American Revolution Overview Quiz

General George Washington led the American forces during the Revolutionary War.

William Howe led the British forces against the Continental Army.

The governing body of the American colonies during the revolutionary period.

Formal agreement adopted in 1781 acting as foundational governing document for the new country.

Paper money issued by the 2nd Continental Congress, which became worthless.

Women who traveled with the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, often providing support services like cooking, cleaning, and laundry.

Women who provided medical care to soldiers during the Revolutionary War. They often lacked formal training but offered vital support.

The use of spies to gather secret information during wartime.

A spy who works for both sides of a conflict, providing information to both the enemy and their own side. Often used to deceive the enemy.

The British targeted New York City after the siege of Boston because it was a strategic port city, important for trade, military operations, and controlling the colonies.

The Americans had a strong knowledge of the terrain, allowing them to use the environment to their advantage during the war.

German soldiers hired by the British to fight in the Revolutionary War.

The British had a powerful navy, giving them control of the seas and the ability to transport troops and supplies.

The American forces had little experience in warfare and lacked training and equipment.

The Americans faced difficulties obtaining enough food and supplies to sustain their army.

Both the British and American armies received support from African Americans, who wanted to gain freedom or fight for their own cause.

The British offered freedom to enslaved people who joined their forces during the war, aiming to weaken American support.

Leaders of the Continental Army were hesitant to arm Black soldiers because they feared this might lead to a slave uprising.

A group of German soldiers hired by the British to fight in the American Revolutionary War.

A surprise attack by General Washington's Continental Army on a Hessian garrison in New Jersey on December 26, 1776, resulting in an American victory.

A series of pamphlets written by Thomas Paine during the Revolutionary War, designed to boost morale and inspire soldiers during difficult times.

General Washington's shift from large-scale battles to a strategy of wearing down the British by avoiding direct confrontations.

The American Continental Army gained crucial victories at Trenton and Princeton, boosting morale and turning the tide of the war.

The British aimed to control the Hudson River Valley to cut off supplies and troops from New England to the Continental Army.

The Battle of Saratoga, fought in September 1777, resulted in a decisive American victory, turning the tide of the Revolutionary War and boosting morale for independence.

General Howe's campaign to capture Philadelphia led to its occupation by the British, forcing the Continental Congress to flee to York, Pennsylvania.

The Continental Army faced hardships at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777-1778, struggling with lack of supplies and support from local farmers who favored the British.

France provided crucial support to the Americans, with Marquis de Lafayette (wealthy, provided clothes) and Baron Friedrich von Steuben (trained soldiers) playing significant roles.

The agreement that officially ended the American Revolutionary War, signed in 1783 by representatives of Great Britain and the United States.

One of the key provisions of the Treaty of Paris, where Great Britain formally acknowledged the United States as an independent nation.

The Treaty of Paris granted the United States control over all lands between the Atlantic coast and the Mississippi River, significantly expanding its territory.

The United States agreed to return property confiscated from Loyalists during the war to their rightful owners.

Thousands of Loyalists, who had supported Britain during the war, left the newly independent United States and emigrated to Canada or Britain following the Treaty of Paris.

The British changed their strategy in the Revolutionary War by moving the fighting from the North to the South, hoping to exploit the existing Loyalist population and gain control of key Southern ports.

Savannah was the first target of the British in the South, with the goal of securing a key port city and gaining support from Loyalists. It remained under British control until the end of the war.

General Greene was assigned by Washington to lead the Continental Army in the South, aiming to counter the British advance and maintain American control of the region.

Instead of directly engaging Cornwallis's army in a major battle, Greene employed a strategy of strategic retreats and hit-and-run tactics, forcing Cornwallis's troops to exhaust themselves in a relentless pursuit through the Southern backcountry.

The Battle of Yorktown saw the French and American forces surround Cornwallis's British army, trapping them by land and sea, leading to the siege of Yorktown and Cornwallis's eventual surrender.