The American War of Independence free essay sample

The war ended with the Peace of Paris Nil 763 when France gave up Its lain to Canada and to all of North America and east of the Mississippi River. In 1765 the English Parliament passed another new law called the Stamp Act. It was intended to raise money to pay the defense of the colonies. It said that the colonies had to buy special tax stamps and attach them to newspapers, licenses and legal papers. Representatives from 9 colonies formed the Stamp Act Congress. They demanded representatives In the Brothels Parliament-No taxation without representation- became their demand.The Boston Tea Party was a direct action by colonists in Boston against he British government. On Deck. 16, 1 773 after officially in Boston refused to return 3 shiploads of taxed tea to Britain a group of colonists, disguised themselves as Meridians, loaded the ships and destroyed the tea by throwing it into Boston Harbor. In 1774, British warship took up position at the mouth of Boston Harbor to close It. We will write a custom essay sample on The American War of Independence or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A few months later a group of colonial leaders came together In Philadelphia and formed the 1 Continental Congress to oppose British oppression.Fighting for independence On the night of April 8, 1775, British soldiers marched silently out of Boston to story weapons and ammunition that rebellions colonists had stored in Concord. But in the village of Lexington, 70 minutemen (members of the colonial partisan militia) were gathered to stop them. The 1st shot had been hired In the Americas War of Independence. In May, 1775 a 2nd Continental congress met In Philadelphia and set up an army of 17. 000 men under the command of George Washington. On July 4, it ensured the declaration of independence.The Declaration of Independence is the most important document in the American history. It was written by Thomas Jefferson. It claimed that all men had a natural right to life, living and the pursuit of happiness. It also said that governments can only justly claim the right to rule if they have the agreement of those they govern the consent of the governed. Jefferson combined John Locks Ideas with their own experience of life In America to produce a new definition of democratic government. This new definition said that governments should consist of representatives elected by the people.It also said that the main season that governments existed was to protect the rights of individual citizens. Washingtons army wasnt an effective fighting force, because few of the men had any military training. Success began to come to the Americans in Cot. 1777, when they trapped almost 6000 men of the British army at Saratoga, when the British French king Louis XVI signed an alliance with the Americans and sent French ships, soldiers and money to help them. In Swept. 1781 George Washington was heading a combined American and French army, which surrounded 8000 British troops atYorktown. On Cot. 17, 1781, General Cornwallis (British Army officer) surrendered his army to Washington. In the Treaty of Paris, which was signed in September 1783, Britain officially recognized her former colonies as an independent nation. The new republics first senate, House of Representatives, and president- George Washington took office in 1789. The Bill of Rights guaranteeing a range of legal protections was adopted in 1791. Years of Growth After 1783 more and more people set off for the new territories between theAppalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River that the Treaty of Paris had granted to the US. Meridians, who already lived on these lands saw the settlers as thieves who had come to steal their hunting grounds and made fierce attacks on them. In 1830 the US government passed a law called the Indian Removal Act. The law said that all Indians living east of the Mississippi River would be moved west. The Cherokees were driven from their homes and forced to march hundreds of miles on the so called Trail of Tears. By the time it was over 4000 of the Meridians were dead.