While the Revolutionary War began in a blaze of gunfire at dawn on April 19, 1775, its roots reached back more than 20 years. Increasing tensions since then between the British and the American colonists came to a head at the Massachusetts towns of Lexington and Concord on that memorable day. The conflict dragged on for more than eight years, with many dark days for the Americans. But their victory at Yorktown in October, 1781 assured that they would finally become the free and independent states they wanted to be. In this book, you'll follow the course of those memorable events and meet the important personalities that led to the eventual triumph.