The American Revolution
The U.S. military formed on June 14, 1775, during the American Revolution with the country’s first formal fighting force, the Continental Army. The Revolution was fought from 1775 to 1783, with Washington in command. Many important battles during the revolution would shape the nation and its military.
The war began with “the shot heard round the world” at the Battles of Lexington and Concord. With the conclusion of the war and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, the United States of America won its independence from Great Britain.
About 4,435 U.S. service members died in the American Revolution.