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On this day in history, June 18, 1778, Americans retake Philadelphia after the British army evacuates the city. Philadelphia was captured in September of 1777 by British General William Howe who was hoping to end the American rebellion by cutting off its head in Philadelphia. The Continental Congress, however, fled the city to York, Pennsylvania and continued to lead the rebellion from there.

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The Americans retake Philadelphia - On This Day in History - June 18, 1778 On This Day in History, June 18, 1778, the Americans retake Philadelphia after the British army evacuates the city after 9 months of occupation. Thousands of Loyalist flee with them to New York.

On this day in history, June 17, 1775, patriots lose the Battle of Bunker Hill, the first major battle of the American Revolution and the bloodiest of the entire war. The Battle of Bunker Hill began when patriots surrounding Boston learned that British commanders were planning to break out and take the hills around the city. The very green and untrained militia was surrounding the city after chasing the British back to Boston after the opening shots of the war at the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

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Patriots lose the Battle of Bunker Hill - On This Day in History - June 17, 1775 On This Day in History, June 17, 1775, Patriots lose the Battle of Bunker Hill in the first major battle of the American Revolution and the bloodiest of the entire war.

On this day in history, June 16, 1738, Mary Katherine Goddard is born. Mary would become one of the most prominent printers of the American Revolution and would print the first copies of the Declaration of Independence that contained the names of all 56 signers.

Mary Katherine was born in New London, Connecticut to a wealthy doctor and postmaster. When her father died, Mary's mother moved the family to Providence, Rhode Island and lent her younger son, William, the money to open the Providence Gazette, the city's first newspaper, in 1762. As the business grew, William traveled a lot, leaving Mary Katherine and their mother to run the paper.

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Mary Katherine Goddard is born - On This Day in History - June 16, 1738 On This Day in History, June 16, 1738, Mary Katherine Goddard is born. She became a prominent printer and would print the first copies of the Declaration of Independence with the names of the signers.

On this day in history, June 15, 1775, George Washington is appointed head of the new Continental Army. Congress created the Continental Army on June 14 and began discussing who should be appointed as Commander-in-Chief. John Hancock hoped for the position, but the more experienced Washington was elected unanimously the following day.

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George Washington appointed head of Continental Army, On This Day, June 15, 1775 On This Day in History, June 15, 1775, George Washington is appointed head of the new Continental Army by Congress. He would leave within the week to take command of the militia surrounding Boston.

On this day in history, June 14, 1777, the first American flag is officially adopted by Congress. The Flag Act of 1777 specified that the new American flag would have "thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."

There is much controversy about who actually designed the flag. The two main candidates are Francis Hopkinson, a New Jersey signer of the Declaration of Independence, who was on the Naval Board at the time, and Betsy Ross. Both stories are unconfirmed though and have points that speak for their truth and against them.

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The First American Flag is officially adopted - On This Day - June 14, 1777 On This Day in History, June 14, 1777, the first American Flag is officially adopted by Congress. The Flag Act of 1777 gives the new flag 13 red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field.

On this day in history, June 13, 1783, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment is disbanded. The 1st Rhode Island Regiment was the Revolution's only regiment to have units made up entirely of African Americans. The regiment was not all black, but was at one point at least ¾ black. The regiment had white officers and other white, Indian and mulatto members, but it was unique in that it had entire units made up of former slaves, while other regiments with blacks were more integrated.

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The 1st Rhode Island Regiment is disbanded - On This Day - June 13, 1783 On This Day in History, June 13, 1783, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, the Revolution's only regiment to have units made up entirely of African Americans, is disbanded.

On this day in history, June 12, 1775, the Battle of Machias is the first naval battle of the American Revolution. Citizens of Machias, Maine (then part of Massachusetts) captured the armed British schooner HMS Margaretta when it threatened their town.

The Battle of Machias is the 1st naval battle of the Revolution - June 12, 1775 On This Day in History, June 12, 1775, the Battle of Machias is the first naval battle of the American Revolution, when citizens of Machias, Maine capture the HMS Margaretta.

