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The Revolutionary War: 1775–1783
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The American Revolution (1754–1781)

 
 

Study Questions & Essay Topics

 
Always use specific historical examples to support your arguments.
 

Study Questions

 
1. “Americans were still professing their loyalty to George III and their desire for peaceful reconciliation as late as 1775. Had Britain accepted the Second Continental Congress’s Olive Branch Petition, the Revolutionary War could have been avoided.” Support or refute this claim using historical evidence.
 
 
2. What did American colonists mean by “No taxation without representation”?
 
 
3. Which had a more profound impact on American anti-British sentiment, the 1765 Stamp Act or the 1766 Declaratory Act? Use specific examples from history to support your argument.
 
 
 

Suggested Essay Topics

 
1. Analyze the reasons for escalating anti-British sentiment in the American colonies during the prewar decade from 1765 to 1775.
 
2. Was the First or the Second Continental Congress more significant in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War?
 
3. What were nonimportation agreements and the boycott? Which had a greater effect on American-British relations?
 
4. Explain how three of the following altered Americans’ perceptions of Britain during the years 1763 to 1775. Which affected colonists the most and why?a) the French and Indian War b) virtual representation c) Samuel Adams d) the Declaratory Act e) the boycott of British goods f) Thomas Paine
 
5. Compare and contrast Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence with Thomas Paine’s pamphlet “Common Sense.” Which had the greater effect on revolutionary America? Use specific examples to support your argument.
 
 
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