The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783)

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) transformed global politics by establishing the United States as the first modern democratic republic. This colonial rebellion against British rule introduced revolutionary concepts of popular sovereignty and individual rights that would inspire worldwide movements. Key battles like Saratoga and Yorktown demonstrated unconventional warfare tactics could defeat superior forces. The Treaty of Paris (1783) not only recognized U.S. independence but reshaped North American territorial claims. The war's ideological impact - enshrined in the Declaration of Independence - challenged monarchies globally, planting seeds for democratic revolutions while establishing America as a nation that would eventually dominate world affairs.