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Colonists Divided
In 1776 both the Patriots and the loyalists were in a minority. Most of the colonists were in the middle. They didn't care about a dispute with Britain. Even within the Continental Congress, support for independence was only about one third of the delegates. -
Common Sense Published
The common sense was a 50-page pamphlet. It was published in Philadelphia by Thomas Paine. The pamphlet heated support for independence. Thomas called King George the third "royal brute." He said that Americans would be better off if they governed themselves. This pamphlet with strong logic and powerful words inspired people from all over the colonies. Some 500,000 copies were sold in 7 months. -
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a brilliant piece of writing. The document explains why the colonists wanted to break away from British rule. On July 4, 1776, Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. The actually signing of the document took place on August 2, 1776. -
French Alliance
France wanted more than anything to weaken Britain. They had secretly supplied money and arms to the Americans. The French didn't want to make any moves before it seemed the Americans might win. In February 1778, France became the first nation to sign a treaty with the United States. -
Final Battle
The British marched glumly between the two columns the Americans and French had made. They tossed their weapons on the ground. The Victory at Yorktown was the last major battle of the war. All of this happened on October 19, 1781. It was about two years before the war was officially over. -
Treaty of Paris
Talks about peace began in Paris on 1782. Britain was eager for peace, so Americans got most of what they wanted. On April 15, 1783, Congress approved the treaty. The war was officially over. It was exactly eight years after the fighting started in Lexington.
