It was the war that gave birth to the United States, the world’s first—and today, oldest—liberal democracy. The Revolution liberated the 13 colonies from British rule and created heroes and battles now secure in national lore: George Washington. Paul Revere. Alexander Hamilton. The Battles of Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and Yorktown. But what led these heroes to upturn their lives of comfort for the dangerous pursuit of the difficult ideals of freedom and equality? What happened to them and their fellow patriots on the battlefield? Who led? Who followed? Who were the traitors? Who were the spies? This LIFE special edition goes behind the scenes to understand one of history’s most important events. It captures the drama of the war through stunning imagery and a fast-paced narrative, while bringing to life the stories of the men and women who sacrificed so much for future generations.
LIFE: The American Revolution • CREATING A NATION
LIFE Bookazines
The Great American Story • The mythology around the War of Independence is by design a form of shorthand. It is intended to transmit complicated ideas and events in simple language, a way to celebrate an American ideal. Yet the truth of the stories behind the stories is even more powerful and revealing than the myths it spawned.
The Creation of a Nation • Struggling financially after the French and Indian War, Britain introduced tax policies that spawned a rebellion among its American colonists. By 1775, tense relations had turned into armed conflict.
A Revolution Decades in the Making • In the aftermath of the French and Indian War, Great Britain struggled with a debt almost equal to America’s today. But when Parliament tried to make up the shortfall by taxing the colonies—duties the British felt were fair and the Americans considered an outrage—it set in motion a political brawl (and some tea dumping) that would end with great drama on the battlefield.
The Plight of the Loyalists • Colonists loyal to the Crown, including Massachusetts lieutenant governor Thomas Hutchinson, were vulnerable to the wrath of patriot mobs.
The Shot Heard Round the World • With populism surging in the colonies and King George III urging Parliament to crack down on Americans gripped by the “daring spirit of resistance and disobedience to the law,” the two sides careered toward war. Then, on April 19, 1775, some 700 redcoats marched on Lexington Green to face off against about 77 patriots. The first guns were fired at sunrise. When the smoke cleared, eight colonists lay dead.
The Culper Spy Ring • After patriot spy Nathaniel Hale was caught and executed, Washington doubled down, creating a network of closely bonded super agents.
Setbacks, Victories, and the Birth of the United States • Though France entered the war to help the patriots, the good news was followed by bad. The British occupied Georgia and captured Charleston, South Carolina; hero Benedict Arnold committed treason; and Continental troops, having gone without pay for more than a year, began to defect. But when British general Charles Cornwallis surrendered after the Siege of Yorktown, it set the path for victory for the Americans.
George Washington: Reluctant President • The war hero intended to return to private life once peace was established. But duty came calling.
Photo Credits
The Spirit of ’76
