Assessment Quiz

Cambridge: Headquarters of the Revolution

Cambridge, MA

Grades 6-8

Name: Date: Period:

Cambridge: Headquarters of the Revolution

Answer all questions based on our study of Cambridge in the American Revolution. For short answer questions, use specific evidence from the sources we studied.

1. Why did Cambridge become the headquarters of the Continental Army in 1775?
AIt was strategically located near Boston, where British forces were garrisoned, and had buildings suitable for a command centerBThe Continental Congress ordered all troops to gather thereCIt was the largest city in MassachusettsDGeorge Washington owned property in Cambridge
2. When Washington arrived in Cambridge in July 1775, he found a well-organized professional army ready for his command.
True False
3. What was the enlistment crisis of 1775-76?
AToo many volunteers arrived and there was no room for themBMost soldiers' terms of service expired on December 31, 1775, and many refused to re-enlist, threatening to dissolve the armyCBritish spies infiltrated the Continental Army recruitment officesDCongress refused to authorize any new enlistments after 1775
4. Explain what Washington's General Orders reveal about conditions in the Cambridge camps that official histories of the Revolution often overlook. Cite at least one specific type of order.
Answer:
5. Henry Knox's proposal to bring artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge was significant because:
AKnox was an experienced military engineer with decades of serviceBThe Continental Army lacked the heavy artillery needed to force the British out of Boston, and Knox proposed transporting captured cannons over 300 miles of winter terrainCCongress had already approved and funded the expedition before Knox suggested itDThe artillery was needed to defend Cambridge from a British attack
6. Martha Washington's letters from Cambridge provide evidence about the social dynamics and daily life at headquarters that official military records do not capture.
True False
7. Compare the challenges faced by the Continental Army in Cambridge with those faced by the British Army in Boston during the siege of 1775-1776. Identify at least one challenge that was similar and one that was different.
Answer:

Cambridge: Headquarters of the Revolution

Washington Takes Command: Cambridge and the Birth of the Continental Army — Cambridge, MA

1.Why did Cambridge become the headquarters of the Continental Army in 1775?
Answer:A
Cambridge's proximity to British-occupied Boston made it the natural staging ground for the siege. The Vassall House (now the Longfellow House) and Harvard College buildings provided headquarters and barracks for the Continental Army.
2.When Washington arrived in Cambridge in July 1775, he found a well-organized professional army ready for his command.
Answer:False
Washington found the opposite: a loose collection of New England militia companies with elected officers, no unified command structure, severe supply shortages, and far less gunpowder than had been reported. His General Orders from the first weeks reflect his effort to impose basic discipline and organization.
3.What was the enlistment crisis of 1775-76?
Answer:B
Most militia enlistments were for fixed terms ending December 31, 1775. Despite Washington's appeals, thousands of soldiers went home when their terms expired, forcing him to rebuild the army during an active siege — one of the most dangerous moments of the entire Revolution.
4.Explain what Washington's General Orders reveal about conditions in the Cambridge camps that official histories of the Revolution often overlook. Cite at least one specific type of order.
Answer:[Accept answers that identify specific practical problems — sanitation, desertion, theft, fraternization with the enemy, lack of discipline — and explain how the General Orders serve as evidence of daily camp life]
Strong answers will note that the General Orders address mundane but critical issues like camp cleanliness, soldiers wandering from posts, theft of supplies, and insubordination. The repetition of certain orders suggests persistent noncompliance. These documents reveal the Revolution as a daily management challenge, not just a series of battles.
5.Henry Knox's proposal to bring artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge was significant because:
Answer:B
Knox, a 25-year-old former bookseller with no formal military training, proposed hauling 60 tons of captured British cannons from Ticonderoga to Boston. This artillery, placed on Dorchester Heights, ultimately forced the British evacuation of Boston in March 1776.
6.Martha Washington's letters from Cambridge provide evidence about the social dynamics and daily life at headquarters that official military records do not capture.
Answer:True
Martha Washington's correspondence from the winter of 1775-76 describes social gatherings among officers, her impressions of New England soldiers and camp life, and the practical realities of running a headquarters household. Her letters offer a perspective absent from military records and reveal class dynamics within the army's leadership, including the fact that the Washingtons brought enslaved people to Cambridge.
7.Compare the challenges faced by the Continental Army in Cambridge with those faced by the British Army in Boston during the siege of 1775-1776. Identify at least one challenge that was similar and one that was different.
Answer:[Accept answers that identify shared challenges like supply shortages and morale problems, and distinguish unique challenges like the Continental Army's enlistment crisis versus the British Army's isolation by sea]
Strong answers will note that both sides faced supply problems — the Continental Army lacked gunpowder and equipment, while the British in Boston struggled with food shortages and dependence on naval supply lines. A key difference was the enlistment crisis: British regulars served for long terms, while Continental soldiers could simply go home. Conversely, the British were confined to a hostile city while the Continental forces had the support of the surrounding countryside.