American Revolution — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. What pamphlet by Thomas Paine argued that the colonies should become independent?
A) The Federalist Papers
B) Common Sense
C) Poor Richard's Almanack
D) The Rights of Man
Thomas Paine's Common Sense used everyday language to argue that breaking away from Britain was the only reasonable choice, and it convinced thousands of colonists to support independence.
2. Which natural rights did the Declaration of Independence say all people have?
A) Land, money, and power
B) Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
C) Speech, religion, and assembly
D) Food, shelter, and clothing
Thomas Jefferson wrote that all people are born with the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and that government exists to protect those rights.
3. What body of government did the colonies create to organize their war effort?
A) The House of Lords
B) The Supreme Court
C) The Continental Congress
D) The British Parliament
The Continental Congress brought together representatives from all thirteen colonies to make decisions together, including declaring independence and directing the army.
4. Why is Crispus Attucks remembered in American history?
A) He signed the Declaration of Independence
B) He was one of the first people killed in the Boston Massacre
C) He commanded troops at Valley Forge
D) He wrote Common Sense
Crispus Attucks was among the first colonists killed when British soldiers opened fire on a crowd in Boston in 1770, making him a symbol of the fight for American liberty.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.
July 4, 1776, is the date the Continental Congress officially approved the Declaration of Independence, which is why Americans celebrate Independence Day on that date every year.
2. John Adams was a leading voice for independence in the Continental Congress.
John Adams passionately argued that the colonies must declare independence from Britain. He later became the second President of the United States.
3. The Declaration listed complaints called grievances against King George III.
Grievances are formal complaints, and the Declaration included a long list of them to explain exactly how the king had mistreated the colonists.
4. The first government plan for the new nation was the Articles of Confederation.
The Articles of Confederation was the new nation's first set of rules for governing, though it was later replaced by the Constitution because it gave the central government too little power.
5. After the war, there were thirteen original states in the new nation.
Each of the thirteen British colonies that declared independence became one of the original thirteen states of the United States.