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WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
The American War of Independence started at Lexington, near Boston, Massachusetts, in 1775. The
military governor of Massachusetts had sent troops from Boston to Concord to seize a store of illegal
weapons. On the way back, at Lexington, the troops were attacked by angry farmers and 273 of the 800
soldiers were killed. When the news of this battle reached Britain, war was declared on the rebellious
colonists.
Although this was the first open conflict, the colonists' resentment against Britain had been growing for
several years. This was mainly caused by the taxes imposed by the British government on certain goods
imported into America. The taxes were intended to help pay for the Seven Years' War which to defend
the American states. The Americans considered these taxes to be unjust and refused to pay them.
Eventually all these taxes were abolished, except for the tax on imported tea.
When war was declared, the Americans had no regular army. But one was soon formed under the
command of a Virginian, George Washington. This army was badly equipped and lacked training. But
it was fighting over vast territories against a British army 3,000 miles from home. Many times in the
following six years the American army was nearly defeated by the superior training and numbers of the
British troops, but gradually the tide turned. As the war continued, France and Spain sent help,
declaring war on Britain.
On July 4, 1776, Congress, the American parliament, drew up the formal Declaration of Independence
in Philadelphia. This stated that America would no longer obey the British government and that the
United States would be an independent republic.
In 1781 at Yorktown in Virginia, the British forces were forced to surrender to a combined American
and French army, and it became clear that the United States had won. For a time George III and the
British government refused to accept defeat. But at the Treaty of Versailles in 1783 the independence
of the colonies was recognized and peace was made between Britain, America, France and Spain. The
war was over and the United States had gained her independence.