The Revolutionary  War

Americans in all the colonies were afraid that the King of England would close their harbors, too. Leaders of the colonies all voted to stop trade  with England. 

Many people in the thirteen colonies wanted to break away from  England and have a new , independent country. The leaders voted to fight against England.  This was the beginning of the revolutionary War. This war is also called the War of Independence.

Although the colonists won the first battle in Massachusetts, they knew they had to form an army to win a war. They named George Washington commander –in- chief of the Americans. Most colonists were in favor of fighting  to the end. Leaders from each of the thirteen colonies met, but they could not all agree.  Some felt England was their  "mother", others felt England was their "master".

 Many did not want  a king for across the sea to run their own country. Finally , they all agreed to tell the king that they had decided to become thirteen United States.

The  king did not want to give up his colonies without a fight. The Americans  ran low on food , money and arms. One winter, Washington soldiers  almost froze to death . Both sides were very tired 

General Lafayette brought French ships and soldiers to help the Americans fight  the English . They trapped the English at Yorktown  and general Cornwallis , the English commander , gave up. 

The war was over and the Americans had won their freedom and got the kind of government they wanted.  They war lasted six years.