In April 1775, a decade of simmering tension between the government of Great Britain and inhabitants of 13 colonies that Britain had established in North America erupted into a full-fledged conflict. On July 4, 1776, colonial representatives declared that the colonies would henceforth be independent of British rule. The Declaration of Independence was a landmark event in American history, but many hard years of fighting and sacrifice lay ahead before the United States would truly become free. This book in the MAJOR U.S. HISTORICAL WARS series examines the events that led up to the American Revolution. It discusses the political and military strategies that colonial and British leaders employed, and provides information about key people, battles, and events. The American patriots' successful revolution inspired people in other places, including France and throughout Latin America, to fight for their own independence against tyrannical rulers

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