Chapter 7 Study Guide

1. What were the weaknesses of the American army at the beginning of the war?
Short on men
Not well trained
Short on all supplies (food, weapons, ammunition, etc.)
2. What were the American strengths at the beginning of the war?
Patriotism (had a reason to fight)
Help from overseas (France)
Leadership (George Washington)
3. What were the British strengths at the beginning of the war?
Outnumbered the Americans
Well trained
Well supplied
4. What were the British weaknesses at the beginning of the war?
Distance between England and America
Could never convince people in England of the importance of the war
Poor leadership
5. Why did blacks join the Continental army?
Hoped they would gain their freedom as a result
6. How did the views of whites regarding slavery change after the war?
By the end of the war, many northern states began taking steps to ban slavery
7. Who won the Battle of New York?
The British
8. Why were hopes starting to fade after the Battle of New York?
Weather was freezing
Had little food
Troops were starting to go home
9. What was the Crisis?
A pamphlet written by Thomas Paine
10. Why was it significant?
Revived the troops spirit to fight and made them ready to attack the Hessians at
Trenton
11. Describe the Battle of Trenton?
Christmas night, 1776, Washingtons men crossed the Delaware River and surprise
attacked the Hessians in Trenton, NJ. They captured 868 Hessians w/o losing one man.
A week later they captured 300 British troops at Princeton, NJ.
12. Why was it significant?
It showed that the British would have to do more than just issue pardons and capture
New York to win the war.
13. Midway through the war, how did Washington change his war strategy?

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He changed his strategy to fight a defensive war.

Which battle marked the turning point in the war?
Saratoga
What was the major outcome of this battle?
France became an ally of the Americans
Who won the Battle of Monmouth?
The Americans
Why did the British decide to take the war to the south?
They believed there were many Loyalists in the south who would be willing to fight for
the King.
What were the strategies used by the Americans in the south?
American guerrillas kept harassing the British army
N. Greene led the British on an exhausting chase throughout the south
Which country helped the Americans at the Battle of Yorktown?
France
Why was Cornwallis forced to surrender at Yorktown?
He was completely surrounded, outnumbered, and it was impossible for the rest of the
British army to rescue him.
What was the main impact of the Battle of Yorktown on the British?
It took the heart out of whatever support was still left for the war
What were the terms of the Treaty of Paris?
Britain had to recognize the U.S. as an independent nation
Britain had to give up all land from the Atlantic to the Mississippi River, from Canada to
Florida
America had to return all property taken from Loyalists during the war
What was the main influence of the American Revolution?
It inspired the French Revolution (and several other revolutions in Latin America)