The American Revolution is a focused but important Jeopardy! topic with 471 clues and 10 Final Jeopardy appearances. The vast majority of clues (90%) come from just three categories: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, and REVOLUTIONARY WAR, making this a highly concentrated study area.
The topic is dominated by a clear top tier: Benedict Arnold (19 clues, 3 FJ appearances; the dominant FJ answer), John Paul Jones (18), Cornwallis (16), Paul Revere (14), and Thomas Paine (11). These five answers alone account for 78 clues, 17% of the total.
Clue patterns by value: The $100 tier is a perfect 0% wrong rate. Difficulty climbs to 33% wrong at $2000. The heaviest concentration of clues is at $400 (101 clues, 14% wrong); the bread-and-butter value for this topic.
Study strategy: This is a "people and events" topic. Know the key figures (what they did, their famous quotes), the major battles (where and why they mattered), and the pre-war events (Tea Party, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre). The show especially loves: famous quotes ("I have not yet begun to fight," "I only regret that I have but one life"), Benedict Arnold's treachery, and Paul Revere's ride details.
Key stumpers: Francis Marion / "Swamp Fox" (60% wrong), King George III (50%), Nathan Hale (44%), and John Hancock (33%).
19 clues · 94% correct · 3 FJ appearances (dominant FJ answer)
The most-tested American Revolution answer and the clear #1 FJ answer (3 appearances). Arnold was a brilliant Continental Army major general who became America's most infamous traitor. He fought heroically at Saratoga (1777) before his treachery, plotting to surrender West Point to the British through British Major John André (1780). After his defection, he served as a British brigadier general.
FJ clues focus on his dual service, his correspondence (using the code name "Monk"), and contemporary quotes about his treachery. His West Point plaque shows birth year and rank but his name was removed.
The "Father of the American Navy." Scottish-born, he commanded the Bonhomme Richard (named after Benjamin Franklin's "Poor Richard") in its famous 1779 battle against HMS Serapis. When asked to surrender his sinking ship, he reportedly replied, "I have not yet begun to fight!" one of the most-tested quotes in Jeopardy! history.
British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered to George Washington at Yorktown, Virginia (October 19, 1781), effectively ending the Revolutionary War. He commanded British forces in the Southern campaign before being trapped at Yorktown by Washington's army and the French fleet. Later served as Governor-General of India.
14 clues · 92% correct · 1 FJ appearance
Silversmith, engraver, and patriot famous for his midnight ride (April 18, 1775) from Charlestown to Lexington to warn that "the British are coming." Key details: he was captured by the British before reaching Concord (Samuel Prescott completed that leg), he participated in the Boston Tea Party 16 months earlier, he designed the first colonial seal and first Continental currency, and he was made an official messenger by General Joseph Warren.
Author of Common Sense (January 1776) the pamphlet that galvanized public support for independence, selling 500,000 copies. Also wrote The Crisis ("These are the times that try men's souls") and later Rights of Man and The Age of Reason. English-born, came to America in 1774.
9 clues · 56% correct, STUMPER (44% wrong)
A young Continental Army captain who volunteered to spy behind British lines on Long Island. Captured and hanged by the British (September 22, 1776) at age 21. His famous last words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" (paraphrasing Addison's play Cato).
Leader of the Green Mountain Boys who captured Fort Ticonderoga (May 10, 1775), demanding surrender "In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!" Fort Ticonderoga provided much-needed cannons that were later dragged to Boston. Also known for his modern furniture company namesake.
~12 clues combined · 100% correct
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette; the young French aristocrat who came to America at his own expense in 1777 to fight for liberty. Wounded at his first engagement (Brandywine, September 1777). Became one of Washington's most trusted generals. Named an honorary U.S. citizen in 2002 (only the 6th person so honored). James Armistead, a slave who spied for Lafayette, took his surname after the war.
Bunker Hill (10 clues, 80% correct), June 17, 1775. Actually fought mostly on Breed's Hill (a favorite trick angle). British won but suffered heavy casualties. "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes!" (attributed to William Prescott or Israel Putnam).
Saratoga (5 clues), October 1777. The war's turning point, American victory convinced France to enter as an ally. Benedict Arnold was heroic here (before his treachery). British General Burgoyne surrendered.
Yorktown (8 clues, 100% correct), October 1781. The final major battle. Washington, with French support (Rochambeau's army and de Grasse's fleet), trapped Cornwallis on the Virginia peninsula. Cornwallis surrendered October 19, 1781.
Valley Forge (9 clues, 89% correct), Winter encampment (1777-1778) in Pennsylvania. Not a battle but a crucible, Washington's army endured brutal cold and starvation. Baron von Steuben arrived and trained the Continental Army into a professional fighting force.
