Study Guide #3

• 1) Explain the importance that Common Sense had on our country.

• 2) Explain the two main ideas in the Declaration of Independence that are the basis of US rights today.

• 3) Analyze if the US Revolutionary War was truly revolutionary?

• 1) Where were the first shots of the Revolutionary War fired? How many casualties did the English suffer?– Lexington and Concord, 300 causualties• Why is this event important?

beginning of Revolutionary War because shots have been fired, no going back

2) Why was the Battle of Bunker Hill important to Americans in fighting the British?– Proved that Americans were willing to fight and die» Americans only lost the hill when they ran out of

ammo

• 3) What was the main idea of Common Sense? Who wrote it?• Thomas Paine

– That a larger nation should not be ruled by a smaller nation– Monarchy is a foolish type of government– Americans are not English (Why try and fit in)• Common Sense states that the US should seek independence– Importance- most popular book of time and read by

hundreds of thousands of Americans (leads to US seeking independence)

• 4) What two main ideas or rights are expressed in the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence?– Equality (“All men are created equal”)• What does equality mean–Opportunity for all, laws are the same for everyone» Identify an example where the US has failed to live up

to this idea

– Inalienable Rights “Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness”• Basic rights of all Americans–What is the purpose of government?» TO protect these rights

–What if government does not enforce these rights?» People have a right to revolt/change government• Natural Rights (John Locke) Life, Liberty, Property

• 5) Identify two advantages and disadvantages for the British and Americans fighting.– British• Advantages- money, professional army, Navy– *Loyalists- many Americans against independence and

will not fight• Disadvantages- European fighting will not work in wilderness

– US• Advantages- fighting for a cause (belief), guerilla warfare

(home field advantage)– * Protracted War- draw out war till Eng. quits

• Disadvantages- inexperienced and small army, loyalists (against war)

• 6) Why was the Battle of Saratoga the turning point of the war?– 1st major victory of the war for US (shows the US could

win the war with a little help)– France sides with the US against England• Why would France want to get involved?–Get back at Eng. for Fr/Ind. War

• 7) Identify the first two terms of the Treaty of Paris (1783) in your own words?– England recognizes US independence– Borders- • North- Canada• West- Mississippi River• South- Spain gains Florida

• 8) How did the war impact or change the lives of American women?

• 9) How did the war affect of impact the lives of African-Americans?– It didn’t!!! For either

• Women still had very little rights and were subservient to their husbands

• Af/Am’s were still slaves and had zero rights – Who had rights? Why them?

» White, land owning males, purpose of government was to protect natural rights (life, liberty, and property)• Why should people without property be protected

by government?• People still need someone to protect them

from others who want to mistreat others

• 10) What were the two reasons the colonists rebelled against the British (and explain how both those reasons are not entirely correct?)– End British Control of Colonies by Elite (Independence)– Democratize Society• Was the idea of the elite running the country changed?–NO!!! The founding fathers (the people who made the

laws) were the richest people in the country» BR. Elite have been replaced by American elite (who

believed in same ideas of British)• Was America more Democratic?–NO!!! Women, Blacks, Native Americans, and people who

did not own land could still not vote