Page 188 ~ Questions 4-17

·         Why did the British think their military forces were superior to those of the Americans?

o   They had the strongest navy in the world

§  An experienced, well-trained army

o   They also has the wealth of a worldwide empire

o   They had a much larger population

§  Over 8 million in Britain

§  Only 2.5 million in the United States

·         Why did the loyalists support the British?

o   They opposed the war

o   Some people changed sides during the war depending on which army was closer

o   Members of the Anglican Church

o   Depended on the British for their jobs

o   Feared the disorder that would come from challenging the established government

o   Didn’t understand what all the commotion was about

·         How did Thomas Paine help the Patriots during the Revolutionary War?

o   He created the pamphlet Common Sense which moved many colonists toward independence

o   Published another pamphlet to boost American spirits

·         What European nations fought with the Americans against the British?

o   French

§  February 1778

o   Spanish

§  1779

·         What were some of the problems that troops faced during the winter at Valley Forge?

o   They lacked decent food, clothing and shelter

o   Most lacked blankets, shoes and shirts

·         What ideas did Judith Sargeant Murray promote about education?

o   She thought women’s minds were as good as men’s; therefore, girls should get as good an education as boys.

·         Why did many Natives give their support to the British?

o   The British posed less of a threat

·         What fighting method did the Americans use to keep the British from taking the Southern Colonies?

o   Guerrilla Warfare

·         Which battle convinced the British that fighting the Americans was too costly?

o   The Patriot victory at Yorktown

·         Why was fighting on their own land an advantage to the Patriots?

o   Because they knew the layout of the land

o   The British had to ship troops and supplies over the Atlantic Ocean, whereas the American supplies only had to travel between cities

·         Compare and Contrast: What advantages did the Patriots have over the British mercenaries?

o   The fought on their own territory

o   They fought with great determination

o   Their leader was General Washington

o   The Patriots had much more at stake than the Hessians did

§  Their freedom

·         Analyzing Information: How did women help in the war effort?

o   Margaret Corbin took the place of her husband in the battle after he died

o   Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley (Molly Pitcher) brought soldiers pitchers of water

o   Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the war

·         Drawing Conclusions: Why do you think the British found it easier to capture American cities than to take over the American countryside?

o   The British received less help then they had initially planned. They had hoped to use British sea power and the support of the Loyalists to win battles in the South. When they moved through the countryside, they were attacked by small forces of Patriots. The Americans had adapted the hit-and-run technique of guerrilla warfare.

·         Determining Cause and Effect: Describe two ways that the American’s fight for independence influenced other countries.

o   Their ideas about freedom and their rights influenced the French Revolution in 1789. The French Rebels fought for “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.”

o   In 1791, the ideals of both the French and American Revolutions traveled across the Caribbean and the Atlantic to the island of Saint Domingue, which was ruled by the French. Led by Toussaint-Louverture, they were able to eliminate French rule and in 1804 Saint Domingue became the second nation in the Americas to achieve independence from colonial rule.