The Life Starter
Sign up
Grade 5 · unit review

Review: American Revolution and Independence

Connect imperial conflict, political arguments and independence.

Download reviews and answer keys

Bring the unit skills together

Use these 4 new cases to check your reasoning. Choices are temporary and are not saved to an account, sent to staff or recorded as school grades. Download your current review choices before leaving or reloading.

Unit review questions
1. Use the historical notes. A card describes delegates coordinating resistance. Which choice best fits?
Need a hint?
  • Use the event’s action and date to distinguish the printed-material tax, Boston tea protest, delegates’ meeting and independence announcement.
  • Find the note for Continental Congress. Check which words in this card match it.
2. Use the historical notes. A card describes an attempt to remain outside the conflict. Which choice best fits?
Need a hint?
  • Look for support for independence, support for Britain, an attempt to avoid either side or freedom and sovereignty aims outside those two camps.
  • Find the note for Avoiding sides. Check which words in this card match it.
3. Use the historical notes. A card identifies the treaty ending the Revolutionary War’s principal settlement. Which choice best fits?
Need a hint?
  • Tell military activity apart from an alliance, the 1783 treaty and inequalities that continued after independence.
  • Find the note for Treaty of Paris in 1783. Check which words in this card match it.
4. Use the historical notes. A card describes the formal announcement of political separation. Which choice best fits?
Need a hint?
  • Find whether the card names a principle, a complaint, the announced separation or a gap between ideals and actual conditions.
  • Find the note for Political action. Check which words in this card match it.

The download contains your current choices and any checked feedback. Keep the separate transfer-task work in your own document; downloading its instructions does not mark it complete.

Use the skills in a new task

Make four small boxes for American Revolution and Independence, one for each lesson: Imperial Taxes and Colonial Protest; Patriots Loyalists and Other Choices; War Diplomacy and the Treaty of Paris; Declaration Arguments and Their Limits. In each box, choose one supplied card and explain its match using the notes. Compare two of your cards: what makes their matches different? You may write, draw or explain your answers aloud. Use the lesson cards; you do not need a purchase, interview, personal record or trip. For the adult helping: keep the fictional examples and historical notes distinct; these short cards do not tell every detail about a person or place.

Work on paper or in your own document. Explain the choices you made.

  • Choose one supplied card from each lesson: Imperial Taxes and Colonial Protest; Patriots Loyalists and Other Choices; War Diplomacy and the Treaty of Paris; Declaration Arguments and Their Limits.
  • Use the notes to name each match and explain its clue.
  • Compare two cards and say or show how their clues differ.
  • Keep the events and details as written; do not make up a quotation or new event.
  • With an adult, name one question the cards do not answer.
Compare with a model response

Imperial Taxes and Colonial Protest: The card says: “A card identifies a British tax on printed documents.” That matches Stamp Act. Stamp Act is the 1765 tax on specified printed materials. Compare: The card says: “A card identifies tea destroyed in Boston Harbor.” That matches Boston Tea Party. Boston Tea Party is the 1773 destruction of tea protesting imperial policy. Patriots Loyalists and Other Choices: The card says: “A historical-style classroom card favors an independent United States.” That matches Patriot position. Patriot position is support for independence from Britain. Compare: The card says: “A historical-style classroom card favors remaining under Britain.” That matches Loyalist position. Loyalist position is support for continued allegiance to Britain. War Diplomacy and the Treaty of Paris: The card says: “A card describes a Revolutionary War battle.” That matches Military action. Military action is organized armed activity during the war. Compare: The card says: “A card identifies France’s alliance with the United States.” That matches Diplomatic alliance. Diplomatic alliance is an agreement coordinating support between powers. Declaration Arguments and Their Limits: The card says: “A card identifies the ideal of equality.” That matches Principle. Principle is a general political idea advanced in the Declaration. Compare: The card says: “A card describes a listed complaint about royal actions.” That matches Grievance. Grievance is a complaint offered against British rule. Adult checking note: This model uses the supplied lesson cards and notes. It does not describe every person, community or place. Answering a new question would need a matching source or a new observation.

A different response can also meet the criteria. Compare the evidence and reasoning, rather than copying the wording.