INTRODUCTION he path to freedom freedom from tyranny oppression or injustice is rarely straightforward and is often riddled with obstacles Individuals world around the and throughout the centuries have fought bravely for liberty and for what they believe to be justly theirs many never living to see the fruits of their labors The story of the independent American nation begins with a number of such men and women including future presidents international freedom fighters and ordinary Americans from all walks of life whose lives and contributions to the American Revolution are chronicled in this volume The seeds ofthe American Revolution had been planted around the time of the French and Indian War several years before the Revolution broke out in 1775 The British who then governed the colonies that would one day become the United States had unjustly begun to tax the colonists and interfere with their trade and industry in order to help pay for the earlier war Colonists increasingly began refusing to comply with such unfair tax practices as the Stamp Act and pushed more and more for full independence from Britain 8
INTRODUCTION FREEDOM IS A LIGHT FOR WHICH MANY MEN HAVE DIED IN DARKNESS IN UNMARKED GRAVES WITHIN THIS SQUARE LIE THOUSANDS OF UNKNOWN SOLDIERS OF WASHINGTON S ARMY WHO DIED OF WOUNDS AND SICKNESS DURING THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR THE INDEPENDENCE AND LIBERT YOU POSSESS ARE THE WORK OF JOINT COUNCILS AND JOINT EFFORTS OF COMMON DANGERS SUFFERINGS AND SUCCESS INGTON S EAREWELL ADDRESS SEPT he The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington Square in Philadelphia Pa honors George Washington and the many unknown soldiers who gave their lives during the American Revolution and helped make possible the colonial victory against the British mary981 Shutterstock com
BIOGRAPHIES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ADAMS John Paul Jones Some of the most prominent voices of the Revolution belong to widely recog nized names including Benjamin Franklin John Adams Thomas Jefferson and George Washington better known perhaps as some of the nation's Founding Fathers All were active in the Continental Congress which made important decisions regarding the colonies dealings with Britain and the direction of the country they hoped to form Most of them also signed the Declaration of Independence and participated in the creation of the U S Constitution From Franklin s orations and publications discuss ing the importance of colonists rights to Washington's role as commander in chief of the colonial army each wholly dedicated himself to the independence movement When protests and attempts at diplo macy failed to win the colonies what they needed the colonists turned to their mili tary to confront British forces head on Washington who secured numerous American victories including the decisive victory at Yorktown and such generals as Horatio Gates and Nathanael Greene who helped the colonies win pivotal battles at 10
INTRODUCTION Saratoga and in the South respectively were critical in turning the tide of war in the colonies favor The military success of the colonies also depended on the efforts of militias and leaders such as the swamp fox Francis Marion whose skill in navigat ing the forests and swampy terrain around Charleston S C led to the defeat of British troops in the area Colonists were not the only ones for whom independence was a rallying call The cry for freedom echoed far and wide draw ing in some seemingly unexpected allies such as Thaddeus Kosciusko and Casimir Pulaski both of whom fought for freedom in their native Poland before coming to the aid of colonial forces The French fighters Lafayette and Rochambeau also responded to the cry by serving with Washington during the war Not to be forgotten are the many indi viduals who risked their lives away from the front lines Crispus Attucks presumed to be an escaped slave was challenging the British presence in the colonies when he was shot and killed in the Boston Massacre Women though denied permission to fight found other ways to assist in the Revolution Lydia 11
