Revolutionary War

American  

noun

1. American Revolution.

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Revolutionary War Cultural  

1. The war for American independence from Britain. The fighting began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord in 1775, and lasted through the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. General George Washington commanded the American forces, assisted by Ethan Allen, Benedict Arnold, Horatio Gates, John Paul Jones, and others. The leaders of the British included Charles Cornwallis, John Burgoyne, Thomas Gage, and William Howe, among others. The American cause was greatly aided by French ships and troops and by the presence of the French nobleman and soldier the Marquis de Lafayette. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially ended the war. (See Battle of Bunker Hill and Battle of Saratoga.)

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Etymology

Origin of Revolutionary War

1790–1800;

Example Sentences

However, Davis also described the area as having “an independent streak that goes back to the post Revolutionary War period in Kentucky.”

From Slate • May 19, 2026

“We’ve been through a Revolutionary War, a Civil War, two world wars, and two depressions,” Harden said.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

That hasn’t stopped Americans from pushing back against the certainty of taxes—death is another matter—since the cry of “no taxation without representation” helped spark the Revolutionary War.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

A New Jersey estate built in 1771 for a Revolutionary War general is on the market for $3.995 million.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

On October 19 Cornwallis surrendered, ending the last major battle of the Revolutionary War.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen