Reading Comprehension Practice: The American Revolution

Master Exam Reading: The American Revolution

Let’s get started with your reading practice! Today’s text is about the ideals and impact of the American Revolution. Historical passages on exams often require you to understand the why behind events. As you read, focus on identifying the core ideas and arguments of the revolutionaries. What were their main complaints? What principles were they fighting for?

A great technique is to look for words that signal ideas or philosophy (e.g., “principle,” “ideology,” “rights”). Understanding the philosophical foundation of the revolution is key to answering many of the questions. Set a timer and aim to complete the passage and questions in under 20 minutes. This will build the stamina and speed you need for test day.

Reading Passage

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Keywords & Phrases

1. Seminal: (adjective) This describes an event, work, or idea that is highly original and influences later developments. We called the revolution a “seminal event” because it was a crucial starting point for modern democratic movements.
2. Predicated on: (phrasal verb) If an action or belief is predicated on something, it is based on that thing. We said the revolution was “predicated on a profound ideological shift,” meaning the shift in ideas was its foundation.
3. Underpinnings: (noun) This word refers to the foundation or basis of something. The “intellectual underpinnings” of the revolution were the core ideas that supported the entire cause.
4. Inalienable Rights: (phrase) These are rights that cannot be given away or taken away by a government. The Declaration of Independence famously states that “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” are inalienable rights given to all people.
5. Grievances: (noun) This is a formal word for a real or imagined wrong that causes a complaint or protest. We said the revolution was sparked by “grievances over taxation,” meaning formal complaints about the tax policies.
6. Vehemently: (adverb) To do something vehemently means to do it in a forceful, passionate, or intense manner. We said the colonists “vehemently rejected” the idea of virtual representation.
7. Transcendent: (adjective) This describes something that goes beyond the ordinary range of human experience and perception. To frame the American cause in “transcendent, moral terms” means they elevated it from a simple political dispute to a struggle for universal human principles.
8. Hypocrisy: (noun) This is the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform. The “glaring hypocrisy” was the contradiction between the ideal of liberty and the reality of slavery.
9. Reverberated: (verb) If an event reverberates, it has continuing and serious effects. We said the impact of the revolution “reverberated globally,” meaning its effects were felt far and wide for a long time.
10. Popular sovereignty: (phrase) This is the political principle that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, who are the source of all political power. The American Revolution helped to establish this as a core concept of modern governance.

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