The revolution was the first successful colonial war for independence in modern history. It established a democratic republic based on a written and Bill of Rights , inspiring similar movements worldwide, such as the French Revolution. Expand map Revolutionary War - Timeline, Facts & Battles | HISTORY
: The Intolerable Acts (1774) , designed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party , led to the formation of the First Continental Congress . american revolutionary war
: High-ranking American general who famously defected to the British in 1780. Global Legacy The revolution was the first successful colonial war