This famous 1819 painting by John Trumbull shows members of the committee entrusted with drafting the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Continental Congress in 1776. Note the British flags on the wall. Separating from the British Empire proved to be very difficult as the colonies and the Empire were linked with strong cultural, historical, and economic bonds forged over several generations.

Not all colonists were patriots. Indeed, many remained faithful to the king and Parliament, while a good number took a neutral stance. As the situation intensified throughout 1774 and early 1775, factions emerged within the resistance movements in many colonies. Elite merchants who traded primarily with Britain, Anglican clergy, and colonists holding royal offices depended on and received privileges directly from their relationship with Britain. Initially, they sought to exert a moderating influence on the resistance committees, but, following the First Continental Congress and the creation of the Continental Association, a number of these colonists began to worry that the resistance was growing too radical. They, like most colonists in this period, still hoped for a peaceful conciliation with Britain.

By the spring of 1775, however, reconciliation seemed unlikely at best. In April, the first shots of the war were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. From Britain’s perspective, it was inconceivable that the weak and disorganized colonies would go on to wage a successful war for independence. Yet, that is exactly what the colonists did. The war would drag on for eight long years, but in 1783, the thirteen colonies, now the United States, ultimately prevailed against the British.

The Revolution succeeded, in part, because colonists from diverse economic and social backgrounds united in their opposition to Great Britain. Although thousands of colonists remained loyal to the crown and many others preferred to remain neutral, the common cause of “liberty” ignited a sense of unity among Patriots. The signing of the Declaration of Independence exemplifies the spirit of that common cause. Representatives asserted: “That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, . . . And for the support of this Declaration, . . . we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”