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© Teachers’ Curriculum Institute, Inc.46 Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Assessment

1. Which of these describes the mood in the colonies immediately following the events at Lexington and Concord?

O A. Most of the colonists were reluctant to start a war.

O B. Most of the colonists were eager to declare war against the British.

O C. Most of the colonists sided with the Loyalists against the Patriots.

O D. Most of the colonists wanted to move to Great Britain.

2. Th e Continental army was composed ofO A. troops from all the colonies. O B. troops from throughout Great Britain. O C. only troops from the New England

colonies. O D. only troops from Virginia and

Massachusetts.

3. Patrick Henry gave a famous speech that ended with the words “give me liberty, or give me death!” With which group did he identify himself?

O A. PatriotsO B. LoyalistsO C. British citizens O D. members of Parliament

4. Which of these best describes the outcome of the Battle of Bunker Hill?

O A. The British won decisively.O B. The militia won by a narrow margin. O C. The militia surrendered to the British. O D. The British won but suffered many

losses.

5. Why was George Washington chosen to be a military leader?

O A. He had experience. O B. He wanted the role.O C. He was very wealthy.O D. He was highly educated.

6. What eff ect did Common Sense have in the colonies?

O A. It instilled fear of war in the colonists. O B. It convinced the colonies to remain

loyal to Great Britain.O C. It persuaded many colonists that

America should be independent.O D. It petitioned the king to end the quarrel

between the colonies and Great Britain.

7. Why was the Declaration of Independence written?

O A. to start the American RevolutionO B. to offer a peace settlement to Great BritainO C. to instruct how a country wins its freedomO D. to explain why the colonies were

separating from Great Britain

8. In a draft of the Declaration of Independence, Jeff erson charged the king with violating the “sacred rights of life and liberty . . . of a distant people [by] carry-ing them into slavery.” Th is passage was removed for all of these reasons except

O A. it might lead to demands to free slaves.O B. it was an unimportant issue in the

colonies.O C. it was unfair to blame the king for

enslaving Africans.O D. it might offend merchants who profited

from the slave trade.

Mastering the ContentFill in the circle next to the best answer.

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9. According to Th omas Jeff erson, the power to rule comes from

O A. God.O B. the king. O C. Parliament.O D. the citizens.

10. Why did Th omas Jeff erson say that King George III was an unfi t ruler?

O A. He was not born in Great Britain.O B. He denied the colonists their rights.O C. He was not elected by Parliament.O D. He lived far away from the colonies.

11. How do natural rights, as described in the Declaration of Independence, diff er from other rights?

O A. People are born with natural rights.O B. People can vote to choose natural

rights.O C. Natural rights are given only to citizens. O D. Natural rights come from the

government.

12. Look at the timeline.

Which of these belongs in place of the question mark on the timeline?

O A. Common Sense publishedO B. Olive Branch Petition sentO C. American Revolution ends O D. Declaration of Independence signed

13. What was the purpose of the Olive Branch Petition?

O A. to persuade British troops to leave Boston

O B. to encourage colonists to join the armyO C. to convince Parliament to repeal the

Stamp ActO D. to ask King George to make peace with

the colonies

14. Which of these shows cooperation on the part of the colonies?

O A. They came together to form one army.O B. The Loyalists and Patriots made peace.O C. They all believed in the goal of

independence.O D. They all opposed the Declaration of

Independence.

15. What decision was made at the Second Continental Congress?

O A. to form an army O B. to make a gesture of peace O C. to declare war on Great BritainO D. to demand a repeal of the Tea Act

16. To Great Britain, the signing of the Declaration of Independence was

O A. an act of loyalty.O B. an act of treason.O C. an act of bravery.O D. an act of insanity.

May 1775

Second ContinentalCongress meets

Battle of Bunker Hillfought

Seige ofBostonends

July1776

June 1775

March1776

?

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17. What were slaves traded for in the West Indies?

18. What was shipped from the British colonies to Africa?

19. Who benefi ted from the trade shown on the map?

Applying Social Studies SkillsUse the map and your knowledge of history to answer these questions.

Rum, iron

Slaves

Slaves, m

olasses, sugar

ATLANTICOCEAN

Gulf ofMexico

Caribbean Sea

10°W

10°E

20°E

0°

20°W30°W40°W50°W

60°W

30°N

20°N

10°N

40°N

70°W

80°W90°W

N O R T HA M E R I C A

S O U T HA M E R I C A

A F R I C A

E U R O P E

WEST IND

IES

Britis

h colo

nies

N

S

EW

N

S

EW

Triangular Trade and the Enslavement of Africans

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20. Th e Declaration of Independence states that the purpose of government is to secure and protect the natural-born rights of citizens: the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Write a three-paragraph essay that answers these questions:• What did Thomas Jefferson mean by the rights to life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness?• How does our government protect our rights to life, liberty, and the

pursuit of happiness?• What actions can our government take to better protect these rights or

to assure that all U.S. citizens have these rights? Make sure to convey your ideas clearly, using standard English.

Exploring the Essential Question

What principles of government are expressed in the Declaration of Independence?

Follow the directions to complete the item below.