Sample Correction of the First Term Exam in American Civilization for Master I students (Lit & Civ) (2024-2025)

 

Exercise One: MCQ Tick in the right answer (15pts) 

 

 

1.      Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?

 

A. John Adams                                                                B.   Benjamin Franklin

C. Thomas Jefferson                                                        D.    George Washington

C

2. On what day did the Continental Congress vote to declare independence from Great Britain?

A.    July 2, 1776                     B.  July 4, 1776                                C.   August 2, 1776

B.      

3.      What was one of the main purposes of the Declaration of Independence?

A.    To divide up the work of the Continental Congress fairly

B.     To lay the groundwork for ending slavery in the colonies

C.     To create a national holiday with bonfires and illuminations

D.     To explain why the colonies had the right to form their own government.

D

4. The Declaration of Independence is now often quoted to remind us that we are endowed by our creator with “certain unalienable rights,” among these are...

            A. Life, liberty and property                    B. Life, liberty and the right to bear arms

            C. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness         D.           Life, liberty and freedom of speech

C

5. The first word(s) of the Declaration of Independence is/are:

            A.“We the people...”                              B. “Whereas...”

            C.“Be it hereby resolved...”                    D.  “When in the Course of human events...”

D

6. By the time the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, most delegates believed that war with England

A. was inevitable.                                                 B. could be avoided.

C. was unlikely.                                                    D. would be stopped by French intervention.

A

7. Why did Thomas Jefferson say King George III was unfit ruler?

A. He was not born in Great Britain.                    B. He denied the colonists rights

C. He was not elected by Parliament                     D. He lived far away from the colonies

B

8. According to Thomas Jefferson, the power to rule comes from

A. God                      B. The King                   C. Parliament           D. The citizens

D

9. Why was the Declaration of Independence written?

A. To start the American Revolution       B. To offer a peace settlement to Great Britain

C. To instruct how a colony wins its freedom

D. To explain why the colonies were separating from Great Britain

D

10. What was the main pressure leading up to the French and Indian War?

A.    Concern for the Indians                   B. Desire for land

C. A war in Europe                                 D. Different political philosophies

B

11. What was the name of the fort erected by that messenger's troops after the first fight of the war?

 

A.    Necessary                                                  B. Necessity

C. Cotemporary                                               D. Ineffective

B

12. What year did France and England declare war?

       A. 1755                                                     B. 1754

       C.1756

C                                                      D. 1777

13. What was the title of the book that dramatized the battle between the French and the British?

A.    Catch 22                                               B. All Quiet on the Western Front

C. The Deerslayer                                       D. The Last of the Mohicans

D

14.  When was the Treaty of Paris signed?

      A. 1763                                                        B. 1760

       C. 1765                                                        D. 1761

C

15. What was France allowed to keep?

      A. New France (Canada)                               B. All its territory west of the Mississippi

      C. Nothing                                           D. New Orleans, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia

D

 

Exercise Two: Study Question

How did the French and Indian War prepare the colonists for the American Revolution? (5pts)

         The French and Indian War (1754–1763) significantly prepared the American colonists for the American Revolution by altering their relationship with Britain and fostering conditions that led to a sense of unity and self-reliance. Serving in the British forces during the French and Indian War had a twofold effect on the colonists: it trained many of their future leaders, including George Washington, and it heightened the conflict between the British and the colonists by clarifying their differences.

1.     Military Experience

ü  Many colonial militias gained valuable combat experience during the war, fighting alongside British forces. Leaders like George Washington emerged with firsthand knowledge of military strategy, logistics, and leadership, which they later applied during the Revolution.

ü  Colonists learned guerrilla tactics and adapted to the North American terrain, which proved advantageous during the Revolutionary War.

2. Political Awareness

ü  The war highlighted the inefficiency of British military leadership and governance, leading many colonists to question British authority and competence.

ü  During the war, colonial leaders often had to cooperate to organize resources and defense. This fostered early inter-colonial unity, a precursor to the cooperation needed for revolution.

3. Economic Strain and Taxation

ü  Britain incurred significant debt during the war and began taxing the colonies to recoup costs. Measures like the Sugar Act (1764) and Stamp Act (1765) were direct consequences of the war and sparked widespread resentment among colonists.

ü  The colonists’ resistance to these taxes laid the groundwork for revolutionary slogans like "no taxation without representation."

4. Territorial Changes

ü  The war eliminated France as a colonial power in North America, reducing the external threat to the colonies. Without the need for British military protection against the French, colonists felt less dependent on Britain.

ü  Britain’s attempt to limit westward expansion through the Proclamation of 1763, which prohibited settlement beyond the Appalachian Mountains, angered colonists eager for new land and fueled anti-British sentiment.

5. Emergence of Colonial Identity

ü  The shared experience of fighting a common enemy and the growing frustration with British policies fostered a sense of unity and a distinct colonial identity separate from Britain.

Conclusion

The French and Indian War set the stage for the American Revolution by exposing tensions in the colonial relationship with Britain, providing military training and leadership, and uniting the colonies against a shared source of grievance.