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The Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in the back ground at Philadelphia's Independence National Historic Site

'Petticoat Duellists', a print depicting two women fighting a duel with pistols, published in 1792. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Prospectors panning for gold, California, circa 1850

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Portrait of Major William Dawes by Daniel Strain (Photo by Barney Burstein/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

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.

American Revolution

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

American Revolution: Causes and Timeline | HISTORY

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America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian—the U.S. president—would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

<a href="http://www.christopherklein.com/">Christopher Klein</a> is the author of four books, including When the Irish Invaded Canada: The Incredible True Story of the Civil War Veterans Who Fought for Ireland’s Freedom and Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and National Geographic Traveler. Follow Chris at <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.twitter.com_historyauthor&amp;d=DwMFaQ&amp;c=bHpC9irXhivtSwyVyKc43lLt4-cAwmmH7TeQLPqTb5E&amp;r=0ZpTu-He2V3GUI-VETMmkwm8-GyOWSyeMJXqt7G42KA&amp;m=K4QAG6bPcooItZtsSRYJId99sCdkkYnSQnbG55Y82ZU&amp;s=reHlmdZq8nMnpunXM6VDAaQCLeVwu9L3gbscryyWKD8&amp;e=">@historyauthor</a>.

Christopher Klein

Sarah Pruitt is a writer and editor based in seacoast New Hampshire. She has been a frequent contributor to History.com since 2005, and is the author of Breaking History: Vanished! (Lyons Press, 2017), which chronicles some of history's most famous disappearances.

Sarah Pruitt

Jesse Greenspan is a Bay Area-based freelance journalist who writes about history and the environment.

Jesse Greenspan

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Legacy Unpublished

History.com Staff

Though the 19th century saw the rise of populism, the labor movement and Jacksonian democracy, it also ushered in the Gilded Age, when men like Cornelius Vanderbilt and J. P. Morgan wielded vast control over politics and business.

American Revolution ‑ Stories

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