbor.
4. After the Revolution, the colonies became independent states.
The former colonies became the thirteen original states of the United States of America.
5. The Continental Army trained at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777 to 1778.
Washington's army endured the brutal winter of 1777–1778 at Valley Forge, emerging a more disciplined fighting force.