American Revolution Overview:

           During the late 1700s, many colonists were willing to sacrifice their economic standing, political stability, and ultimately their lives in order to ensure freedom for future generations. The American Revolution occurred during the mid to late eighteenth century and refers to the thirteen colonies struggle to obtain independence from England.  The British government was deeply in debt after defending the colonies during the French and Indian War.  King George and Parliament felt that the colonies should contribute to the debt that England had accumulated, and decided to pass the Sugar Act of 1764.  The Sugar Act required that colonists pay taxes on highly sought after imports.  These taxes added on to the economic struggles being faced by the colonists.    

          Over the next several years, Parliament continued to impose their taxes on the colonists.  Some colonists felt that this was unfair because they did not have representation in Parliament.  Under the slogan of “No taxation without representation,” many of the colonists decided to protest the decisions being made in Parliament.  These colonists became known as the Patriots.  Colonists who remained loyal to King George were referred to as the Loyalists.

          Parliament responded to the colonists’ protests by sending British soldiers to enforce King George’s orders.  Tensions between the colonies and Parliament escalated on March 5, 1770 when five colonists were killed when a riot broke out against the British soldiers.  With the passage of the Intolerable Acts in 1774, the colonists decided to break away from their resented mother country.

          From September, 5 to October 26, 1774, delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies met in Pennsylvania to discuss ways to defend the colonies’ rights against the British.  The First Continental Congress led to the decision of boycotting British goods and to the planning of the Second Continental Congress.  Parliament ignored the colonists’ requests and responded by sending additional troops to the colonies.  The first shots of the American Revolution were fired at the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775. Over the next two years, the colonists continued their fight for independence, while the British fought to maintain their control over the colonies.  The victory of the colonists in 1776 led to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the beginnings of a new nation.   

          In this Flexbook, we will explore the role that children from North Carolina played in the American Revolution and how it impacted the social, political, intellectual, and technological areas of their life.