1001 Space Earth Nature History First Civilisations Ancient Egypt Biblical Times Ancient Greece Ancient Rome Chinese, Japanese Civilisations Indian Civilisation African Civilisation The Early Americas The Rise of Islam The Middle Ages The Renaissance Civil War and Revolution The Industrial Revolution Two World Wars 20th-century Achievements Human World Science and Technology

When was the American War of Independence? The United States became an independent nation in 1783. Until then it had been part of the British Empire. Large ports on the east coast of North America, like New York and Boston, were growing very rich from trade, and the British government taxed the American people. They resented these taxes, and sometimes attacked the British tax collectors. War broke out between the two sides in 1775. In 1781 the British were defeated at the Battle of Yorktown and they surrendered.   Previous: Back Book: 1001 Section: History Chapter: Civil War and Revolution