From 1607 AD to 1733 AD, British colonists established thirteen colonies on the east coast of North America ( the Atlantic coast).
In the mid-eighteenth century, the economy, culture, and politics of the colonies were relatively mature. The colonial parliaments still believed in King George III . However, they pursued the same status as the British Parliament and did not want to become second-class citizens of the United Kingdom. However, at this time, the Seven Years War between Britain and France was over, and they were eager to consolidate their territories, so they levied heavy rent taxes on the people of the North American colonies and King George III changed his laissez-faire policy and advocated high-pressure measures. This triggered the colonial people's rebellion.
The "Lexington Gunshots" fired in Lexington and Concord in April 1775 opened the prelude to the American Revolution . Later, these colonies became the original thirteen independent states in North America.
Background of the American Independence Movement
The Seven Years' War between Britain and France to compete for maritime hegemony and plunder colonies ended in British victory. The United Kingdom took over Canada in North America and controlled New France east of the Mississippi River. It strengthened its overall control over the North American colonies, declared the west of the Appalachian Mountains to be royal property, and prohibited colonial people from getting involved. It also levied heavy taxes, severely suppressed smuggling, and restricted economic activities, seriously damaging the economic interests of people from all walks of life in the colonies. Since the establishment of Parliament in Virginia in 1619, various colonies have established parliaments one after another to compete with the British. In 1765, nine colonies held a meeting to protest the stamp tax, setting off a wave of rebellion.
In the middle of the 18th century, there was a rift between the American colonies and Britain. The expansion of the colonies made them feel a certain sense of self-consciousness about British persecution, and they had the idea of independence.
In the 1870s, Britain further implemented repressive policies, and in 1770 the Boston Massacre occurred. The Tea Tax Act was passed in 1773, causing the Boston Tea Party. In 1774, five intolerable decrees were promulgated (such as closing the Boston Harbor, increasing the British garrison, canceling the autonomy of Massachusetts, establishing British judicial power over the colonies, etc.), strengthening the control and suppression of the colonies politically and militarily. From 1772 to 1774, communications committees were generally established in various colonies to lead the anti-British struggle.
On September 5, 1774, representatives of the colonies except Georgia held the 1st Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and passed a resolution to sever all trade relations with Britain. They then passed the "Declaration of the Rights and Resentments of the Colonies" and submitted a petition to the British King. However, the British King insisted that the colonies must unconditionally surrender to the British King and accept punishment.
published the "Declaration of Independence"
Militia Statue at the American Revolutionary War Memorial in Boston.
On April 18, 1775, in Lexington and Concord near Boston, colonial patriots fired the gunshots of resistance, kicking off the War of Independence. In May, the Second Continental Congress was held, which strengthened the determination for war and independence, and drafted the famous "Declaration of Independence" to provide sufficient reasons for fighting this war, which was also the key to final victory. On July 4, 1776, the independence of the United States was declared. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress issued the "Declaration of Independence" at George Washington in Philadelphia.
The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, revised and adopted by a special committee of the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, and signed into effect by John Hancock, chairman of the Continental Congress. The Declaration of Independence clearly states at the outset that all human beings are created equal and have the natural right to pursue happiness and freedom; it vividly enumerates the crimes committed by British colonialists on the American continent; and finally solemnly declares the independence of the United States of America from Britain. The Declaration of Independence is a great document of world historical significance. The day when the Declaration of Independence was adopted has also become a holiday that the American people will forever commemorate and is designated as American Independence Day . The purpose of completely breaking away from the United Kingdom is to "survive, seek freedom, and seek happiness" and realize the ideals of the Enlightenment .
The War of Independence
When the War of Independence began, there was a huge disparity in strength between the two sides, and the war lasted for 8 years.
