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History & Culture

American Revolution

The American Revolution was the political movement and war through which thirteen British colonies established the independent United States.

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The American Revolution was the political movement and war through which thirteen British colonies broke from Great Britain and established the United States. Armed conflict began at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775. The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, explaining the colonies' decision to separate and announcing a new nation.

The conflict expanded beyond North America after France formally allied with the United States in 1778. American and French forces won a major victory at Yorktown in 1781, although fighting continued elsewhere. The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the Revolution and formally recognized the United States as independent.

Quick facts

  • The first armed conflict of the Revolution occurred at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775.
  • The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
  • France recognized American independence and entered a formal alliance with the United States through treaties signed on February 6, 1778.
  • French naval and ground forces helped American troops trap and defeat British forces at Yorktown in 1781.
  • The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the Revolution and formally recognized the United States as an independent nation.

A surprising fact

French soldiers outnumbered American soldiers during the Allied victory at Yorktown.