1. Summarize the three basic principles of the Magna Carta.
A. rule of law – everyone must obey the law
B. right to a trial by jury
C. only parliament can levy taxes

2. Why was the English Common Law important to English settlers?
Guaranteed life, liberty, and property could not be taken without due process of law -

3. Why is 1492 considered an important date in American history?
Columbus discovered the Americas

4. In the Americas, the time period before Columbus discovered America is called pre-Columbian, from your knowledge, when did the pre-Columbian period end?
1492

5. Christopher Columbus was an Italian, when he could not get the wealthy Italians to finance his explorations; he turned to other European leaders. Who financed Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas?
Spain

6. The first European nation to explore and establish permanent settlements in the Americas was Spain

7. Why did European nations want to establish colonies in the Americas?
To get rich – there were lots of “gifts of nature,” such as fur bearing animals, fertile soil, precious metal, and forest

8. When and where was the first permanent English colony established in the Americas?
Jamestown Virginia 1607

9. Where did the French establish their first settlements?
Quebec, Canada

10. Why was the Virginia Charter important to individual colonists?
It guaranteed them the same rights as an Englishman living in England

11. Why do you think the colonists thought they needed to establish organized governments?
Answers will vary - good extension question

12. What did the signers of the Mayflower Compact agree to do?
To form a government and to meet regularly

13. Why did the colonists believe the British tax acts violated their rights as Englishmen?
Only parliament can levy taxes (Magna Carta) and the colonists were not allowed to elect members of parliament – so the colonists were not represented – taxes are a form of the government taking property the colonists considered this tyranny and a violation of English Common Law

14. List three things the colonists did to protest against British laws?
Refused to obey the laws, boycotts, organized protests

15. What parallel might be drawn between the way the Committees of Correspondence shared information, and the way people communicate through the inter-net?
Answers will vary.

16. Why did the delegates to the First Continental Congress send the Declaration of Rights to King George?
They did not want to go to war against the mother country. They wanted the king to respect their rights.

17. Explain what Patrick Henry meant when he said, "Give me liberty or give me death?"
He would rather give up his life fighting for freedom than to be subject to tyranny. Answers will vary.

18. The pamphlet Common Sense, explained why the thirteen colonies had to break away from England. Who is the author of Common Sense?
Thomas Paine

19. The Declaration of Independence was issued in 1776. Who is considered to be the author of this document?
A committee was assigned to write the document, Thomas Jefferson was the primary author

20. What two principles does Jefferson say gives individuals right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?
All men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with unalienable rights (unalienable means so natural that they could never be made foreign)

21. Who were the major combatants in the American Revolutionary War?
The Original 13 Colonies = United States verses Great Britain ( some students many also add the French for the U.S. and the Indians for Britain)

22. Why is the battle of Saratoga considered to be the turning point in the war?
When the Americans won this battle they proved that could probably defeat Britain – because of this, the French officially recognized the United States and provided money, munitions, troops, an naval support.

23. The last major battle of the war was Yorktown

24. What is the name of the treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War?
The Treaty of Paris 1783

25. What two major concessions did the British grant to the Americans in the Treaty of Paris, 1781?
The British agreed to recognize the United States as a separate and independent nation. (Which they did) The British also agreed to remove their troops from forts in the Northwest Territory – they did not do this until after the War of 1812

From the Glossary:

26. Explain why the Americans opposed the Tea Act (Boston Tea Party).
This act set up a monopoly. The United States economy is founded on free enterprise or capitalism – producers compete for buyers. When a monopoly exists it is the only supplier – this allows a monopoly total control of the market place.

27. Why is the Frenchman, Marquis de Lafayette an important figure in United States history?
Even before the French government agreed to support the United States, Lafayette brought troops and aid to the American cause. He personally fought to win freedom for the American people. It is believed that, in1990 dollars, he
contributed more than $250,000. of his own money to the revolution