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American History · The Birth of a Nation

The American Revolution

The war that created the United States. The story of how thirteen British colonies declared their independence and won it on the battlefield — the causes, the battles, the people and the documents of the American Revolution.

1775→1783
The Revolutionary War
13
Colonies to states
38
Battles & events

Begin Here

The Story of the Revolution

The road to war, the war itself, and the Americans who fought it.

Causes of the Revolutionthe road to war
The Road to War

Causes of the Revolution

From the Stamp Act and the Boston Massacre to the shots at Lexington — how thirteen colonies came to rebel.

Read the causes →
Battles & Eventstimeline
Timeline

Battles & Events

The military history of the war, year by year, from Lexington and Concord to Yorktown.

Follow the war →
Americans of the Periodpeople
People

Americans of the Period

Washington, Franklin, Adams and the patriots, loyalists and ordinary people of the Revolution.

Meet the people →

In Their Own Words

Voices & Sources

First-hand accounts, the stories of the era, and the documents that founded a nation.

First-Hand Accountseyewitness
Eyewitness

First-Hand Accounts

The Revolution in the words of the soldiers and civilians who lived it.

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Stories & Sayingslore
Lore

Stories & Sayings

The famous stories, sayings and legends of the Revolutionary era.

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Documentsprimary sources
Primary Sources

Documents

The declarations, resolves and key documents of the American Revolution.

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More to Explore

The War & Its Legacy

The economy, Washington’s own words, and a reflection on what it all meant.

The Economics of Revolutioneconomy
Economy

The Economics of Revolution

Taxes, trade and the economic grievances that helped spark the rebellion.

Read the history →
Washington’s Reportsin his words
In His Words

Washington’s Reports

George Washington’s own dispatches and reports from the field.

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The Author’s Viewvideo
Video

The Author’s View

A short video reflection on the meaning of the American Revolution.

Watch →
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