Student Article

Let’s go back in time and follow the steps that led to the birth of a brand-new country — the United States of America!

The taxes that sparked rebellion

The story begins in 1763, when Britain won the Seven Years' War and took over lots of land in North America. But keeping those lands safe was expensive, so Britain started taxing the American colonists. First came the Sugar Act in 1764, which made sugar and coffee cost more. Then, in 1765, the Stamp Act added taxes to newspapers and even playing cards! Colonists were not happy — they didn’t have a say in Britain’s government and believed these taxes were unfair.

Tensions rise and violence erupts

Things got worse in 1768 when British soldiers arrived in Boston to make sure colonists paid taxes on paint, tea, and other goods. Tensions boiled over in 1770 during the Boston Massacre, where British soldiers shot and killed five colonists. Then, in 1773, angry colonists threw over £10,000 worth of tea into Boston Harbor during the famous Boston Tea Party.

The start of the Revolutionary War

In response, Britain passed harsh new laws and sent more soldiers. On April 19, 1775, the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired in Lexington and Concord. Soon after, the first big battle took place at Bunker Hill. In 1776, the colonies made a bold move — they declared independence from Britain!

The turning point of the war

The war went on, with important events like the Battle of Saratoga in 1777 and help from France in 1778. Finally, in 1781, the British army surrendered at Yorktown, and by 1783, the Treaty of Paris officially ended the war. A few years later, in 1787, the U.S. Constitution was written, creating the government we still have today.

© Emma Slattery Williams / www.historyextra.com