Osprey Essential Histories 45 : The American Revolution 1774-1783

The American War for Independence has been characterised as a revolution, both politically and in terms of the fighting methods employed by the insurgent colonist - the freewheeling colonial upstarts against the rigid British military establishment. Daniel Marston argues that this belief is a misconception and that the American War for Independence was, in reality, a war between two groups of British veterans of the Seven Years' War who had previously fought as allies. The British had to maintain a large army in North America to safeguard territory gained in the settlement of the Seven Years' War. The government also sought repayment of the national debt incurred in the war through taxation of the colonies. These issues were instrumental in speeding up the drift towards open rebellion against Britain. Even then the colonies were not united in support of rebellion and once civilians in the south became involved in the campaign, events took a bitter turn. With the loyalists fighting for the British cause, it has been viewed as a minor civil war. France, England's enemy of old supported the thirteen colonies in an effort to avenge the losses of the Seven Years' War, and her support in terms of men, materiel and naval power tipped the balance against the British. Yet despite the siege of Yorktown and the subsequent British surrender in 1781, Britain continued to hold territory and it was not until Spain and Holland joined France in support of the American colonists that the cost of the war became unacceptably high and Britain chose to redirect her resources. The subsequent peace treaty in 1783 marked the formal beginning of the United States of America as an independent political entity. Text by Daniel Marston.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Background to War : Colonial Agitation
• Warring Sides : Linear and Irregular Warfare
• Outbreak : Shot Heard Round the World
• The Fighting
• Portrait of a Soldier : Massachusetts Professional
• The World around War : War on the Homefront
• Portrait of a Civilian : Boston Loyalist
• How the War Ended : Stalemate
• Conclusion and Consequences : Influence of the American Revolution