History 342: Midterm Examination Study Guide

Possible Identifications

Outpost of Empire	Democracy in Early America
Eroding Independence	Men and Patriarchy
Women and Patriarchy	Colonial Slavery
Playoff System	Challenge of Great Awakening
French and Indian War	Paying for Britain’s War
Stamp Act Revolt (1765)	Farm Uprisings
Indians and Proc. Line	Townshend Acts (1767)
Coercive Acts (1774)	Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation
Republicanism	Organizing Independence
1776 State Constitutions	Choosing Sides
Lexington and Concord	Citizen Soldiers
The Long Retreat	Continental Army
Saratoga	Problems Waging War
Southern Strategy	British Blunders
Gentry Turnaround

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Possible Essay Questions

1) What caused the American Revolution? Some scholars see the Revolution as the product of cultural factors such as religion. Others see it as an ideological movement inspired by beliefs in rights and principles. Some see it as a response to long-term demographic trends (i.e. changes to population, land holding). Still others have argued that Revolution represented an economic struggle that was primarily about class. What do you think? Was the Revolution mostly about culture, ideas, demographic trends, or class? [YOU NEED TO MAKE ONE OF THESE POSITIONS YOUR CENTRAL ARGUMENT]. How do the other factors relate to the one you have chosen? Or do the factors not relate to one another? [The more detailed your answer and the specific examples you cite from lectures and readings, the better your grade will be]

2) In telling the story of the Revolution through 1776, historians usually depict two American Revolutions: a revolution to establish “home rule” (the anti-colonial struggle against Britain) and one to decide “who shall rule at home” (the internal revolution over the distribution of power within America). What was the relationship between these two revolutions? How did the revolution for “home rule” spur the revolution over “who shall rule at home”? Likewise, how did the internal revolution help fuel the anti-colonial struggle against Britain? [The more detailed your answer and the specific examples you cite from lectures and readings, the better your grade will be]

3) A friend of yours says that the colonial victory against Britain was “not as big a deal as people have made it. Americans in the colonies were completely united against England and totally motivated throughout the war with the citizen soldier fighting for their farms; they had the help of France; and Britain had inept generals. If you think about it, Britain really didn’t stand a chance.” Given what you and your fellow students have learned about the Revolutionary War, how would you respond? (Be sure to address each of your friend’s assertions. You need not argue that your friend is either all wrong or all right in their assertions.) [The more detailed your answer and the specific examples you cite from lectures and readings, the better your grade will be]