The American Revolution: 6 Things You Should Know (But Probably Don’t)

Click here to take your students on a virtual field trip to the Museum of the American Revolution!

Click here to take your students on a virtual field trip to the Museum of the American Revolution!

The Revolutionary War (1775-1783) is likely one of the first historical events you learned about in school. By now, you may have studied it enough—or listened to the Hamilton soundtrack enough—to think you know all there is to know. But the story of our nation’s founding isn’t as straightforward as it’s sometimes portrayed. Here are some little-known truths about the fight for America’s independence.

1. The beef wasn’t just about taxes. 
Starting in 1764 with the Sugar Act, the British Parliament imposed a series of taxes on the 13 American Colonies to raise money to pay off war debt (see Key Events, below). The taxes angered the colonists. Though officially ruled by British monarch King George III and Parliament, each colony had its own local government and elected representatives. The colonists believed it was their own governments, not Parliament, that should tax them. That’s why their rallying cry became “No taxation without representation!”

In other words, the real conflict was about who had the power to pass laws affecting the Colonies, says Matthew Skic of the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “The colonists were upset the decision [on taxes] was coming from Great Britain and not the American assemblies,” he says.

The Revolutionary War (1775-1783) is likely one of the first historical events you learned about in school. By now, you may have studied it or listened to the Hamilton soundtrack enough to think you know all there is to know. But the story of our nation’s founding is not as straightforward as it is sometimes portrayed. Here are some little-known truths about the fight for America’s independence.

1. The beef wasn’t just about taxes.
Starting in 1764 with the Sugar Act, the British Parliament imposed a series of taxes on the 13 American Colonies to raise money to pay off war debt (see Key Events, below). The taxes angered the colonists. Each colony was officially ruled by British monarch King George III and Parliament. Each had its own local government and elected representatives. The colonists believed they should be taxed by their own governments, not Parliament. That is why their rallying cry became “No taxation without representation!”

In other words, the real conflict was about who had the power to pass laws affecting the Colonies, says Matthew Skic. Skic is from the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “The colonists were upset the decision [on taxes] was coming from Great Britain and not the American assemblies,” he says.

2. George Washington almost lost his job. 
Who would dare second-guess George Washington, commander of the Continental Army and future first U.S. president? Plenty of people, actually. In the fall of 1777, after a few Patriot defeats, some congressmen questioned whether Washington was the right leader. They debated replacing him with General Horatio Gates, who had won big in Saratoga, New York (see map, below).

But people loyal to Washington, including the Marquis de Lafayette (see number 4), defended him. When Washington got wind of what was going on, he confronted his chief rivals—Gates and General Thomas Conway—and they backed down. 

In the end, Washington succeeded in part because his devotion to his troops inspired the same in them. For instance, in March 1783, some officers grew frustrated and discussed mutiny. Washington spoke with them directly—which persuaded them to squash their plans.

2. George Washington almost lost his job.
George Washington was commander of the Continental Army and future first U.S. president. Who would dare second-guess him? Plenty of people, actually. In the fall of 1777, after a few Patriot defeats, some congressmen questioned whether Washington was the right leader. They debated replacing him with General Horatio Gates. Gates had won an important battle in Saratoga, New York (see map, below).

But people loyal to Washington defended him, including the Marquis de Lafayette (see number 4). Washington found out what was going on. He confronted his chief rivals, Gates and General Thomas Conway. They backed down.

Washington succeeded in part because his devotion to his troops inspired the same in them. For instance, in March 1783, some officers grew frustrated and discussed mutiny. Washington spoke with them directly. This persuaded them to squash their plans.

3. African-Americans battled for the nation’s freedom—and their own. 
Historians estimate that 500,000 African-Americans were enslaved in the Colonies at the time of the war. Slaves faced a hard decision: Should they choose a side and take up arms, hoping to gain personal liberty?

In 1775, the British promised freedom to Patriot-owned slaves who escaped and joined Loyalist forces. Thousands of slaves risked their lives to try.

The Americans were more reluctant to recruit and arm blacks. However, more than 5,000 African-Americans (both free and enslaved) eventually served in the Continental Army. Black soldiers “played a role in almost every significant battle,” says Kenneth Davis, author of the Don’t Know Much About History series.

After the war, the British evacuated about 3,000 of the former slaves who had fought with them to freedom in Canada. But many other slaves were returned to their owners. “Most of the slaves who served in the Continental Army didn’t get their freedom,” says Don Hagist of the Journal of the American Revolution.

3. African-Americans battled for the nation’s freedom—and their own.
Historians estimate that 500,000 African-Americans were enslaved in the Colonies at the time of the war. Slaves faced a hard decision. Should they choose a side and take up arms, hoping to gain personal liberty?

In 1775, the British promised freedom to Patriot-owned slaves who escaped and joined Loyalist forces. Thousands of slaves risked their lives to try.

