History 342: Midterm Examination Study Guide

Possible Identifications

Outpost of Empire	Democracy in Early America
Rough Music	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 Proclamation Line
Townshend Acts (1767)	Coercive Acts (1774)
Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation	Organizing Independence
Republicanism	1776 State Constitutions
Choosing Sides	Citizen Soldiers
Lexington and Concord	The Long Retreat
Continental Army	Saratoga
Problems Waging War	Southern Strategy
British Blunders

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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 and the Great Awakening. Others see it as an ideological movement inspired by beliefs in rights and principles based on the ideology of republicanism. Some see it as a response to long-term demographic trends (i.e. changes to population, land holding) that created a sense of eroding independence. 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 all united against England and totally motivated from the start of the war until the end. Britain had inept generals who were constantly outfoxed by the Americans. And the colonies had the help of France, which, let’s face it, basically beat Britain by itself. If you think about it, Britain really didn’t stand a chance.” Respond to your friend making sure to address each of your friend’s assertions. (You need not argue that your friend is either all wrong or all right.) [The more detailed your answer and the specific examples you cite from lectures and readings, the better your grade will be]