In 1775, the thirteen colonies were confronted with an existential choice: unite and resist British tyranny, or lose their freedoms one by one. “Unite or Die,” warned Benjamin Franklin’s famous cartoon, depicting a snake cut into eight parts, representing the colonies. Each colony had its own path, but each chose to unite with the others. Those political, military, and cultural developments were the last phase of a process that turned British colonists into Americans.

The shooting started on Lexington Green on April 19, 1775. The day did not end as the British had expected. Massachusetts had been drilling and preparing companies of militia and minute men. Upon learning of the British advance, companies came from villages near and far, turning the British advance into a rout. Those events seem almost mythical but are true enough: A shot “heard round the world” had been fired and the Revolutionary War—a momentous turning point in history—had begun.

At year’s end, the snake reappeared on a flag and a drum.  This time it was united and coiled, warning “Don’t Tread on Me.” The motto underscored the fact that Americans were united and prepared to defend themselves. July 4, 1776, saw the announcement of a new country—the United States of America. But the task of nation-building had begun years before, quickening and becoming inevitable in the year that is the subject of this book, 1775, the year America rebelled.

Author: Thomas K. Clancy

Page Count: 352
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: November 10, 2026
Imprint: Sunbury Press
Genre: History

HISTORY / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)
HISTORY / United States / General
HISTORY / Military / United States