12.1.5

The American War of Independence

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Course of the War of Independence

By the mid-1770s, relations between Britain and the thirteen colonies had deteriorated. The American colonists wanted more independence, which Britain did not want to give.

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'Taxation without representation'

  • ‘Taxation without representation’ became the motto of American colonists after the tea duty.
  • The American people did not think it was fair that the British could introduce taxes without the Americans having a say in Parliament.
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The War of Independence

  • In 1775, war broke out between Britain and the thirteen colonies.
  • France supported the Americans, wanting revenge against the British.
  • Originally, the Americans wanted more say over their affairs, but not to be completely independent.
  • This changed in 1776.
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The Declaration of Independence

  • On 4th July 1776 the colonists signed the Declaration of Independence, in which they stated that they were fighting to be free from British rule.
  • America has been celebrating Independence Day on 4th July ever since.
  • The Declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by Thomas Paine's book Commonsense. Pain argued that the Americans did not owe anything to Britain.
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The Battle of Yorktown

  • The War of Independence dragged on for seven years, but eventually the British were forced to surrender to the colonists in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
  • The peace treaty was signed in 1783.

Jump to other topics

1Empires East & West: 1000 AD

1.1The Rise & Fall of Ancient China’s Empire

1.2The Medieval Greatness of the Byzantine Empire

1.3The Golden Age of the Islamic Empire

1.4The Politics & Power of the Holy Roman Empire

1.5Medieval Religion

1.6The Influence of the Church in Medieval Times

1.7How Religion Tested the Power of Kings

1.8Dynastic Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.9Challenges to Medieval Monarchs

1.10Revolts, Rebellions & Rights

1.11Medieval England & Her Neighbours

1.12European Renaissance

1.13Norman Conquest & Control

1.14Historical Skills

2The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

2.1Anglo-Saxon England

2.2The Contest for the English Throne

2.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

2.4King John

2.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

2.6The Black Death

3Worldviews

4The Empire of Mali: 1076-1670 AD

5The Renaissance & Reformations: 1500-1598 AD

6The British Empire: 1583-1960 AD

7The Peasants' Revolt: 1381 AD

8Religion in the Middle Ages

9Slavery: 1619-1833 AD

10The English Civil War: 1642-1660 AD

11The Industrial Revolution: 1750-1840 AD

12US Independence: 1775-1783 AD

13The French Revolution: 1789-1815 AD

14The British Empire: 1857–1930 AD

15Suffrage: 1840-1928 AD

16World War 1: 1914-1918 AD

17The Inter-War Years: 1919-1939 AD

18World War 2: 1939-1945 AD

19The Cold War: 1947-1962 AD

20Civil Rights in the USA: 1954-1975 AD

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