Revolutionary War

American Revolution

In the year of 1775 change took on a new form. The colonist living in America desired to be free; they wanted to break away from the land from which they fled in search of new opportunity. The colonist living in America believed that they were entitled to the full democratic rights of Englishmen, while the British believed that the American colonies were just colonies to be used and exploited in whatever way best suited the Great Britain. The conflict of opinion on the issue of freedoms insured that war was inevitable

For about a decade, tension had been mounting between Great Britain and the American Colonies. The British government had passed a series of laws in an attempt to increase control over the colonies. But Americans had become used to having control over their local government. They objected to the new laws and protested being taxed without their consent. In 1775, Britain's Parliament declared Massachusetts, the center of most of the protests, to be in rebellion. British troops were placed in Boston to take swift action against the rebels. Shortly afterwards, war broke out.. A movement known as the American Revolutionary war or the American War of Independence was in place. Unlike battles that came before the American Revolutionary War the movement this war included foreign allies and all thirteen colonies. This war was instrumental in shaping the changes that Americans know today.

At the beginning of the war, the Americans lacked a professional army or navy. Each colony individually defended themselves through the use of local militia. Militiamen were lightly armed, slightly trained, and usually did not have uniforms. These men most likely were the men of the town who fell into the glamorization of the war effort. Their units served for only a few weeks or months at a time. They were hesitant about going too far from their homes. The militia men were not ideal