Question 1

In what year was the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Continental Congress?

Accepted Answer

The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, it proclaimed the 13 American colonies free from British rule and articulated the principles of natural rights and self-governance. Fun fact: Most delegates actually voted for independence on July 2, 1776. John Adams believed July 2 would be celebrated as the great anniversary — but it was the date the document was formally adopted, July 4, that stuck.

Question 2

What was the primary cause of colonial discontent that led to the famous slogan 'No taxation without representation'?

Accepted Answer

The British Parliament passed a series of taxes on the colonies — including the Stamp Act (1765) and the Townshend Acts (1767) — without granting the colonists any seats in Parliament. Colonists argued this violated their rights as British subjects, crystallizing the rallying cry 'No taxation without representation.'

Question 3

What event in 1773 was a major act of colonial protest against the Tea Act?

Accepted Answer

On December 16, 1773, colonists disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded three British ships in Boston Harbor and dumped 342 chests of tea into the water. The protest was a response to the Tea Act, which gave the British East India Company a monopoly on tea sales in the colonies. Fun fact: The destroyed tea was worth roughly $1.7 million in today's money. The event was not called the 'Boston Tea Party' until decades later — at the time, it was simply called 'the destruction of the tea.'

Question 4

Where were the first shots of the American Revolution fired on April 19, 1775?

Accepted Answer

The Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts marked the start of armed conflict. British troops marched from Boston to seize colonial weapons stored at Concord, but were met by minutemen at Lexington Green. The famous 'shot heard round the world' began the Revolutionary War. Fun fact: Paul Revere's midnight ride warned the colonists that British troops were coming, but he was actually captured before reaching Concord. It was Samuel Prescott who completed the ride to Concord.

Question 5

Who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War?

Accepted Answer

George Washington was appointed Commander-in-Chief by the Continental Congress in June 1775. Despite facing a better-trained and better-equipped British army, Washington held the Continental Army together through years of hardship and ultimately led it to victory. He later became the first President of the United States.

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