Engraving by Alexander Hay Ritchie depicting the Battle of Lexington

Introduction 

The American Revolution was one of the most historic colonial revolts that occurred between 1765 and 1783 in which the 13 colonies, which were comprised of American patriots, revolted against the British colony. The revolution resulted in the occurrence of the war of independence. The revolutionary war in America took place between 1775 and 1783 leading to the defeat of the British Empire and the establishment of the United States of America (Higginbotham & Higginbotham, 1988). When evaluating the American Revolution, it is essential to take into account some of the key battles that were fought between the colonies and the British forces leading up to the declaration of independence. It is from this perspective that this report seeks to examine some of the key battles that helped in shaping the American revolt against the British Empire. The report will also investigate the declaration the adoption of a resolution by Richard Henry Lee that sought to propose independence from England.

Battle of Lexington 

The first military engagement that occurred during the war of independence was referred to as the Battle of Lexington. The battle is considered as one of the notable events that helped in shaping the revolt by the thirteen colonies, as it paved the way for the possibility of armed conflict. The battle took place in the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy, which is currently known as Arlington, and Cambridge. From the onset of the conflict, it was clear that the American patriots within the thirteen colonies were intent on ensuring that they would seek to establish a front through which to engage in armed conflict if that was the only way that they would be independent of the British Empire.

Engraving by Alexander Hay Ritchie depicting the Battle of Lexington 

Higginbotham & Higginbotham (1988) indicate that the Battle of Lexington did not constitute a battle as such considering that it only saw a minor armed engagement but was essential towards defining the path that the American patriots were willing to take in their bid to seeking independence. The battle saw conflict between 80 Lexington militiamen and the regulars, who were advancing towards Lexington as part of their approach towards highlighting the depth of the British Empire under the leadership of Major John Pitcairn. The main intention of the militiamen was to protect Lexington, as they believed that the British Empire was humiliating them; thus, creating the need for them to fight for their independence. That sought to create what is considered as an ambition towards engaging in armed conflict as one of the ways through which to achieve independence from the British.

Battle of Bunker Hill 

During the early stages of the war, the Battle of Bunker Hill took place in Charlestown, which is located in Massachusetts. The battle occurred during the siege of Boston, specifically on Bunker Hill. However, the majority of the combat action during this battle was on an adjacent hill, Breed's Hill. The siege of Boston began on June 13, 1775, during which time the colonial forces sought to ensure that they would gain control over the Boston Harbor. During the leadership of William Prescott, approximately 1,200 troops occupied Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill with the sole focus being towards countering the tactical approaches that were being utilized by the British forces.

Engraving by James Mitan Depicting the Battle of Bunker Hill 

The key outcomes associated with the Battle of Bunker Hill was the need for the British forces to take up more caution in the processes involving planning and maneuvering their engagements in future. The victory by the colonial forces highlighted the fact that the American patriots, who were part of the forces, understood the importance of having to protect the frontal lines as part of their defence approaches. The consequence was that the battle created a situation where the British forces were discouraged from attacking the well-defended frontal lines. The casualties from this battle on the American side were considerably less when compared to the British but included some of the notable leaders of the colonial force including General Joseph Warren and Major Andrew McClary.

Adoption of the Lee Resolution 

During the Second Continental Congress, Richard Henry Lee acted in the instruction of the Virginia Convention. In this period, he introduced a resolution that sought to propose independence from England. The proposal sought to create the need for the American colonies to secede from England with the sole focus being towards ensuring that they would remain independent in their approach to leadership. The resolution, which has come to be referred to as the Lee Resolution, was first presented to Congress on June 7, 1776, but was deferred to July 2, 1776, considering that most members of congress had the belief that the proposal was slightly premature (Alden & Middlekauff, 1962). In some cases, the members wanted to seek further instructions and guidance from their colonies before engaging in the voting processes. The proposal was adopted on July 2, 1776, which is an aspect that created a platform for the independence declaration for the American colonies.

Lee Resolution 

Declaration of Independence 

The adoption of Richard Henry Lee’s resolution by 12 out of the 13 colonies paved the way for the colonies to work on an approach that would seek to declare their independence from England. On July 4, 1776, the 12 colonies signed the declaration of independence, which is seen as one of the most critical documents in American history (Alden & Middlekauff, 1962). The expectation was that by signing the document, the colonies would be declared independent with the aim being towards ensuring that they would build their governments. New York was the only colony that had not upheld the declaration. In that case, votes were not cast until July 9, 1776, when the newly elected Convention in the New York City focused on upholding the declaration (Alden & Middlekauff, 1962). The declaration was an essential resolution by the congress towards ensuring the hold that the British Empire had over the American colonies would be minimized significantly.

Declaration of Independence 

Conclusion 

The American Revolution was one of the most historic colonial revolts that occurred between 1765 and 1783 in which the 13 colonies revolted against the British colony between 1775 and 1783. The first military engagement that occurred during the revolutionary war was the Battle of Lexington. On June 17, 1975, in Charlestown, Massachusetts during the initial phases of the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought. During the Second Continental Congress, Richard Henry Lee acted in the instruction of the Virginia Convention. In this period, he introduced a resolution that sought to propose independence from England. The proposal was adopted on July 2, 1776, which is an aspect that created a platform for the independence declaration for the American colonies. On July 4, 1776, the 12 colonies signed the declaration of independence, which is seen as one of the most critical documents in American history. New York was the only colony that had not upheld the declaration. In that case, votes were not cast until July 9, 1776, when the New York Convention capitalized on confirming the declaration.

References

Alden, J. R., & Middlekauff, R. (1962).  The American Revolution, 1763-1783 . Harper & Row.

Higginbotham, D., & Higginbotham, D. (1988).  War and Society in Revolutionary America: The Wider Dimensions of Conflict  (p. 711121321). Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.