In 1776, as the fighting spread, the United States wanted separation from Britain. With the superb content of the Declaration of Independence, the Thirteen Colonies became the United States of America.The Americans fought in a life-or-death situation in the struggle for liberty, and with help from other nations, such as the French and the Spanish, the Americans defeated the British and won thier Independence.
Ft. Ticonderoga
Ethan Allen led a group of Vermonters, known as the Green Mountain Boys, in a surprise attack on Ft. Ticonderoga. Allen was aware that the British would have cannons everywhere. So in early May the Green Mountain Boys snuck in at Ft. Ticonderoga and Allen crept into the room where the commander slept. Then he shouted, "COME OUT YOU OLD RAT!" The commander demmanded to know whose authority Allen acted by. Allen replied, "IN THE NAME OF THE GREAT JEHOVAH AND THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS!" Afterwards, the British commander was forced to surrender Ft. Ticonderoga.
Bunker Hill
In 1775, Colonel Prescott led 1,200 minutemen to Bunker Hill, which was across the river from Boston. Prescott soon noticed that a spot nearby Breed's Hill was an even better position for attack. So, he ordered his men to move over there and dig up big defensive trenches. However, the next day at sunrise, the British General, William Howe, spotted the Americans. He took a double amount of men that the Americans had and set them up all around the harbor. The Americans waited patiently while the Brtish soldiers made their way up to where the Americans made camp. The Americans had very little gunpowder so General Prescott said, "Don't shoot until you the white in their eyes!" In short that means, don't shoot until they are very close or close enough so you won't miss the person. When the Americans fired the British and to retreat. They also made a second try, then a third try and on the third try the British succeeded. They took Bunker Hill and Breed's Hill, But paid a big price for it. 1,000 British soldiers were left dead or wounded, afterward, but the Americans only lost 400 soldiers in the battle.