After the end of the French and Indian War in 1763, Britain had a mountain of debt to pay for its aiding in the war. To combat that amount, the British crown began to impose even more taxes on the colonies in North America. Naturally, the colonies were not happy with the taxes and increased control over their lands, causing rebellion against the motherland. Upon claiming their independence from Britain, war broke out between the British colonialists and the loyalists of Britain in 1775. The war would rage on for 8 years, bringing in soldiers from France, Germany, the Netherlands, and even support from Native Americans. The war would end with a British loss against the colonies at Yorktown, Virginia in 1783.
American Revolution – Timeline
1763 - The French and Indian War ended and the British imposed harsh taxes on the North American colonies to pay their mounting debts.
1765/6 - The Stamp Act was implemented on all printed materials such as newspapers, legal documents, and advertisements. The new tax angered the colonies, and they quickly rebelled against it, causing Britain to reverse its decision.
1767/8 - The British implemented the Townshend Acts, consisting of multiple new taxes. Rebellion, particularly in Massachusetts, caused the British Parliament to send over two units of its army to Boston to control the protests.
1770 - On March 5th, the British Army opened fire on an angered mob, killing five colonialists. This event became known as the Boston Massacre.
1773 - On December 6th, Bostonians disguised as Mohawk Indians boarded East India Company ships and dumped shipments of tea into the harbor to protest the taxes on tea. This act was known as the Boston Tea Party.
1774 - In retaliation to the Tea Party, the British imposed the Intolerable Acts, consisting of the Boston Port Act, Massachusetts Government Act, Administration of Justice Act, and Quartering Act. In response to the Intolerable Acts, the First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, demanding that Britain reverse the Acts. This demand is met with more British troops being sent into the colonies.
Fig. 1 - Engraving of the Boston Tea Party.
Did you know?
Massachusetts, due to the acts of the city of Boston, was known to King George III as the unruliest colony of them all.
1775 - On April 18th, Paul Revere rode from Charleston to Lexington to warn the colonialists that the British are marching out of Boston towards Concord. The British are met by 77 minutemen in Lexington and hundreds in Concord, forcing them to retreat to Boston.
Minutemen were a part of the New England colonial militia who were specially trained in weaponry and military strategy. They were best known for being ready at "a minute's notice".
On June 17th, the first major battle of the Revolution took place at Bunker Hill and although the British claimed victory, they lost 40% of their army.
1776 - In July, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson.
On December 25-26th, George Washington and the Continental Army fought back against the British troop of Hessians that drove them across New Jersey. Washington and his army led a surprise attack across the Delaware River and captured around 900 prisoners.
Did you know?
Washington marched the 9 miles, attacked, and marched the 9 miles back with 900 prisoners all in 50 hours. This accomplishment was a turning point for Washington's army and solidified his place as a commander in the Revolution.
Hessians were German soldiers that fought alongside the British Army.
1778 - After the colonialist victory in Saratoga, the Franco-American alliance is formed, with France secretly sending financial and military aid to the Americans since 1776. The French were now preparing to enter the fight alongside the colonialists.
1781 - The Articles of Confederation (plans of government organization that preceded the US Constitution) that were written in 1776/77 are officially ratified by every state.
In October, British General Charles Cornwallis joins other forces in Yorktown, Virginia. The forces are attacked by the troops of George Washington and Comte de Rochambeau, leading to a British surrender and loss of 7,000 men.
1783 - The Treaty of Paris is signed on September 3rd, formally ending the Revolution. Britain recognizes America's independence but remains in control over Canada.
Facts about the American Revolution
Fig. 2 - First page of the Treaty of Paris, 1783.
- The American Revolution was caused by the British implementing too much control and taxes over the North American colonies.
- The American Revolution began on April 19th with the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
- The American Revolution ended at the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia in 1781 with a British defeat.
- Occasional fighting remained until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 when the British formally recognized the colonies as independent from Britain.
- The American Revolution was considered a civil war between the colonies and the British Empire until international forces (France, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands) became involved in early 1778.
