The American War of Independence

The Battle of Lexington, 19 April 1775, marked the opening of the American War of Independence and the last major battle was fought in 1781. The Treaty of Paris, signed on 3 September 1783, brought the war to a formal conclusion. Although the American colonies had declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain on 4 July 1776, it was not until 1783 that the British government recognized America's independence.