The Revolutionary War

The Revolutionary War, also known as the American War of Independence, was fought between 1775 and 1783. It was a conflict between Great Britain and its thirteen North American colonies, which had declared themselves independent as the United States of America.

Causes of the War

• Taxation without representation: The British government imposed taxes on the colonies without their consent, which led to resentment and protests.

• Proclamation of 1763: The British government prohibited colonists from settling beyond the Appalachian Mountains, which angered many who had already settled there.

• Boston Massacre: In 1770, British soldiers fired on a crowd of colonists in Boston, killing five people. This event further fueled anti-British sentiment.

• Intolerable Acts: In response to the Boston Tea Party, the British government passed a series of laws that restricted the colonists' rights and freedoms.

Major Battles

• Lexington and Concord: The first shots of the war were fired in 1775 at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.

• Bunker Hill: The colonists lost this battle, but it proved that they could stand up to the British army.

• Saratoga: This battle was a turning point in the war, as it convinced France to join the American cause.

• Yorktown: The final battle of the war, in which the British army surrendered to the combined forces of the Americans and French.

Key Figures

• George Washington: Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army and later the first President of the United States.

• Thomas Jefferson: Author of the Declaration of Independence.

• Benjamin Franklin: Diplomat who helped secure French support for the American cause.

Outcome

The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, officially ended the war and recognized the United States as an independent nation. The war had a profound impact on American society and politics, and it set the stage for the country's future growth and development.