- The Americans fought with two distinct organizations, the Continental Army and the state militias. In contrast, the British Army boasted one steady flow of professionals.
- Both the British Empire and the colonialists were occasionally aided by Native Americans who picked sides after the British banned colonialists from moving Westward.
- Many African American slaves also volunteered (on both sides) to aid in the war but were rejected due to the fear of a slave insurrection.
- The colonialist strategy of uncovering details of British plans before action helped them win the war with less military training than the British army. One of the most famous colonial correspondence groups was "The Sons of Liberty".
- The outcome of the American Revolution was a combination of careless British mistakes, strong American efforts, and consistent French assistance.
Causes of the American Revolution
The American Revolution was caused by multiple implementations of unfair taxes by the British upon the American colonies to repay debt. Listed below are some examples.
The Sugar Act of 1764 - In an attempt to stop the smuggling of foreign-based products, the British implemented taxes on formerly duty-free imports. This also discouraged Americans from exporting products such as lumber, iron, and skins due to the complications of new paperwork and hefty fees through British ports.
The Stamp Act of 1765 - The British began taxing printed materials such as newspapers, legal documents, and advertisements within Britain and the colonies. Taxes were required to be paid in British currency and refused to accept colonial paper money.
The Townshend Act of 1767 - A series of acts that introduced new taxes and parliamentary powers over the colonies. Examples: The Revenue Act, The Restraining Act, and The Indemnity Act.
Battles of the American Revolution
Though there were many battles fought between the British Empire and the colonies during the Revolution, listed below are some of the most significant.
The Battle of Fort Ticonderoga, 1775 - Benedict Arnold, Ethan Allan, and the Green Mountain Boys attacked the British at Fort Ticonderoga during the night while they were asleep. The battle ended with the first big win for the colonialists; boosting morale and giving them access to more artillery early on in the war, granting them an upper hand.
The Battle of Lexington and Concord, 1775 - General Thomas Gage orders the British army to seize weapons and gunpowder from the colonialists but is met with extreme force. The battle claims the lives of approximately 393 men and once again the Americans win.
The Siege of Boston, 1775 - 1776 - Even after facing large amounts of loss at the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Americans were still determined to take Boston back from the British. Upon securing around 50 cannons that were taken from Fort Ticonderoga, George Washington and his men bombarded the British within the city, forcing them to retreat after 8 years of occupation.
The Battle of Saratoga, 1777 - The British attempted to push south into the Hudson Valley from Canadian territory but found they were surrounded by colonial forces, who once again were one step ahead of them. The British were at a loss not only regarding casualties but an extremely limited supply of food. They surrendered on October 17th, leading to France and America signing a treaty against Britain.
The Battle of Monmouth, 1778 - After General Charles Lee admitted to not having faith in his command over the Continental Army, George Washington removed him from his standing and completely reset the troop's strategy. Along with the help of General Nathaniel Green, General William Alexander, and General Anthony Wayne, the colonialists were able to take back the state of New York from British control.
Fig. 3 - Drawing of the Battle of Monmouth, 1778.
Effects of the American Revolution
Aside from the British formally recognizing the colonies as independent of the Empire (and losing large amounts of money by doing so), America's relationship with the Natives worsened. Despite offering their help to both sides of the Revolution, treaties between the colonies and the Native people were severely neglected; Native people lost massive amounts of land with the continuation of settlers moving West.
Apart from the relationship with the Natives worsening, Northern states began to develop abolitionism and a new idea of equality. The North also began to take on new views regarding women's education (referred to as Republican Motherhood). Though the war claimed many lives on all sides, the conflict set the United States up to be the country it is today.
The American Revolution - Key takeaways
- The American Revolution began after colonialists started resisting the implementation of new British taxes after the French and Indian War.
- The American Revolution began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 and ended with the battle at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781.
- After formally agreeing on American independence through the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the country was lined up to become what it is today, bringing the creation of the Articles of Confederation (1781) and the US Constitution (1787) soon after.
- The outcome of the American Revolution was a combination of careless British mistakes, strong American efforts, and consistent French assistance.
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