Starting in the 1600s, large numbers of Europeans sought a new life in America. Some came because they wanted to worship God as they wished. Others came for land or business.

Much of the new country was ruled by England, also called Great Britain, and many people were loyal English citizens. For centuries, England was led by powerful kings and queens. It had a strong army and navy, and it often got into wars with other countries.

In 1760 King George III needed more money to pay for a seven-year war against France and Austria. He began to tax the people in America unfairly. This made the people angry. Eventually, they decided to make their own government. They believed they could rule themselves better than the king of England could.

In 1775, they asked George Washington to lead an army against England’s soldiers. It took six years, but Washington and his army finally won the war.

When war started against King George III, a lot of people thought it was time to tell the rest of the world why they were fighting.

They believed that their basic rights and freedoms were being taken away. The leaders asked Thomas Jefferson to write a paper that would explain everything, including all the unfair things the English government had done.

Jefferson was a good writer, but he had help from others, including Benjamin Franklin. The paper, called the Declaration of Independence, was signed on July 4, 1776. That is America’s birthday.

Jefferson died exactly 50 years later, on July 4, 1826.

Would you ever start a war? Why or why not?

If someone was hurting you, would you fight him? What kind of leader would you follow?

• Forced people to let soldiers stay in their homes any time the soldiers wanted to.
• Told the people they could not live where they wanted to.
• Soldiers shot citizens in Boston who threw snowballs at them.
• Refused to allow paper money, which the people needed for business.
• Forced people to pay extra for things like sugar, wine and coffee.
• Made people pay for special stamps on newspapers, legal documents and even playing cards.
• Required people to go to England to settle legal disputes, instead of using judges here.