The Poor In The American Revolution Question Preview (ID: 45670)


Most Of The Continental Army Was Made Up Of Poor White Men. TEACHERS: click here for quick copy question ID numbers.

Why were most soldiers poor? What did most wealthy people do to get out of serving in the army?
a) You could pay 5 pounds ($) or provide a sub to serve in your place.
b) Most soldiers didn't care about getting paid, they were just honored to fight for their cause.
c) The poor hoped to make a lot of money by serving in the army.
d) The wealthy were never asked to serve. Poor people made better soldiers.

What were common soldiers paid?
a) $100 each month and were given large plantations
b) $6 each month usually all at once, in Colonial Dollars, or in IOU's from the government.
c) $10 each month, in British pounds imported from Britain
d) Nothing; soldiers joined because they wanted independence and did not expect to get paid.

What was wrong with being paid in Colonial Dollars?
a) Nothing; the new paper money was worth just as much as the British coins had been.
b) They could't use them because everything was in pounds in the Colonies.
c) They were printed with stolen machinery.
d) Inflation (prices rising) made Colonial Dollars basically worthless!

Most men in government, such as the Continental Congress, were...
a) wealthy white men
b) poor farmers
c) wealthy Loyalists from Britain
d) middle class

Who was the richest man in America at this time?
a) General Thomas Gage
b) Benjamin Franklin
c) George Washington
d) King George III

Since 10% of white men owned almost HALF the wealth in America, what often occurred?
a) many poor people fled to Britain
b) many wealthy men housed a poor colonist to help them out
c) conflicts between the poor and the wealthy during the war- even if they were all Patriots!
d) the wealthy men would share their money once a month with the poor

How did most militia men get their supplies?
a) They had to apply and their names were added to a waiting list for service.
b) They had to share with official soldiers of the Continental Army.
c) They were given a musket and a uniform when they enlisted.
d) They usually had to bring their own weapon and even buy their own uniforms!

Some lower (poorer) classes, especially in the South, resisted the war completely because...
a) The Army had enough people to fight the British, so they didn't need them.
b) All southern poor people were Loyalists, actually.
c) they did not think their lives would really change- they would be ruled over by the wealthy, American or British.
d) They joined the British Army.

Officers in the Army were paid between 3 and 12 TIMES as much as common soldiers, so common soldiers often...
a) rebelled against their officers, demanded more pay, or deserted
b) killed their officers and stole their money
c) ran away to Britain
d) petitioned the King to pay them more

How did the soldiers' rebellions against their officers usually turn out for them?
a) they were told to join the British Army
b) they never got the pay they asked for
c) they always got the pay they asked for
d) sometimes they got the pay they asked for, sometimes they were killed as an example to others

AFTER the war, some farmers had not been fully paid for their service in the Army. What happened to them?
a) The government decided to forgive their debts, since they still owed them money for their service in the army.
b) They could not pay their debts, and the government threatened to take their land away from them.
c) They killed everyone in the government that were threatening them.
d) They left for Britain because they knew the King would treat them better.

What was Shay's Rebellion?
a) Shay organized a group of farmers to flee to Britain for better treatment.
b) It was a full revolution, but this time against the French government.
c) Rebellion is a bit of an exaggeration, actually. It was just one protest in front of the courthouse in one colony.
d) A rebellion of poor farmers against the government, protesting taking their lands and throwing them in jail

Why was Shay's Rebellion such a big deal if the farmers just ended up being arrested and killed?
a) It spread to other colonies, and the new USA gov't almost was not able to get it under control. They needed a full-time army.
b) Rebellions kept happening and no one could stop them.
c) It wasn't. They tried rebelling, they were arrested, and put to death.
d) The poor had taken all of the wealthy people's money.

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