Question

forming a new nation
section 1
declaring independence
in 1775 the second continental congress met. thomas jefferson was a member. george washington was selected to lead the continental army. not everyone wanted independence. some delegates issued the olive branch petition. this asked for reconciliation with britain. the king refused to read it. the battles of bunker hill and dorchester heights followed. thomas paine wrote the pamphlet common sense. this influenced many people to support independence. thomas jefferson wrote the first draft of the declaration of independence. about a quarter of the population stayed loyal to the king

the revolution continues
the colonists lost the first battles. then they won the battle of saratoga in new york. this battle is considered the turning - point in the war. african americans had fought at lexington, concord, and bunker hill. still, they were not allowed to enlist in the army until later in the war. about 5,000 fought on the patriots’ side.

an american victory
after saratoga the war shifted to the south and the western frontier. several european nations supported the american cause. americans won some important victories in what are now midwestern states. in the south, americans made surprise raids on the british. the marquis de lafayette’s troops gradually forced the british to the coast. with washington’s troops, they trapped the british at yorktown. cornwallis had to surrender. the battle of yorktown was the last major battle of the revolutionary war. the treaty of paris is the document in which great britain recognized the united states as a country.
what did the king do with the olive branch petition?
what role did african americans play in the war?
circle the name of the town where cornwallis surrendered.

Explanation:

1. King refused to read Olive Branch Petition.
2. African Americans fought on Patriots' side.
3. Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown.

Answer:

1. Refused to read it.
2. Fought on Patriots' side.
3. Yorktown