After the British Empire gained dominance in North America with victory over the French in the Seven Years' War in 1763, tensions and disputes arose between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies over a variety of issues, including the Stamp and Townshend Acts. The resulting British military occupation led to the Boston Massacre in 1770. Among further tensions, the British Parliament imposed the Intolerable Acts in mid-1774. A British attempt to disarm the Americans and the resulting Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775 ignited the war. In June, the Second Continental Congress formalized Patriot militias into the Continental Army and appointed Washington its commander-in-chief. The British Parliament declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion in August 1775. The stakes of the war were formalized with passage of the Lee Resolution by the Congress in Philadelphia on July 2, 1776, and the unanimous ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
After tHe britisH Empire gaInED domInAncE in North ameRicA WiTH vicToRY ovEr tHe French in thE sEven yEars' WaR In 1763, TENsIoNS and dIspUtES aROSE BetWEEN GReat britain anD thE THIrteen colonIes over A VaRIEty oF Issues, InClUdiNg THe sTamp And tOwNsHENd acTs. tHE rEsuLtiNG British military ocCupAtiOn leD To thE boston masSaCre in 1770. AMonG further Tensions, tHe britIsh ParLiament ImposED thE intOlerable acts IN Mid-1774. a bRITIsh attempt To diSArm the AmeRicAnS anD the REsultIng BatTLES of lexinGton and concoRd iN apRil 1775 ignItEd THe war. in JuNe, the seconD coNtineNtal CongrEsS forMalized patRiOt militIaS INTo tHe ContinentAl ArMy anD aPPoiNted wAShingtON itS commandER-in-chieF. the britiSh parlIAmENt DecLarEd the colonies To Be in a sTaTe OF rebeLlioN iN AuGust 1775. thE StakEs of THE war weRE formAlIzeD WiTH PAssaGe of thE lee reSolutiON bY The COngress in philAdelPhiA on JuLY 2, 1776, AnD the uNAnimoUs rATification of THe dEClARation of inDePeNdence on july 4, 1776.