The revolution began with the Americans being overtaxed. Tired of being taxed without representation in the British Parliament, the colonists banded together and rejected the authority of Great Britain. They called the first meeting the Continental Congress and followed this declaration by expelling the royal officials. By 1774, each colony had its own congress that managed the affairs of that region.
Determined to squash the rebellion, King George III sent combat troops to reimpose British rule. Determined to be a free and independent nation, the colonists formed the Second Contenintal Congress and formed militia groups. In 1776, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence and the Congress adopted it officially on July 4. This was the beginning of the United States of America.
Beginning an armed conflict with Britain was challenging, but France and Spain provided supplies and ammunition to the revolutionaries. The British Royal Navy began troop movements by capturing New York City. While the colonists were able to control the countryside, they were no match for the navy. The British army tried to defeat the colonists inland, but were defeated numerous times. The first major victory for the colonists was the Battle of Saratoga.
While Great Britain was confident in their ability to defeat the colonists in a battle, they were not matched for several reasons. The British army wore brightly colored uniforms that were easy to spot and they also marched in formation when traveling. The colonists spread out and hit behind trees, knowing that any army would have difficulty seeing them. Also, Great Britain was fighting on a foreign land. The British soldiers were not motivated, leading Great Britain to hire German soldiers also known as Hessians. The colonists, on the other hand, were determined to win their independence and fought fiercely.
After their victory at Saratoga, France openly entered the war and threatened to invade Great Britain. Spain also became more involved in the revolution and drove the British army from Florida. Trying to win a war on three fronts was disastrous for Great Britain and they were losing the war. A siege outside of Chesapeake Bay forced the British army to surrender in 1781 at Yorktown, Virginia. While fighting continued through 1782, the official conflict ended in 1781. The Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783. This effectively ended the American Revolution and recognized the United States as being a free and independent nation.
The American Revolution marks an important time in the history of the United States. Although this revolution only involved the 13 original colonies, the Declaration of Independence formed the basis for all proceeding state documents. This was also the first time that the colonists had their own representatives and leaders, without any outside influences. While the American Revolution took place over a very short period of time, it was a critical part in American history and is still remembered today.