Story of the American Revolution

On April 18, 1775, the "shot heard 'round the world" was fired. The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first of many battles between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. The two countries would be at war for the next eight years. Read more about the key battles that shaped the American Revolution.

The American Revolution brought the English, French, American Indian tribes, and colonists together in battle after deadly battle. From muskets and rations to uniforms and field medicine, learn more about the weapons and gear of the Revolutionary War.

Men may have fought the battles of the American Revolution, but women played an important part too. Some women fought the battle at home, speaking their minds about the British occupation or gathering supplies for their soldiers. Others fought openly for their cause, secretly joining the military or becoming spies. Get to know these heroic women and their importance to the colonists' victory during the Revolutionary War.

The 13 American Colonies had many reasons to begin the Revolutionary War. From the Boston Tea Party to the Intolerable Acts, they felt it was time for independence. Read more about the conflict between the colonists and Great Britain and the events that led up to the American Revolution.

George Washington, Paul Revere, and Thomas Jefferson are remembered as heroes of the American Revolution, but they were only a few of many men and women who risked their lives for independence. Read more about the heroes, both American and European, who were key to the colonists' success in the American Revolution.