: The British monarch whose policies the colonists resisted.

The conflict spanned eight years, moving from local skirmishes to an international war. Significance Lexington & Concord The "shot heard 'round the world"; first military clashes. 1776 Declaration of Independence

: The Intolerable Acts (1774) , designed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party , led to the formation of the First Continental Congress .

Formally ended the war and recognized American independence. Key Figures