Commonly Missed Questions on the STAAR Released Test
Who was John Adams?
advocated independence; Continental Congress delegate; Declaration of Independence Committee
What did Texas and California have in common?
both were former Medican territories
What is the Committee of Correspondence?
governments created in each colony before the revolution to organize resistance against the British
What does it mean to repeal?
to cancel an act or law
What are writs of assistance?
-legal document that allowed officers to search homes and warehouses for goods that might be smuggled.
When was the French and Indian War?
1754-1763
What is a militia?
A group of civilians trained to fight in emergencies
Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?
Benjamin Franklin
Who was Samuel Adams?
Boston Patriot who opposed British taxation. He established the committee of correspondence. Leader of the Sons of Liberty
Who were Patriots?
Colonists who were against the British
Who was George Washington?
Commander in Chief of the Continental Army
What was the New Jersey Plan?
Each state had the same amount of delegates so the size didnt matter
What was the Virginia Plan?
Each state had their delegates based on population
Who was Wentworth Cheswell?
Educated African-American Patriot, made the same midnight ride as Paul Revere warning that the British were coming.
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel about a slave. What one was one major impact of this novel?
It helped gain support for the abolitionist movement.
Who was the Patriot from Virginia who said, "Give me Liberty, or Give me death?"
Patrick Henry
Who was Mercy Otis Warren?
Patriot writer of plays, books, and poetry. Wanted John Adams to include women's rights in Declaration of Independence. Wrote rude things about John Adams ending the friendship with his wife, Abigail Adams.
Who were Loyalists?
People who remained loyal to Britain
What was the Proclamation of 1763?
Prohibited colonists from moving west of the Appalachians
Why were New York, Boston, and Charleston able to use geography (location) to their economic advantage?
They all ahd natural harbors (ship docking) that provided access to markets.
Why did British colonists object to the Proclamation of 1763?
They did not like the limits it imposed on westward expansion.
Why did Native Americans join to fight against the British in the French and Indian War?
They thought the British would try to take their land.
What ended the French and Indian War?
Treaty of Paris 1763
Who was Abigail Adams?
Wife of Patriot leader John Adams (mother of John Q. Adams). She wrote letters to her husband asking him to "Remember the Ladies" when he was at the Continental Congress and was writing the Declaration of Independence. Wanted women's rights to be included in the new government.
Who was Thomas Paine?
an Englishmen who wrote "Common Sense" explaining why America should be independent from England
What was The Great Compromise?
an agreement made between large states and small states regarding how much power states would have under the United States Constitution.
What is a boycott?
refusing to buy goods from a certain country.
What are unalienable rights?
rights that cannot or should not be taken away by a government because they are given by God; examples: "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness".
What was Civil Disobedience?
the refusal to obey certain laws or governmental demands for the purpose of influencing legislation or government policy, characterized by the employment of such nonviolent techniques as boycotting, picketing, and nonpayment of taxes.
What is a blockade?
the shutting of a port to keep people or supplies from moving in or out