Grade 6 Exam > Grade 6 Notes > Middle School U.S. History > Cheatsheet: The American Revolution
Cheatsheet: The American Revolution
1. Causes of the Revolution
1.1 British Policies After 1763
| Act/Policy | Description & Impact |
|---|---|
| Proclamation of 1763 | Banned colonial settlement west of Appalachian Mountains; angered colonists who wanted western lands |
| Sugar Act (1764) | Taxed sugar and molasses; first tax designed to raise revenue from colonies |
| Stamp Act (1765) | Required tax stamps on newspapers, legal documents, playing cards; first direct tax on colonists |
| Quartering Act (1765) | Required colonists to house and feed British soldiers in their homes |
| Townshend Acts (1767) | Taxed glass, lead, paint, paper, and tea; angered colonists about taxation without representation |
| Tea Act (1773) | Gave British East India Company monopoly on tea sales; led to Boston Tea Party |
| Intolerable Acts (1774) | Punished Massachusetts for Boston Tea Party; closed Boston Harbor, limited self-government |
1.2 Colonial Protests and Resistance
- Sons of Liberty: Colonial group that organized protests against British policies; led by Samuel Adams
- Boston Massacre (1770): British soldiers killed 5 colonists including Crispus Attucks; used as propaganda against Britain
- Boston Tea Party (1773): Colonists dumped 342 chests of British tea into Boston Harbor to protest Tea Act
- Committees of Correspondence: Networks that spread news and coordinated colonial resistance
- First Continental Congress (1774): Meeting of colonial delegates in Philadelphia; agreed to boycott British goods
1.3 Key Principle
- "No Taxation Without Representation": Colonists argued they should not be taxed by British Parliament because they had no representatives there
2. Major Events of the Revolution
2.1 Beginning of the War
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Lexington and Concord (April 1775) | First battles of the Revolution; "shot heard round the world"; British sought to seize colonial weapons |
| Second Continental Congress (May 1775) | Created Continental Army; appointed George Washington as commander |
| Bunker Hill (June 1775) | British victory but suffered heavy losses; showed colonists could fight British army |
2.2 Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)
- Author: Thomas Jefferson
- Main Ideas: All men are created equal; natural rights include life, liberty, pursuit of happiness; government gets power from consent of the governed; people can overthrow unjust government
- Significance: Officially declared independence from Britain; explained reasons for separation
2.3 Major Battles
| Battle | Date & Outcome |
|---|---|
| Trenton | December 1776; Washington crossed Delaware River on Christmas night; American victory boosted morale |
| Saratoga | October 1777; Major American victory; convinced France to join war as American ally |
| Valley Forge | Winter 1777-1778; Washington's army suffered but trained with Baron von Steuben; became stronger force |
| Yorktown | October 1781; Final major battle; British General Cornwallis surrendered; ended the war |
2.4 Challenges for Americans
- Faced the strongest army and navy in the world
- Shortage of money, weapons, food, and supplies
- Continental Army was poorly trained and equipped
- Not all colonists supported independence (Loyalists remained loyal to Britain)
2.5 American Advantages
- Fighting on home territory; knew the land
- Strong motivation to defend homes and freedom
- George Washington's leadership
- Alliance with France (1778) provided money, supplies, and naval support
- Aid from Spain and Netherlands
3. Important People
3.1 American Leaders
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| George Washington | Commander of Continental Army; led troops to victory; became first president |
| Thomas Jefferson | Wrote the Declaration of Independence |
| Benjamin Franklin | Helped negotiate Treaty of Paris; secured French alliance; inventor and diplomat |
| John Adams | Delegate to Continental Congress; helped draft Declaration; became second president |
| Samuel Adams | Leader of Sons of Liberty; organized protests against British |
| Patrick Henry | Virginia patriot famous for "Give me liberty or give me death" speech |
| Paul Revere | Rode to warn colonists that "the British are coming" before Lexington and Concord |
3.2 Contributors to the Cause
| Person | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Crispus Attucks | African American killed in Boston Massacre; first casualty of the Revolution |
| Marquis de Lafayette | French nobleman who volunteered to help Americans; became trusted aide to Washington |
| Baron von Steuben | Prussian officer who trained Continental Army at Valley Forge |
| Haym Salomon | Jewish immigrant who helped finance the Revolution |
| Abigail Adams | Advised husband John Adams; advocated for women's rights |
| Mercy Otis Warren | Writer who supported independence through plays and writings |
| Molly Pitcher | Carried water to soldiers; took over cannon when husband fell in battle |
| Deborah Sampson | Disguised herself as a man to fight in Continental Army |
3.3 British Leaders
- King George III: British king during the Revolution; refused to compromise with colonists
- General Cornwallis: British general who surrendered at Yorktown
4. Groups During the Revolution
4.1 Political Divisions
| Group | Description |
|---|---|
| Patriots | Colonists who supported independence from Britain; wanted to create new nation |
| Loyalists (Tories) | Colonists who remained loyal to Britain; about 20% of population |
| Neutrals | Colonists who did not take sides in the conflict |
4.2 Participation of Different Groups
- Women: Ran farms and businesses while men fought; served as nurses, cooks, spies; some fought in disguise
- African Americans: About 5,000 fought for Patriots; some fought for British who promised freedom; many enslaved people gained freedom through service
- Native Americans: Most sided with British hoping to stop colonial expansion; some remained neutral or supported Patriots
5. End of the War
5.1 Treaty of Paris (1783)
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Britain recognized United States as independent nation |
| Territory | U.S. gained land from Atlantic Ocean to Mississippi River, Canada to Florida |
| Fishing Rights | Americans could fish in waters off Canada |
| Debts | Both sides agreed to repay debts owed before the war |
| Loyalists | Congress recommended states return property taken from Loyalists |
5.2 Results of the Revolution
- United States became first independent nation in Americas
- Established republic based on democratic principles
- Inspired other revolutions around the world (French Revolution, Latin American independence)
- Created system based on rights of citizens and limited government power
- Did not immediately end slavery or guarantee rights to all people (women, enslaved people, Native Americans)
6. Key Concepts and Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Patriot | American colonist who supported independence from Britain |
| Loyalist | American colonist who remained loyal to Britain |
| Minutemen | Colonial militia who could be ready to fight at a minute's notice |
| Mercenary | Soldier hired to fight for a foreign country; Britain hired Hessians from Germany |
| Boycott | Refusal to buy goods as a form of protest |
| Repeal | To cancel or undo a law |
| Tyranny | Cruel and unjust use of power |
| Treason | Act of betraying one's country |
| Alliance | Agreement between nations to support each other |
| Natural Rights | Rights all people are born with; cannot be taken away by government |
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Apr 20, 2026 Last updated
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