The Americans were less willing to recruit and arm blacks. However, more than 5,000 free and enslaved African-Americans eventually served in the Continental Army. Black soldiers “played a role in almost every significant battle,” says Kenneth Davis. He is the author of the Don’t Know Much About History series.

After the war, the British moved about 3,000 of the former slaves who had fought with them to Canada, giving them their freedom. But many other slaves were returned to their owners. “Most of the slaves who served in the Continental Army didn’t get their freedom,” says Don Hagist of the Journal of the American Revolution.

4. A French teen became America’s biggest fan. 
In 1777, a 19-year-old French aristocrat known as the Marquis de Lafayette arrived in America, itching to join the colonists’ fight. Lafayette had no combat experience. But he did have a grudge against England: His father had been killed battling British troops in the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763).

Lafayette offered to join the Continental Army as a volunteer at his own expense. With nothing to lose—and hoping to take advantage of his connections in France—Congress named the teen a general.

4. A French teen became America’s biggest fan.
In 1777, a 19-year-old French aristocrat known as the Marquis de Lafayette arrived in America. He was itching to join the colonists’ fight. Lafayette had no combat experience. But he did have a grudge against England. His father had been killed battling British troops in the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763).

Lafayette offered to join the Continental Army at his own expense. With nothing to lose, Congress named the teen a general. It was hoping to take advantage of his connections in France.

“He was basically an unpaid intern,” writes Sarah Vowell in her book Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. The French rookie’s obvious enthusiasm endeared him to George Washington, and the two became close friends. 

Between battles, Lafayette wrote letters to French officials, relentlessly pushing them to support the Patriots’ cause. Thanks in part to his efforts, France formally backed the Americans in 1778. Its military and financial help proved crucial. 

Lafayette came in handy during the fighting as well—his troops helped contain the British during the Yorktown, Virginia, campaign. Indeed, writes Vowell, the Frenchman “turned out to be the best friend America ever had.”

“He was basically an unpaid intern,” writes Sarah Vowell in her book Lafayette in the Somewhat United States. The French rookie’s excitement endeared him to George Washington. The two became close friends.

Between battles, Lafayette wrote letters to French officials. He relentlessly pushed them to support the Patriots’ cause. Thanks in part to his efforts, France formally backed the Americans in 1778. Its military and financial help proved crucial.

Lafayette came in handy during the fighting as well. His troops helped contain the British during the Yorktown, Virginia, campaign. Indeed, writes Vowell, the Frenchman “turned out to be the best friend America ever had.”

5. The Americans won—but not necessarily on the battlefield.
“When you look at it battle by battle, the Americans lost far more than they won,” says Hagist. After all, the inexperienced colonists were up against a professional army. Why, then, did Great Britain surrender? The British “didn’t have a good strategy for how to put down a popular rebellion,” says Hagist. Even though the Americans were outmatched repeatedly, they persisted, aided by France and other allies. The war dragged on and on, eventually stretching Britain’s resources to the limit.

5. The Americans won—but not necessarily on the battlefield.
“When you look at it battle by battle, the Americans lost far more than they won,” says Hagist. After all, the inexperienced colonists were up against a professional army. Why, then, did Great Britain surrender? The British “didn’t have a good strategy for how to put down a popular rebellion,” says Hagist. Even though the Americans were outmatched repeatedly, they persisted. They also had aid from France and other allies. The war dragged on and on. This eventually stretched Britain’s resources to the limit.

6. The fighting didn’t actually end at Yorktown. 
It’s popular belief that the war ended when British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia. But that’s only partly true. The British did admit defeat, but by that point Spain and the Netherlands had joined the war against them. It took nearly two years for all parties to hammer out peace treaties. In the meantime, “an awful lot of fighting continued to occur,” says Hagist.

An early version of the peace deal (the Treaty of Paris) was signed in France in November 1782, but getting that news to troops fighting far away took months. As a result, the real last battle of the war happened on June 29, 1783, off the coast of India in the Bay of Bengal. There, French and British fleets were attacking each other when a British ship flying a white flag arrived to tell them the war had been over for a while.

6. The fighting didn’t actually end at Yorktown.
It is popular belief that the war ended when British General Charles Cornwallis surrendered on October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia. But that is only partly true. The British did admit defeat, but by that point Spain and the Netherlands had joined the war against them. It took nearly two years for all parties to hammer out peace treaties. In the meantime, “an awful lot of fighting continued to occur,” says Hagist.

An early version of the peace deal (called the Treaty of Paris) was signed in France in November 1782. Getting this news to troops fighting far away took months. As a result, the real last battle of the war happened on June 29, 1783. It took place off the coast of India in the Bay of Bengal. There, French and British fleets were attacking each other. A British ship flying a white flag arrived to tell them the war had been over for a while.