Old Glory: II Trivia Quiz

Answer: Oneida

The war had a major impact on the Iroquois Confederacy. The Oneida and the Tuscarora sided with the Americans, but the Mohawk, the Seneca, the Cayuga, and the Onondaga sided with the British.

Answer: Hesse-Kassel

The Landgraviate of Hessen-Kassel was ruled by Frederick II. He was King George III's uncle and lent out thousands (estimated up to 16,000) of soldiers for money to Britain. (Hessen-Kassel was notorious for being one of the worst run German states at the time).

The soldiers of Hessen-Kassel, while not the only German soldiers that fought for Britain, made up the majority of the German soldiers. This is why the Americans collectively called all German soldiers, "Hessians".

Answer: Halifax

After the Siege of Boston, General Howe and his army (along with many loyalists) went to Halifax. Halifax had a vital role during and after the war. It was in Halifax that the British staged most of their attacks. Halifax was also where the British went after the evacuation of New York. After the war, thousands of loyalists fled to Halifax.

Answer: Thomas Jefferson

The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson. While the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Britain on July 2, 1776, the declaration was not adopted until July 4 (which is why Independence Day is celebrated on the 4th of July in the United States).

Answer: Horatio Gates

The Battle of Long Island was a significant defeat for the Americans due to the loss of the strategic city of New York. British naval dominance and reinforcements forced Washington to retreat to Manhattan. This was followed by a string of battles that forced Washington and his men all the way to Pennsylvania.

Answer: Delaware River

The Battle of Trenton is both an example of pragmatism and the need for a morale boost after the army was repeatedly forced back by the British. On Christmas night, Washington and his forces crossed the icy, turbulent Delaware River. The next day, the Hessian garrison at Trenton was taken by surprise and easily defeated.

This was a much needed morale boost to prevent desertion and encourage more men to join the Continental Army.

Answer: Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid

Bernardo de Gálvez y Madrid didn't train or lead soldiers from the Continental Army, but he did lead Spain's North American war effort against the British during the war. He was the colonial governor of Louisiana and Cuba and he helped send supplies to the Americans. Militarily, his forces kept the British busy in the South, especially due to his victories in Florida.

Answer: Battle of Brandywine

The Battle of Brandywine was a disaster for the Americans as over twice the amount of American soldiers were killed compared to the British forces. George Washington was outmaneuvered by William Howe because he left his flank exposed to a British attack. (Washington expected the British to attempt a frontal assault).

Answer: John Burgoyne

The Battle of Saratoga was a decisive victory for the Americans, and a much needed one at that in light of the capture of Philadelphia (headquarters of the American "government"/Continental Congress). Ironically, one of the reasons for the American victory was because of the British seizure of Philadelphia. General Howe had decided to go capture Philadelphia instead of meeting up with Burgoyne as planned.

This battle was also significant for bringing the French closer to the American cause as it strengthened the possibility that the Americans could win.

Answer: Smallpox

With Philadelphia lost, the Continental Army took quarters at Valley Forge. Conditions at Valley Forge were terrible in part due to the harsh winter, but also due to economic difficulties. The paper currency ("Continentals") issued by the Continental Congress were considered worthless and many Pennsylvanian merchants refused to supply the army due to the devaluation of the currency. Disease was rampant in the camps, but Washington made a strategic move during the army's stay at Valley Forge.

He gave smallpox inoculations to the soldiers in light of the recent epidemic. Gradually with army regained the strength and became more experienced through the training done by military advisers such as Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben.

Answer: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was well known in Europe for his publications and contributions to science. He had managed to get the French to secretly provide military and monetary assistance, but a formal alliance had not been made. However, the victory at Saratoga intrigued the French and the Treaty of Alliance was signed in 1778. France's involvement would later bring in the Spanish.

Answer: Horatio Gates

The Conway Cabal, named after Thomas Conway (he wrote letters criticizing Washington's ability to command, which were eventually given to the Continental Congress), was an attempt to replace Washington as head of the army. Horatio Gates, credited with the important victory at Saratoga, was prime candidate for Washington's replacement. Washington had strong support and in the end, Gates stayed in the army and apologized, but Conway resigned.

Answer: George Rogers Clark

The Northwest Territory is usually forgotten in light of the struggles on the east, but George Rogers Clark's victories there were very important in the future development of the United States. He captured the Kaskaskia followed by Vincennes, establishing control over a good portion of the Northwest Territory.

It's possible that because of these victories, the British ceded the entire Northwest Territory to the United States in the Treaty of Paris.

