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History of the Americas
Explore questions in the History of the Americas category that you can ask Sparky!
- James Madison deserves the title "Father of the Constitution" for many reasons. Which of the following is not one of them?a. He was chairman of the Constitutional Convention.b. He was one of the main supporters of the Philadelphia Convention.c. He was one of the main Federalists that pushed the Constitution through ratification.d. He drew up the plan that became the basic outline of the Constitution.
- According to the Declaration of Independence, why were the colonies justified in breaking away from England?a. King George III did not give the colonies their rights.b. England was too far away from the colonies to rule them justly.c. The British were doing nothing to protect the colonies' borders.d. Too many Americans had been killed by the redcoats.
- Which act showed most strongly that the British would not negotiate after the Olive Branch Petition of 1775?a. Parliament authorized an army of one hundred thousand soldiers.b. King George hired mercenaries.c. British troops held on to Fort Ticonderoga.d. The British recaptured Boston.
- What kinds of ideas are expressed in the Declaration of Independence?a. ideas that were fully put into practice soon after Jefferson wrote themb. ideas that the French had already adopted as part of their governmentc. ideas that everyone in the world now embracesd. ideas that, government-wise, were unique to the new United States at the time
- Why didn't England send out more explorers soon after John Cabot's ships were lost?a. the English weren't interested in the Americas.b. England was poor and surrounded by enemies.c. Cabot's ships had been destroyed by a Spanish blockade.d. the loss of the ships was a bad omen to the superstitious English.
- What was the turning point in the American Revolution?a. Brandywineb. Monmouthc. Saratogad. Bunker Hill
- Which of these was not a reason for George Washington to become a king or dictator after the Revolutionary War?a. There were real injustices and problems in the country that he could correct quickly.b. The French encouraged him to do it.c. Many of his soldiers would support him if he tried it.d. There were many examples in history of generals who had done similar things.
- What opinion would the British officer Charles Hay most likely have of the colonial actions on the road back from Concord in 1775?a. It was a terrible piece of fighting—if the colonists could shoot better, they would have finished off the British force.b. It was a cowardly show, in which the colonists proved they had no honor.c. It was a display of what superior military training will do for an army.d. It was a brilliant example of exploiting an enemy's weakness.
- Which of these motives for independence is not found in Common Sense?a. If we're going to fight the British eventually, we'd better do it now, instead of leaving it for our children.b. The British have inflicted the evils of the slave trade on us.c. England only cares about the colonies for the money they bring in.d. The mother country should take better care of its children.
- What did the victory at Yorktown show?a. the strength of the American navyb. the end of the warc. the immense importance of the French alliesd. the superiority of Washington's knowledge on sieges
- What was the main effect of Shays' Rebellion?a. It showed that a determined collection of farmers could overthrow an unjust state government.b. It helped increase attendance at the Philadelphia Convention.c. It killed many of the anti-government leaders in western Massachusetts.d. It proved that the Constitution would work.
- Who is most likely to have said, "We can't afford to win many more battles like that!"a. Washington, after taking Boston.b. Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen, after capturing Fort Ticonderoga.c. John Adams, after successfully nominating Washington to be general.d. British General Thomas Gage, after driving the colonials from Bunker Hill.
- What did the Newburgh Conspiracy try to do?a. persuade Washington to retire quickly to get him out of the wayb. open up the floor of Congress so that the soldiers could have their sayc. persuade soldiers to refuse to go home until they got their payd. make it so that the army would be permanent
- Which statement is true about the Declaration of Independence?a. It was patterned after Common Sense.b. It was inspired by the victory at Boston.c. It summed up what many people were already thinking.d. It was based on Benjamin Franklin's philosophy.
- What did the battles in New York in 1776 show?a. The Continental Army was not ready to match the redcoats in formal fighting.b. American troops had much better morale and courage than British soldiers.c. American weapons were inferior to those of the British.d. British troops didn't live up to their reputation.
- What was the most important thing Washington had to do to win at Yorktown?a. He had to link with General Greene from the South.b. He had to train his troops to conduct a siege.c. He had to double the size of his army to supplement French forces.d. He had to convince the British that he was in New York.
- Why, most likely, didn't George Washington feel he could spend the winter of 1782-83 at home in Mount Vernon even though there wasn't much fighting going on?a. It was too far to travel from where the army was camped.b. It seemed likely that the British army in New York would invade the middle colonies again.c. Martha wrote, telling him that he'd better stay with his troops until the war was over.d. His troops seemed to be in such an ugly mood.
- What was Washington's most valuable tool in keeping the support of fence-sitting Americans?a. He went easy on Tories, inflicting only mild punishments on them.b. He won most of the battles he fought.c. He turned over his surplus supplies to the towns he marched through.d. He encouraged the Continental Congress to pay bounties to towns that supported him.
- The Great Compromise was difficult to achieve because the large states were opposed to which issue?a. equal representationb. a Bill of Rightsc. representation by populationd. the slave trade
- Why has the Constitutional system lasted so long?a. It always captures criminals.b. It always treats people equally.c. It lets the minority keep rights.d. It never changes.