War of Independence

It was difficult situation for Britain after Indian war. They had to make a new rule for America. First step that they made was they change the Molasses Act in 1733 into Sugar Act in 1764. This new act made the merchant of New England was angry. In 1764, the parliament put Currency Act into effect. Quartering Act in 1765 also made difficult for the colonies. Stamp Act drove the foremost merchant to rebel and formed non-import association. Trading with the main country was so decreased in the summer of 1765, when “Sons of Liberty” was formed. This act was not considered from Massachusetts to South Caroline. Patrick Henry, the member of Virginia House of Burgesses stated that tax without presentation was a threat for their freedom. In 8 June, Council of Massachusetts invited the colonies to choose the delegation for the Stamp Act Congress in New York that was conducted in October 1765. This congress had purpose to apart from Britain’s power. The results were; there was no tax in constitutionally that was affected to them and Stamp Act inclined to eliminate the right of the colonies.

This situation made the colonies thought that the parliament did not have right to put act for them, and the legislative of the colonies did not have right to agree with the law of Britain too. The parliament did not accept this opinion; however, merchant of England that felt the effect suppressed the parliament. In 1766, the parliament eliminated Stamp Act and modified Sugar Act. Then, the parliament put Declaratory Act.

In 1767, Charles Townshend, Minister of Finance in England, made Townshend Act. It triggered the dissatisfaction of the colonies. In Boston, this regulation made the violence came up. When the official of customs office collected the tax, they were beaten by the mass. It made two regiments of England was sent to protect the official of customs office there. In 5 March 1770, there was disagreement between the citizen and the troops of England. It caused three citizens of Boston dead and called Butchering of Boston. The parliament chose to eliminate Townshend Act.

In 1773, East Indies Company needed Britain to help them in tea trading. Colonial merchants gathered with radicals led by Samuel Adams from Massachusetts to attack that company in harbor along the Atlantic. In Boston, Samuel Adams and his troop were disguised as the Indian Mohawk, entered the three ships of England, and threw the three cargos to the Boston Harbor. It was called Boston Tea Party. The revolutionary people began to make some acts to prepare their opposition to the parliament and Britain that was made the Coercive Act. George III made a step to fight against the colonies.

General Thomas Gage sent his troop to seize ammunitions that was collected by the colony of Massachusetts. In 19 April 1775, that troop was in Lexington and saw the Minutemen. This troop began to shoot the Minutemen, when they heard someone shooting. The result was eight dead and 10 injured. In 10 May 1775, Continental Congress II was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 15 May, Congress decided to fight against Britain and chose Colonel George Washington from Virginia as the leader of American’s troop. This conflict triggered John Dickinson to write a petition called Olive Branch Petition. He stated that he asked to the king to prevent the hostility actions until they achieved the agreement. That petition was not accepted and King George III, in 23 August 1775, took a statement that the colonies were in rebellion stage. In early June 1776, warship of England went along the shore to Charleston, South Caroline, and shot the city. However, the people were ready and succeed to chase England away in the end of June.             

In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet entitled Common Sense. Through this pamphlet, Paine attacked the monarchy and gave two choices, surrendered to the tyrant or got the freedom as an independent republic. Common Sense made the colonies to separate from the monarchy. However, they have a duty to make all colonies agree with the declaration. In 10 May 1776, they achieved the resolution to separate from the monarchy. Then, a committee formed, Thomas Jefferson from Virginia as the leader to prepare the declaration as soon as possible. In 4 July 1776, America declared the declaration of independence.

In August 1776, in Long Island battle, Washington commanded to pull back his troops from Brooklyn to Manhattan. General of England, William Howe, let the American people go. In November, Howe succeeds to take over Washington’s fortress in Manhattan Island. New York City is in England’s power until the end of the battle. In December, Washington attacked the garrison in Trenton. In 3 January 1777, Washington attacked England in Princeton. These victories made the American people get stronger.

France supported America to fight with England. This situation made France to take revenge to England, since they are lost in 1763. In 1776, Benjamin Franklin went to Paris to get support from France. France helped the colonies in May 1776. In 6 February 1778, America and France signed The Treaty of Friendship and Trade. They also signed The Treaty of Alliance.

That treaty made England try to increase their power; they gathered the colonies in south and began the movement to attack America. They moved to Charleston, South Caroline and succeed to take the city. In July, General of America, Horatio Gates moved to Camden, South Caroline, to attack England led by General Charles Cornwallis. In early 1781, America won upon England in Cowpens, South Caroline. Then, Cornwallis moved to Virginia.

In July 1780, King of France, Louis XVI sent the expedition troops to America led by Comte Jean de Rochambeau. The army and navy of France and America fight with Cornwallis along summer to autumn. In 19 October 1781, Cornwallis surrendered in Yorktown. England decided to hold a negotiation in Paris in early 1782. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay were the delegation of America. In 15 April 1783, Congress agreed the last treaty, and Great Britain with the colonies signed the treaty in 3 September. This treaty is also known as Treaty of Paris that admitted the independence, freedom, and sovereignty of the thirteen colonies.