American Revolution

2007-08-14T00:47:33Z

GeneralCornwallis:

[[Image:Rev collage.png|right|thumb|250px|Collage of four famous American Revolutionary War paintings]]
The '''American Revolutionary War''' (1775-1783) was a war between [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] and their thirteen [[American]] colonies. The leadership of the colonies decided to rebel, and united to attempt to gain their independence from Britain, largely due to high taxes levied by [[Parliament]], to pay for the American colonists' defence but without adequate representation. The decision to reject British rule was not universal in the colonies. Those that favored independence were called [[Patriot]]s and those that remained loyal to the throne were called [[Loyalist]]s. There was also a significant contingent that tried, for the most part, to remain neutral.

[[Image:american-revolution-map.gif|thumb|250px|Map depicting the 13 colonies]]
== Origins of the Revolution ==
Following a successful campaign by the British in the [[French and Indian War]], in which they conquered [[French]] lands east of the [[Mississippi River]], the British government decided to enact new taxes on its [[North America]]n colonies to repay expenses for their defense. The colonies were upset about this because they were not granted seats in Parliament (although at the time large parts of Britain were also unrepresented), and the famous phrase '''''"No Taxation Without Representation"''''' became the battle cry of the colonists. Also, since Britain had to fight the war to protect its colonists, the [[Proclamation of 1763]] was enacted. This drew a line down the peaks of the [[Appalachian Mountains]], dividing the area between colonial settlements and territory for Native Americans. This angered many colonists, as their brothers and fathers had just fought and died to earn the land from France. The British also began actively enforcing the [[Navigation Acts]], which they had been previously lax on, which subjected American imports to higher tarrifs. The [[Stamp Act of 1765]], which required certain trade goods to be affixed with a tax stamp, added further fuel to the fire and led to the creation of the [[Sons of Liberty]], a patriot group which actively resisted British authority. The British continued with their taxation policies with the [[Townshend Acts]], which lead to the infamous [[Boston Tea Party]] and the British response of closing Boston Harbor.

Relations were strained further, when in March of 1770, there was an altercation between British soldiers and a colonial mob that resulted in the death of five colonists. This became known as the [[Boston Massacre]].

== The Revolution ==

The war began in April 1775, when [[Paul Revere]]'s midnight ride alerted the [[Massachusetts]] militia that [[British]] troops under the command of General [[Thomas Gage]] were moving to seize an arms depot in [[Concord]], [[Massachusetts]]. The militia held a bridge at nearby [[Battle of Lexington|Lexington]], and the "Shot heard 'round the world" was fired, although it is unknown which side fired first. After this short skirmish, and the subsequent [[Battle of Lexington]], delegates from the [[Thirteen Colonies]] met in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]] and convened the [[Second Continental Congress]] to draft a [[Declaration of Independence]]. The Declaration was officially signed on July 4, 1776, officially severing American ties with England.

The Declaration of Independence was an important historical document, drawing from [[Christianity]] and the works of [[John Locke]], [[Thomas Hobbes]], and [[Adam Smith]]. It was penned primarily by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and is an indictment of the injustices the British monarchy had inflicted on the colonies, in an attempted justification for rebellion from their legal ruler. It asserted in the preamble the powerful belief that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" - although all thirteen colonies remained slave states after independence. These ideas have been iconic throughout America's history and referenced many times, including by [[Abraham Lincoln]] in his [[Gettysburg Address]].

The colonists felt that the "social contract" between themselves and England had been violated. This philosophical fiction was originated by Hobbes, and expanded on by Locke, which was the belief that government was a contract between the people and the governing body, in which the people gave up certain rights in return for protection of their natural rights. If the contract was not held up by the government, the people then had the authority to reject the government. The Declaration states “That to secure these [inalienable] rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government ….” The Declaration of Independence abolished the right of England to rule over the colonies, and provided a strong motivation for the Colonial Army in the war.

The culmination of the Revolution was the [[Battle of Yorktown]], which pitted the American army, under the command of General [[George Washington]], along with the French, under the command of General [[Comte de Rochambeau]], against the British, under the command of General [[Charles Cornwallis]]. Due to a French Naval blockade, Cornwallis was unable to receive the reinforcements and supplies he needed and surrendered along with 7,000 troops on October 19, 1971.

The war concluded with the signing of the [[Treaty of Paris]] in 1783, granting independence to the colonies.

== Chronology of the American Revolution ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1775'''===
|-
| April 19 || Fighting breaks out at [[Lexington]] and [[Concord]], [[Massachusetts]], the war begins
|-
| May 10 || Americans capture [[Fort Ticonderoga]], [[New York]], [[Second Continental Congress]] opens in [[Philadelphia]], [[Pennsylvania]].
|-
| June 15 || [[George Washington]] named Commander-in-Chief
|-
| June 17 || [[Battle of Bunker Hill]], [[Boston]], Massachusetts
|-
| December 31|| Battle of [[Quebec]], [[Canada]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-

