The Revolutionary War, also known as the American Revolution, was a battle between the 13 colonies in North America and the British government. The colonies fought to gain independence from British rule. The war started in April 1775 with fights between British troops and colonial militiamen in Lexington and Concord¹. In 1778, France joined the war on the side of the colonists, making it an international conflict¹. The Continental Army, with French assistance, forced the British to surrender in Yorktown, Virginia in 1781¹. Although the war officially ended in 1783¹, it was effectively won by the Americans.
There were various causes of the Revolutionary War. For over a decade before the war started, tensions had been rising between the colonists and the British authorities. The British government attempted to tax the colonies to generate revenue, leading to strong protests from colonists who felt unrepresented in Parliament¹. In 1770, violence erupted when British soldiers fired at a group of colonists, killing five men in what became known as the Boston Massacre¹. The Boston Tea Party in 1773, where colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor, further angered Parliament, resulting in measures to regain control in Massachusetts¹.
Many individuals played significant roles in the Revolutionary War. One of these was John Adams. He helped write the Declaration of Independence and participated in the first continental congress in 1774⁴. Adams later became the first vice president and second president of the United States⁴. Ordinary people also made important contributions. For instance, William Dawes rode alongside Paul Revere to warn colonists of the approaching British troops³. Dr. Joseph Warren, a physician, played a leading role in Patriot organizations in Boston³. Crispus Attucks, an African American, was killed in the Boston Massacre and is recognized as the first casualty of the American Revolution³.