Answer: John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones is perhaps the most well known sailor on the American side of the war. He uttered his famous phrase when invited to surrender during an engagement with the HMS Serapis. He had good reason to make this boast as he captured the ship, which would later be handed to the French Navy. John Paul Jones later served in the Imperial Russian Navy, in which he won victories against the Ottomans, but political intrigue caused him to be reassigned elsewhere.

Answer: Battle of Camden

The Battle of Camden was a military disaster for the Americans. Around 1,000 men were captured with nominal British casualties in comparison. Horatio Gates never had a field command again and Nathanael Greene took over as commander of the Southern theater.

Answer: West Point

Benedict Arnold was offered £20,000 to give West Point to the British. During his command of West Point, he deliberately sabotaged its defenses by wasting supplies and disorganizing the garrison so that the British could easily capture West Point. His deception was revealed when the British spy, John Andre, was captured. Andre was supposed to give instructions to the British on how to take West Point, but he met a group of Americans that he thought were British. Benedict Arnold managed to escape and join the British Army, but Andre was hanged.

There are a few reasons why Benedict Arnold defected. First, despite his many successes (e.g., Saratoga, Ticonderoga) he was overlooked for promotion. Second, Arnold accrued a large debt due to the war. Also, his wife, Peggy Shippen, was from a family that was largely made up of Loyalists.

Answer: 1781

The Articles of Confederation was the precursor to the U.S. Constitution. With the ratification of the articles, the Continental Congress became the Congress of the Confederation. Like many first attempts, the Articles of Confederation would later prove to be riddled with inadequacies and threatened the stability of the new nation.

Answer: Charles Cornwallis

The Siege of Yorktown (September 28 - October 19, 1781) was the last major battle in North America (although the war did not officially end until 1783). Trapped between a combined American and French army on land and the French Navy at sea, Cornwallis was forced to surrender.

Answer: Paris

The Peace of Paris (1783) officially ended the war. The United States was represented by Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. The U.S. had its independence officially recognized and in the treaty, received the Ohio River Valley/Northwest Territory.

At the end of the war, France gained control of Tobago and Senegal, while Spain retook Florida and the island of Minorca (Spain's gains were part of a separate treaty). Also of note is the fact that the British freed thousands of slaves prior to the treaty; the treaty stated that the slaves (listed as "property") had to be returned, but the British refused to do so.

The Americans also guaranteed to return property/pay reparations to Loyalists, but but this was a loose "guarantee".

Answer: wages

The Newburgh Conspiracy was unrest within the Continental Army because many members of the army hadn't been paid for years. The officers of the Continental Army (including Henry Knox) considered marching to the capital and demanding their pensions (Congress promised a lifetime pension of half pay).

This issue was resolved when Washington gave a passionate speech (the "Newburgh Address"), which convinced the officers (some were even moved to tears) to remain loyal to the Congress. The Congress of the Confederation later compromised by giving the officers 5 years of full pay.

Answer: Each state was allowed to have its own army and navy.

The Articles of Confederation created a very weak central government. Different states had their own currencies, creating confusion with exchange rates, which made commerce difficult. The Articles of Confederation also required a unanimous vote to create an amendment, which made it extremely difficult if not impossible to make changes. Also, Congress did not have the power of taxation and instead had to ask for money from the states (of which usually didn't give the full amount requested anyway).

Answer: Massachusetts

Shays' Rebellion, named after one of the leaders, war veteran Daniel Shays, was one of the first major problems faced by the United States in the aftermath of the revolution. A great number of people in the U.S. at the time were farmers; most of these farmers only grew enough crops to just sustain themselves and their families.

As a result, due to mounting debt and taxes, the farmers rose up in rebellion against the state and merchants. Since the federal government lacked an army, a privately funded militia had to be formed to fight the rebellion.

Answer: interstate trade

James Madison originally invited state delegates to Annapolis, Maryland in order to discuss interstate trade. The issue was that the Articles of Confederation was limiting trade and business between the states. However, this convention would later lead to the Constitutional Convention as Alexander Hamilton called for another convention to deal with the problems of the Articles of Confederation once and for all.

Answer: John Adams

The Federalist Papers are a collection of 85 articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. The purpose of the Federalist Papers was to promote the ratification of the U.S. Constitution, which would replace the Articles of Confederation as the central document defining rules, restrictions, and powers of the federal government.

Answer: Philadelphia

The Constitutional Convention took place in Philadelphia, from March 25 to September 17 of the year 1787. The main issue at hand was the ratification of the proposed U.S. Constitution. The main debates during the convention focused on the issues of creating a balance of power between the states themselves and between the federal government and both state governments and citizens.