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Difficulty: MediumSocial Impact and the Influence of Revolutionary Ideals

Diary entry of Grace Growden Galloway, a Loyalist in Philadelphia, 1778:

'I was determined to keep possession of my house... but [the commissioners] told me I must go out... and they would take possession... I told them I would not go out of my house until I was forced... They then took me by the arm and led me out... and thus I was turned out of my own house and property, with only my clothes... Oh, the cruelty of these people who talk so much of liberty!'

Which of the following historical developments during the American Revolution is best reflected in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The emergence of coordinated colonial resistance against parliamentary taxation policies.
  2. The confiscation of property and social displacement experienced by supporters of the British Crown.Answer
  3. C
    The growing ideological division between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans over economic policy.
  4. D
    The enforcement of national security policies by a strong federal government under the newly ratified Constitution.

Answer

The confiscation of property and social displacement experienced by supporters of the British Crown.
The correct answer is correct because during the Revolutionary War, state governments and local patriot groups actively targeted Loyalists, confiscating their estates and forcing many into exile or displacement, highlighting the limits of revolutionary liberty when applied to political opponents.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source's author, date, and context.
The author is Grace Growden Galloway, writing in 1778 during the Revolutionary War in Philadelphia.
Identifying the temporal and situational context helps rule out events that occurred before or long after the war.
2
Identify the core conflict described in the text.
The text describes officials ('commissioners') forcibly removing the author from her home and seizing her property, and her criticism of their 'talk of liberty'.
Understanding the action in the text links it directly to the historical treatment of Loyalists by revolutionary authorities.
3
Match the analysis to the historical developments of Period 3.
State governments frequently passed laws confiscating Loyalist property to fund the war and punish political opponents, showing the social division of the era.
This connects the specific document to the broader social impact and limits of revolutionary ideals.

Key Concept

The social impact of the American Revolution on Loyalists, specifically property confiscation and displacement.
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Topics

Social Impact and the Influence of Revolutionary Ideals

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