==='''1776'''===
|-
| January || [[Thomas Paine]] publishes ''[[Common Sense]]''
|-
| March 17 || [[British]] leave Boston
|-
| July 4 || [[Declaration of Independence]] signed
|-
| August 27 || [[Battle of Long Island]], New York
|-
| September 15 || British occupy [[New York City]]
|-
| November 16 || British capture [[Fort Washington]], New York
|-
| November 20 || British capture [[Fort Lee]], [[New Jersey]]
|-
| December 26 || [[Battle of Trenton]], New Jersey
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1777'''===
|-
| January 3 || [[Battle of Princeton]], New Jersey
|-
| July 6 || British recapture Fort Ticonderoga, New York
|-
| September 11 || [[Battle of Brandywine]], Pennsylvania
|-
| September 19 || First Battle of [[Freeman's Farm]] ([[Saratoga]]), New York
|-
| September 26 || British capture Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|-
| October 4 || [[Battle of Germantown]], Pennsylvania
|-
| October 7 || Second Battle of [[Freeman's Farm]], New York
|-
| October 17 || British General [[John Burgoyne]] surrenders at [[Saratoga]], New York
|-
| December 19 || [[George Washington|Washington]] moves his army to [[Valley Forge]], Pennsylvania
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1778'''===
|-
| February 6 || Americans sign treaty with [[France]]
|-
| June 28 || [[Battle of Monmouth]], New Jersey
|-
| December 29 || British occupy [[Savannah]], [[Georgia]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1779'''===
|-
| June 21 || [[Spain]] declares war on Britain
|-
| September 23 || The British frigate [[Serapis]] Is captured by [[John Paul Jones]]
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1780'''===
|-
| May 12 || Americans surrender at [[Charleston]], [[South Carolina]] under [[Benjamin Lincoln]]
|-
| August 16 || [[Battle of Camden]], South Carolina
|-
| October 7 || [[Battle of Kings Mountain]], [[North Carolina|North]] and South Carolina
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1781'''===
|-
| March 15 || [[Battle of Guilford Court House]], North Carolina
|-
| September 28 || [[Battle of Yorktown]] begins
|-
| October 19 || [[Battle of Yorktown]] ends, British General [[Charles Cornwallis]] surrenders
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1782'''===
|-
| July 11 || British leave Savannah, Georgia
|-
| November 30 || Draft of peace treaty signed in Paris, France
|-
| December 14 || British leave Charleston, South Carolina
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+
|-
==='''1783'''===
|-
| April 15 || Peace treaty draft is ratified by [[United States of America|United States]]
|-
| September 3 || [[Treaty of Paris]] signed officially ending war
|}

[[Category:American Revolutionary War]]

Falkland Islands

2007-08-14T00:35:50Z

GeneralCornwallis: Added further detail on 1982 war

{{Country
|name=Falkland Islands
|map=Falkland Islands map.gif
|flag=Flag of the Falkland Islands svg.png
|arms=Coa Falkland svg.png
|capital=Stanley
|government=British overseas territory
|language=English
|area=4700 sq mi
|pop=3060
|pop-basis=July 2005 estimate
|gdp=$75 million
|gdp-year=2005
|gdp-pc=$25000
|currency=Falkland pound
|idd=+500
|tld=.fk}}
The '''Falkland Islands''' are a small group of islands situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, 300 miles from the coast of [[Argentina]]. The two major islands, West and East Falkland, are separated by Falkland Sound. There are numerous smaller islands. The [[capital]] is Stanley, on East Falkland.

==Sovereignty==

The Islands have been a territory of the [[United Kingdom]] for 170 years, but the British claim to sovereignty is disputed by Argentina. A war was fought over the issue when Argentina seized the islands on April 2nd, 1982 without warning. Argentina was run by a military junta at that time and was experiencing a time of economic difficulties and social unrest at home. The new government in Argentina saw a recapturing of the peaceful Falklands as a perfect solution to the social problems that were happening at the time.

The British, under [[Margaret Thatcher]], put together a naval expedition to travel half way around the world and retake the islands. Strenuous diplomatic efforts were made to resolve the issue, and the Argentines were given a great deal of time to solve the conflict peacefully as the British slowly came closer, but their refusal to recognise the Islands' right of self-determination forced the British to use military force to expel the invaders. British long-range air attacks (against the Islands' airport, then being used by the Argentinian air force) did not begin until 1st May, a month after the initial Argentinian invasion, with the naval battle beginning the following day.

By the time the British naval fleet had arrived at the Falklands, there were several positions on the map where Argentinean soldiers had been positioned, most notably at the capital where there were 10,000 Argentinean soldiers fortified. 4,000 British Army soldiers and Royal Marines disembarked from Royal Navy vessels on 21st May and progressed on foot across East Falkland, fighting several battles on the way before capturing Stanley. On June 15th, the Falkland Islanders were liberated and the islands were returned to British control.

255 British servicemen and three islanders lost their lives in the war, with many of the British casualties being caused by Exocet missiles supplied to Argentina by France (three British ships were sunk). The Argentinian government officially states that 655 of its servicemen lost their lives, although this figure has been questioned.

The embarrassing defeat for Argentina helped to hasten the downfall of the military government while in Britain Thatcher's party surged to victory in the general election the following year.

Argentina maintains its claim to the islands, although it has not tried to take them by force again. Since the war, Britain has declined Argentinian requests for sovereignty talks. Prior to the war, the British Government had considered handing the territory over to the Argentines, but didn't want to go against the will of the people who lived there, who wanted the Falkland Islands to remain British. France and Spain have previously laid claim to the islands.

==Economy==
The Falklands economy is based largely on fishing, although recently evidence of oil deposits around the islands has suggested the possibility of an economic revolution.

==Government==
The elected legislative and executive councils are chaired by the [[Governor]], who is appointed by the UK government. Military and Foreign affairs are the direct responsibility of the [[United Kingdom|UK]] government.
[[Image:Boot Hill South Atlantic.jpg|left|thumb|250px|"Boot Hill": When an islander leaves the Falklands, it is tradition to leave an item of footwear behind.]]
[[category:geography]]

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American Revolution

Falkland Islands