Long ago, people lived in thirteen colonies. 

Long ago, people lived in thirteen colonies. 

Long ago, thirteen colonies lived under British rule. 

The colonies formed a new military called the Continental Army. They chose George Washington to be their leader. In July 1776, leaders signed the Declaration of Independence. This document said the colonies should be free. The war was hard and the outcome was not sure. However, a big victory at Saratoga helped France join the fight.
In 1781, American and French forces trapped the British at Yorktown. 

The American Revolutionary War was a big fight for independence. 
Many things led to the start of the war. After the Seven Years' War ended in 1763, tensions grew. The British Parliament passed laws like the Stamp Act. These laws created new taxes for the colonists. People felt these taxes were very unfair. In 1770, a sad event called the Boston Massacre occurred. Later, in 1773, people dumped tea into the water during the Boston Tea Party. 
Fighting finally began in April 1775. It started with battles at Lexington and Concord. 

Winning the war took many important steps. In 1777, an American victory happened at Saratoga. This win helped convince France and Spain to help the Americans. France signed a treaty of alliance in February 1778. Later, in 1781, a huge battle happened at Yorktown. 
The war officially ended with a treaty. In 1783, leaders signed the Treaty of Paris. 
The American Revolutionary War was a major armed conflict from 1775 to 1783. 
Long before the first shots, tensions grew between Britain and the colonies. After the Seven Years' War ended in 1763, Britain held dominance in North America. Parliament began passing laws to raise money for defense. These included the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. 
Conflict escalated when Britain passed the Intolerable Acts to punish Massachusetts. These acts aimed to disarm the Americans. This led to the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775. 

The war moved through many difficult stages. In early 1776, Washington drove the British out of Boston. However, British General William Howe later captured New York City in November. Washington responded with daring moves. He crossed the Delaware River to win victories at Trenton and Princeton.
A major turning point occurred in the summer of 1777. A British force under John Burgoyne was defeated at Saratoga. This American victory was crucial for diplomacy. It convinced France and Spain that the United States could actually win. France signed a Treaty of Alliance in February 1778. Spain later joined the fight against Great Britain in 1779. This international support changed the scale of the war.
The conflict eventually shifted toward the Southern Colonies. British General Henry Clinton led these efforts. However, the war reached a climax in Virginia in 1781. A combined Franco-American army besieged General Cornwallis at Yorktown. The French navy helped by cutting off any British escape by sea. Cornwallis was forced to surrender in October 1781. This decisive victory led the British to begin peace negotiations.
The war officially ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. 
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