1) Virginia played an important role in the American Revolution. Some Virginians fought for independence as Patriots, while others remained loyal to Britain. 2) Two influential Virginians were George Washington, who led the Continental Army, and Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence expressing the colonists' reasons for seeking independence. 3) The American victory at Yorktown in 1781 marked the end of the Revolutionary War and secured independence for the new United States of America.

1. VS.5 Review
2008
The Student will demonstrate knowledge of
the role of Virginia in the American Revolution.
Great Britain
Colonial America

2. Parliament vs. The Colonies
• Parliament believed it
had legal authority in
the colonies.
• Parliament believed it
had the right to tax
the colonies.
• Colonies believed that
their local assemblies
had legal authority.
• Colonies believed that
they should not be
taxed since they had
no representation in
Parliament.
Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PAParliament Building, London, England

3. The Declaration of Independence
• Written by Thomas Jefferson
• States that the authority to govern belongs
to the people, rather than to kings
• All people are created equal and have
rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness
• Why do you think it was important for the
colonies to write this document?

5. Varied Roles of Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
• Virginia Patriots
served in the
Continental Army and
fought against the
English

6. Varied Roles of Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
• Some Virginians were neutral and didn’t
take sides.

7. Varied Roles of Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
• Some Virginians
remained loyal to
England, and King
George III

8. Varied Roles of Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
• Enslaved African
Americans fought for
a better chance of
freedom.
• Free African
Americans fought for
independence in the
American Revolution

9. Varied Roles of Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
• Many American
Indians fought
alongside both the
patriots and the
British/English.

10. Varied Roles of Virginians in the
Revolutionary War
• Women took on more
responsibility during the war,
running businesses, factories
and farms along with doing
the regular household and
family chores

11. Contributions of Virginians during
the Revolutionary War Era
• George Washington provided military
leadership by serving as commander-in-
chief of the Continental Army

12. • James Armistead Lafayette a
slave from Virginia, served in
the Continental Army and was
given his freedom after the
war.
Contributions of Virginians during
the Revolutionary War Era

13. Contributions of Virginians during
the Revolutionary War Era
• Thomas Jefferson
provided political
leadership by expressing
the reasons for colonial
independence from
England in the
Declaration of
Independence.

14. Contributions of Virginians during
the Revolutionary War Era
• Patrick Henry inspired
Patriots from other
colonies when he spoke
out against taxation
without representation
by saying “…give me
liberty of give me
death!”

15. • Jack Jouett rode
horseback through the
woods of Virginia to
Charlottesville to warn
Thomas Jefferson, then
governor of Virginia,
that the British were
coming to arrest him
and members of the
General Assembly.
Contributions of Virginians during
the Revolutionary War Era

16. Battle of Great Bridge
• The first land battle of the
American Revolution fought
in Virginia.
• The American victory forced
the British colonial governor
to flee the City of Norfolk.

17. American
Victory at
Yorktown
• The British Surrendered to the Colonial
Army, bringing an end to the war and to
the creation of the United States of
America

18. Essential vocabulary
• Endowed ~ to possess or have
• Unalienable ~ can not be taken away
• Derive ~ to come from something
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America When
in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to
dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to
assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to
which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent
respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men,
deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…

19. Which statement best describes how the
Colonists thought the colonies should
be governed?
A. The colonists believed that Parliament had legal
authority in the colonies
B. The colonists believed that Parliament had a right to
tax the colonies
C. Since they were represented in Parliament, the
colonies accepted taxation
D. The colonists believed that their local assemblies had
legal authority rather than Parliament

20. Parliament believed that:
A. It had legal authority in the colonies and
had a right to tax the colonies
B. The colonies had a right to
representation in Parliament
C. The colonies could rule themselves
D. The colonies should be loyal to only the
local assemblies

21. The idea that authority to govern belongs to the
people rather than to kings and that all people are
created equal and have rights to life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness is found in what
document?
A. Charters of the Virginia Company of London
B. Virginia Declaration of Rights
C. Virginia Statue of Religious Freedom
D. The Declaration of Independence

22. The Virginia Slave who served in the
Continental Army and was given his
freedom after the Revolutionary War was
A. Nat Turner
B. Crispus Attucks
C. Benjamin Banneker
D. James Armistead Lafayette

23. The Commander in Chief of the
Continental Army was
A. Thomas Jefferson
B. Benjamin Franklin
C. George Washington
D. Robert E. Lee

24. Who wrote the Declaration of
Independence?
A. George Washington
B. Patrick Henry
C. Lord Cornwallis
D. Thomas Jefferson

25. Which colonial patriot spoke these famous
words, “…give me liberty or give me death?”
A. George Washington
B. Patrick Henry
C. James Armistead Lafayette
D. Thomas Jefferson

26. The American Victory at Yorktown was
important because
A. The French people declared their
independence from their King
B. It resulted in the surrender of the
English/British army and an end to the war
C. George Washington became Commander in
Chief
D. The Declaration of Independence was written