From August 1776 to September 1777, under the leadership of General Washington , the American people bravely resisted the British and defended the New World. The subsequent victory at Saratoga led to the establishment of an alliance between the United States and France in 1778. Spain and the Netherlands also joined the war against Britain, weakening Britain's ability to blockade the North American coast. The forces of Britain and the United States tend to be balanced. H. Howe succeeded Howe as commander-in-chief of the British army in 1778. Clinton went on the offensive in the South. Captured Charleston in May 1780. Clinton thought the South's victory was certain, so he led his army back to New York and sent Cornwallis to hold on to Charleston. However, the North American guerrillas cooperated with the Continental Army and severely damaged the British army in Cowpens and Guilford in the Witwatersrand area.
In April 1781, the Continental Army began a strategic counteroffensive. Greene led the Continental Army south to fight in South Carolina, forcing the British troops to retreat to the coastline. Cornwallis marched north to Virginia on April 25 to pursue a Continental Army led by the Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette escaped the pursuit of the British army. Cornwallis moved to Yorktown . Washington took advantage of Cornwallis's tactical errors and formulated a plan to encircle and annihilate the British army from land and sea. Washington persuaded the commander of the French Navy, Count de Grasse, to transfer 28 French warships from the West Indies to the Chesapeake Bay. Washington's Continental Army and Rochambeau's French Army joined Lafayette's Continental Army in Virginia and surrounded Yorktown.
By October 1781, the American and French forces captured Yorktown, the last British stronghold, and 8,000 British troops surrendered. The US military won a decisive victory, the British Parliament was forced to agree to peace, and the war effectively stopped. In 1783, Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris, and the United Kingdom officially recognized the independence of the United States. This also fully demonstrates the courage and wisdom of the American people in the face of colonial rule.
formed a new government
During the war, the Continental Congress formulated the Articles of Confederation . From 1781 to 1787, 13 states formed the Confederate Congress and declared the establishment of the American Republic. In 1787, the Constitutional Convention was held in Philadelphia. After debate, representatives from large and small states agreed to elect two senators from each state. On the issue of slavery, the North made major compromises with the South, acquiescing to the existence of slavery. In terms of taxation and allocation of seats in the House of Representatives, southern black slaves were counted as 3/5 of the population. The meeting ended with a draft constitution. This was the world's first written constitution. It was ratified by nine states in June 1788. According to the Constitution, the United States has established a federal system with the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers and mutual checks and balances. Later, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution (later known as the "Bill of Rights") were added. The act came into effect in December 1791 with the approval of 11 states.
1789 The federal government was established. In April, Washington took office as the first president of the United States (re-elected in 1792). In the process of disagreements over domestic and foreign policies, Finance Minister Hamilton organized the Federalist Party , advocating centralization, being pro-British in diplomacy, and controlling the power of the federal government. Secretary of State Jefferson advocated safeguarding the democratic rights of the domestic people, sympathized with the French Revolution, and organized the Democratic-Republican Party. In 1793, Washington adopted a neutral policy when European powers jointly intervened in the French Revolution. In November of the following year, the federal government and the United Kingdom signed the "Jay Treaty" that undermined U.S. sovereignty. Pro-British and pro-French became the dividing line between the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party in foreign policy. In domestic affairs, the federal government formulated tariff regulations, established banks, and stabilized the economy.
In 1801, Jefferson, a Democratic Republican, became president. The Jefferson administration repealed the above four laws, cut expenditures, reduced taxes, canceled alcohol taxes, and encouraged the export of agricultural products. In 1803, the Louisiana Territory covering an area of more than 2 million square kilometers was purchased from France. Britain has always been unwilling to lose its North American colonies. British ships continued to intercept American ships on the high seas and forcibly requisitioned American sailors .In order to maintain freedom of navigation, the United States launched its second war against Britain from 1812 to 1814. Except for naval battles, the advantage lies with the British army. In August 1814, the British army captured the capital of Washington and burned the Presidential Palace and Congress. But then America triumphed. In December 1814, Britain and the United States signed a peace treaty in Ghent, Belgium. This war enabled the United States to get rid of British political control and economic penetration and become a completely independent national sovereign state.
