The American Revolutionary War lasted eight years (1775–1783).50 Referred to as the American War of Independence and as the Revolutionary War in the United States, it was an armed conflict between Great Britain and the thirteen colonies. The colonies had declared themselves the independent United States of America.
The Revolutionary War started on April 19, 1775.51 The war began with the confrontation between British troops and local militia at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.52 The Americans had begun the war with significant disadvantages compared to the British. However, the Americans had multiple advantages that outweighed the initial disadvantages they faced. The Americans had a large prosperous population that depended on local production for food and most supplies, while the British supplies
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Each colony sponsored local militia. Militiamen were lightly armed with little training and usually didn’t have uniforms. Their units served for only a few weeks or months at a time. They seemed reluctant to travel far from home and were unavailable for extended operations. They lacked the training and discipline of soldiers with more experience. Their numbers could help the Continental armies overwhelm smaller British forces, as at the battles of Concord, Bennington and Saratoga, and the siege of Boston.56 Both sides used warfare but the Americans suppressed Loyalist activity when British regulars weren’t in the area. Seeking to coordinate military efforts, the Continental Congress established a regular army on June 14, 1775 and appointed George Washington as Commander-in-Chief.57
The development of the Continental Army was always a work in progress, and Washington used both his regulars and state militia throughout the war. The United States Marine Corps traced its roots to the Continental Marines of the war, formed by a resolution of the Continental Congress on November 10,