The American Revolution Study Guide

Test on: ________________________

For more information on this topic, please see What Your 4th Grader Needs to Know, pages
115 128.

People of the American Revolution

Thomas
Jefferson

The main writer of the Declaration of Independence.

George
Washington

Gained valuable experience during the French and Indian War,

Commanded the Continental Army, and later became the first President
of the United States

Paul Revere

Rode by horseback at night to warn the colonists in Lexington and

Concord that the redcoats (the British) were marching.

Benjamin
Franklin

Spoke in Parliament against the stamp act.

Frederick von
Steuben

Drilled and trained the American army at Valley Forge.

John Adams

Defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre.

Nathan Hale

Was hanged as a spy by the British.

Benedict Arnold

Helped win the Battle of Saratoga but later deserted to the enemy.

John Paul Jones

Was a great hero of the American navy.

Thomas Paine

Wrote a pamphlet Common Sense, had a forceful and clear style in

writing which convinced people to support independence.

Basic Facts
Committees of Correspondence spread news about British actions.
The Boston Tea Party was the even that led directly to the Intolerable Acts.
The First Continental Congress issued a Declaration of Rights to the British government stating
that the colonists were entitled to the rights of Englishmen.
The first shot of the Revolution was fired at the Battle of Lexington.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was actually fought on Breeds Hill.

Washington won his first great victory at Trenton

France sent an army and navy to help Americans. This helped them win the war.
Colonial children worked hard on the farm to help their families and education was viewed as
not being very important.
The British had rights These are the same as we have today!
o
To vote
o
The right to a trial by jury
o
The right to private property
o
The right to petition their government
o
The right to peaceably talk about a problem
People came from other countries to improve their quality of life.

The French tried to move onto land owned by the British, which resulted in a territorial dispute
over that land and thus started the French and Indian War.
The Stamp Act was a tax that Parliament put on paper in 1765
The Sons of Liberty boycotted British Goods because of the Stamp Act
Parliament
o
o
o

Allowed colonies to govern themselves on a local level.

Made laws to help with the trade within the British Empire.
Wanted to control the government on a higher level.

Be ready to write a to full-page each to answer the following 2 questions:

What was Thomas Paine's contribution to the American Revolution?

What foreign country helped the American army, and why was this important?