Brandywine (4 clues), September 11, 1777. British victory in Pennsylvania. Lafayette wounded in his first action.
France was the single most important foreign ally. Key French contributions: - Lafayette: aristocrat who volunteered (1777) - Rochambeau: commanded French troops at Yorktown - De Grasse: French admiral whose fleet trapped Cornwallis at Yorktown - Treaty of Alliance (1778) formal French entry after Saratoga
~8 clues combined · high correct rate
Prussian military officer who arrived at Valley Forge (1778) and transformed the ragged Continental Army into a disciplined fighting force. He wrote the army's first drill manual. Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben is his full name (FJ answer once).
Benedict Arnold dominates FJ with 3 appearances, know his story inside and out: 1. His dual military service (Continental major general + British brigadier general) 2. His code name "Monk" in British correspondence 3. Quotes from contemporaries about his treachery ("Money is this man's God...")
Other FJ answers: Paul Revere (1), Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (1), Massachusetts (1), Samuel Adams or John Hancock (1), Major John André (1), Daughters of Liberty (1), the North Sea (1, geographic crossover).
These famous quotes are among the most frequently tested on the show:
| Quote | Person |
|---|---|
| "I have not yet begun to fight!" | John Paul Jones |
| "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" | Nathan Hale |
| "These are the times that try men's souls" | Thomas Paine (The Crisis) |
| "Don't fire until you see the whites of their eyes" | William Prescott (Bunker Hill) |
| "In the name of the Great Jehovah and the Continental Congress!" | Ethan Allen (Ticonderoga) |
| "Give me liberty, or give me death!" | Patrick Henry |
| Answer | Wrong % | Memory Hook |
|---|---|---|
| Francis Marion | 60% | "Swamp Fox"; SC guerrilla; The Patriot loosely based on him |
| King George III | 50% | "Mad King George"; Declaration lists grievances against him |
| Nathan Hale | 44% | Spy hanged at 21; "one life to lose" |
| John Hancock | 33% | Largest signature; first signer; first MA governor |
| Fort Ticonderoga | 33% | Ethan Allen + Green Mountain Boys; cannons for Boston |
| Articles of Confederation | 33% | First U.S. government (1781-1789); weak central authority |
| Minutemen | 67% | "Ready in a minute"; Lexington & Concord militia |
True evergreens (all eras): Benedict Arnold, King George III, Fort Ticonderoga, Common Sense, Bunker Hill, Hessians, Concord.
Fading (mostly pre-2005): John Paul Jones (0 since 2015), Cornwallis (0 since 2015), Thomas Paine (0 since 2005), the Bonhomme Richard (all 1985-94 only). These are still worth knowing but may be lower-probability in modern games.
Still appearing recently: Benedict Arnold (3 since 2015), Yorktown (2), Ethan Allen (2), France (2), Savannah (2).
Some answers cross over with other topics (U.S. Presidents, American History, Government & Politics). This guide covers the war-specific angle, but know: - Washington: primarily tested under U.S. Presidents - Benjamin Franklin: primarily under Historical Figures or Science - The Declaration of Independence: primarily under Government & Politics - The Constitution: primarily under Government & Politics
Memorize these and recognize 47.5% of all American Revolution clues.
| # | Answer | Count | Sample Clue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornwallis | 13 | Though defeated in the Revolution, he went on to become Governor-Gen. of India |
| 2 | John Paul Jones | 12 | Because he hadn't "begun to fight", he continued his career in Russia's navy |
| 3 | the Marquis de Lafayette | 12 | In July 1777 Congress granted a commission but no command to this 19-year-old French nobleman |
| 4 | Paul Revere | 10 | Samuel Prescott made it to Concord to warn the patriots while this rider was captured en route |
| 5 | Benedict Arnold | 10 | Disgruntled officer urged by Washington not to quit, later turned traitor |
| 6 | George Washington | 8 | To keep his men busy during the winter, he had them build the militarily useless "Ft. Nonsense" |
| 7 | Baron von Steuben | 7 | This Prussian has been called the "First Teacher of the American Army" |
| 8 | Thomas Paine | 6 | In his "American Crisis" pamphlet, he wrote, "Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered" |
| 9 | John Hancock | 6 | The only ones to sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 were Charles Thomson & this man |
| 10 | Concord | 6 | On April 18, 1775, Massachusetts Governor Gage ordered British troops to destroy military stores in this town near Lexington |
| 11 | Bunker Hill | 6 | Overconfident, British Gen. Howe went into this 1775 Boston battle with a servant carrying wine on a silver tray |
