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American Revolution ‑ Stories

The Revolutionary War waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the globe, as a small fledgling nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

General Howe Evacuating Boston

How St. Patrick’s Day in 1776 Marked a Step Towards American Independence

Evacuation Day marks when the British retreated from Boston on March 17, 1776, in the first major Patriot victory of the American Revolution.

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The Marquis de Lafayette

Lafayette’s Triumphant Farewell Tour of the United States

The French war hero’s 13‑month visit as ‘America’s Guest,’ from 1824 to 1825, rekindled the spirit of the American Revolution.

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Ben Franklin in France.

Ben Franklin in Paris: How He Won France’s Support for the Revolutionary War

As American colonists faced tough odds in the Revolutionary War, Benjamin Franklin worked his charm to win France’s vital backing.

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HISTORY: The Boston Tea Party

Why Some Founding Fathers Disapproved of the Boston Tea Party

While many American patriots gushed about the effectiveness of the ‘Destruction of the Tea,’ others thought it went too far.

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Thomas Knowlton, the Battle of Bunker Hill

How Many Died in the Revolutionary War?

Death tolls in the American Revolution weren’t as high as in other wars, but the losses were significant for the relatively small population of the 13 colonies.

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Watercolor painting of an American revolutionary soldier with a long rifle at the edge of the sea with several sailboats and dingys behind him, all part of a landing party

What Role Did the Caribbean Play in the Revolutionary War?

The region became a base for competing colonial powers to pick off valuable British territories and interfere in the war.

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The Boston Tea Party when American colonists threw British tea into Boston Harbor in protest against an exorbitant tax on the product (Photo by Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Image)

How the Coercive Acts Helped Spark the American Revolution

As colonists grew increasingly defiant, the British government responded with punishing measures that only angered them more.

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West Point (No. 16 of The Hudson River Portfolio), 1825. Artist John Hill. (Photo by Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)

West Point’s Critical Role in the American Revolution

Before it became home to the U.S. Military Academy, the perch on the Hudson River was the most important strategic position in America during the Revolutionary War.

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Illustrated bookplate of Hessian soldiers in their 1784 uniforms. Printed in the book, "Armée Hessoise" by JH Carl & JC Muller in 1805. Artist J.H. Carl, 1784.

Why Germans Fought in the Revolutionary War—for the British

An estimated 30,000 Hessian troops were tapped by rulers in German territories. Some welcomed the journey abroad; others were forced to join the fight.

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How the Declaration of Independence Was Printed—and Protected

How the Declaration of Independence Was Printed—and Protected

America’s earliest founding document survived war, fire, mistreatment, insects and the ravages of time prior to landing at its current home in the National Archives.

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The Declaration of Independence Was Also a List of Grievances

The Declaration of Independence Was Also a List of Grievances

The document was designed to prove to the world (especially France) that the colonists were right to defy King George III’s rule.

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Benjamin Franklin’s Kite Experiment: What Do We Know?

Benjamin Franklin’s Kite Experiment: What Do We Know?

Surprisingly little.

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