| 12 | the whites of their eyes | 6 | The range of the American muskets was less than 100 yards, so troops on Breed's Hill were told this |
| 13 | Francis Marion | 6 | After the revolution this "Swamp Fox" became a state senator in South Carolina |
| 14 | Yorktown | 5 | French troops under the Comte de Rochambeau helped secure victory in this last major battle of the war |
| 15 | Philadelphia | 5 | Both Continental Congresses met in this city; the first convened on September 5, 1774 |
| 16 | Nathan Hale | 5 | He said, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country" |
| 17 | Molly Pitcher | 5 | America's "Gunga Din", Mrs. Mary Ludwig Hays, is better known by this name |
| 18 | France | 5 | In 1778 the revolutionaries formed an alliance with this country, leading to decisive support & reinforcements |
| 19 | Ethan Allen | 5 | N.Y. governor William Tryon put a reward of 100 pounds on the capture of this Green Mountain Boys leader |
| 20 | the Hessians | 5 | Some 19,000 of these mercenaries were hired by the British |
| 21 | Savannah | 4 | In December 1778 the British navy easily captured this port; soon all of Georgia was under British control |
| 22 | Benjamin Franklin | 4 | 1 of 4 men who represented the United States in the Paris peace negotiations with Britain |
| 23 | King George III | 4 | This monarch said, "The die is now cast, the colonies must either submit or triumph" upon approving the Intolerable Acts |
| 24 | Howe | 4 | Shortly after Bunker Hill, Thomas Gage was replaced by this general as British commander in chief |
| 25 | Valley Forge | 3 | This site on the Schuylkill River was named for a small ironworks nearby |
| 26 | the Delaware | 3 | In December 1776 John Glover & his fishermen ferried Washington's forces across this river to victory |
| 27 | the Bonhomme Richard | 3 | Nathaniel Fanning, John Paul Jones' clerk on this ship, wrote of its battle with the Serapis |
| 28 | Massachusetts | 3 | In Feb. 1775 Parliament said this colony was in rebellion, thus allowing the shooting of rebels on sight |
| 29 | Fort Ticonderoga | 3 | Formerly Fort Carillon, it was captured by Ethan Allen & others May 10, 1775 |
| 30 | Common Sense | 3 | "The sun never shine on a cause of greater worth" than the colonists', wrote Thomas Paine in this 1776 work |
| 31 | Charleston | 3 | The British captured this South Carolina port on May 12, 1780 & held it for 2 years |
| 32 | the Boston Massacre | 3 | Crispus Attucks was living under the name Michael Johnson when killed in this 1770 "massacre" |
| 33 | the Battle of Bunker Hill | 3 | The British had more casualties in this June 17, 1775 battle near Boston than in any other of the war |
| 34 | Minutemen | 3 | John Parker led this group against the British in the first battle of the war |
| 35 | Continental Congress | 3 | Teddy Roosevelt's great-great-grandfather Archibald Bulloch was Georgia's delegate to this |
| 36 | Articles of Confederation | 3 | Although adopted by Congress in 1777, this temporary constitution did not take effect until 1781 |
| 37 | Alexander Hamilton | 3 | As a Lt. Colonel, he was aide-de-camp & sec'y to Gen. Washington, who later made him a cabinet secretary |
| 38 | Thomas Jefferson | 2 | He used Lee's resolutions and Virginia's Bill of Rights for the Declaration of Independence |
| 39 | the Stamp Act | 2 | Passed by Parliament March 22, 1765, this act was viewed by the colonies as "taxation without representation" |
| 40 | the Green Mountain Boys | 2 | Ethan Allen led this fighting group in Vermont |
| 41 | tea | 2 | In 1770 England repealed all of the Townshend Acts except the tax on this commodity |
| 42 | South Carolina | 2 | The Battle of Cowpens was fought in a cattle-grazing area in the north of this "Palmetto State" |
| 43 | Sons of Liberty | 2 | Isaac Barre called those who protested the Stamp Act "Sons of" this & the name stuck |
| 44 | Sam Adams | 2 | A British gov. of Massachusetts called him the "chief incendiary" but unlike cousin John, his contributions faded after 1776 |
| 45 | Quebec | 2 | On December 31, 1775 American general Montgomery was killed in the assault on this Canadian city |
| 46 | Patrick Henry | 2 | In March 1775 he told the Second Virginia Convention, "We have done everything that could be done to avert the storm" |
| 47 | New Jersey | 2 | The Battle of Monmouth in this state was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War in the north |
| 48 | Montreal | 2 | On November 13, 1775, American general Richard Montgomery captured this Canadian city |
| 49 | Lord North | 2 | As prime minister, this lord carried out King George's taxation policies although he felt the measures were unwise |
| 50 | Lake Champlain | 2 | The capture of Forts Ticonderoga & Crown Point on this lake in May 1775 paved the way for the invasion of Canada |
These appear 8+ times. Memorize these first.
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