On this day in history, June 11, 1741, Doctor Joseph Warren is born. Warren was one of the key patriot leaders in Boston leading up to the American Revolution. Unfortunately, he was killed early on at the Battle of Bunker Hill, becoming a martyr for the American cause.

Joseph Warren was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1741 to a farmer who died when Joseph was only 14 when he fell off a ladder while picking fruit from his orchard. Joseph attended Roxbury Latin School and Harvard College. After graduating, he taught school for a year and began studying medicine. Joseph eventually opened a medical practice in Boston and became involved in local politics. He became an intimate acquaintance of such other patriot leaders as John Hancock, Samuel Adams, Paul Revere and Dr. Benjamin Church.

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Doctor Joseph Warren is born - On This Day in History - June 11, 1741 On This Day in History, June 11, 1741, Doctor Joseph Warren is born. Warren would become a key patriot leader in Boston leading up to the American Revolution & be killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

On this day in history, June 10, 1768, John Hancock's ship Liberty is confiscated for alleged smuggling. Many of the measures of Parliament with which the American colonies were in disagreement were created in order to raise revenue. Smuggling was a vast enterprise in the thirteen colonies and many of Parliament's measures were directed at reducing it. Smugglers evading customs officials and the taxes they enforced reduced the Royal Treasury's income.

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John Hancock's ship Liberty is confiscated - On This Day - June 10, 1768 On This Day in History, June 10, 1768, John Hancock's ship Liberty is confiscated for alleged smuggling. Hancock lost his ship, but was never convicted of smuggling for lack of evidence.

On this day in history, June 9, 1772, the Gaspee Incident occurs near Providence, Rhode Island, when citizens burn the British revenue schooner HMS Gaspee and seize its crew. The Gaspee affair was one of a series of important events that lit the fuse to the American Revolution, but it is little known in comparison with other events such as the Boston Tea Party.

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The Gaspee Incident occurs - On This Day in History - June 9, 1772 On This Day in History, June 9, 1772, the Gaspee Incident occurs when Rhode Island citizens burn the revenue schooner HMS Gaspee to the waterline and seize its crew for enforcing customs regulations.

On this day in history, June 8, 1789, James Madison proposes the Bill of Rights to Congress. Acceptance of the US Constitution had been a long and arduous process. Many people were wary that it would create a federal government that was too powerful and no different than the one they just overthrew from England.

Federalists supported the new Constitution because a stronger federal government was necessary to hold the country together. Anti-Federalists were skeptical. They advocated a smaller and weaker government than what the Constitution called for and also wanted a bill of rights added with it. A bill of rights is a list of rights guaranteed to the people upon which the government cannot infringe.

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James Madison proposes the Bill of Rights, On This Day in History, June 8, 1789 On This Day in History, June 8, 1789, James Madison proposes the Bill of Rights, choosing 20 of the most popular suggestions for amendments. 10 are eventually ratified and become the Bill of Rights.

On this day in history, June 7, 1780, the British are turned back at the Battle of Connecticut Farms by the New Jersey militia. The winter of 1779-1780 was a difficult one for Americans and British alike. Loyalist refugees congregated in New York were pushing for a great strike to finish off George Washington and his army encamped at Morristown, New Jersey. Lt. Gen. Sir Henry Clinton, commander of British forces in America, however, had embarked on a campaign to conquer the south.

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The British are turned back at the Battle of Connecticut Farms - June 7, 1780 On This Day in History, June 7, 1780, the British are turned back at the Battle of Connecticut Farms by New Jersey militia as they attempt to destroy the Continental Army at Morristown, New Jersey.

On this day in history, June 6, 1756, American Revolution artist John Trumbull is born. Trumbull was the son of Governor Jonathan Trumbull of Connecticut, the only Royal Governor to side with the patriots during the Revolution. Due to an accident as a child, John lost the use of one eye completely, which affected his painting style later on.

John went to Harvard in 1771 at the age of 15 where he met John Singleton Copley, an already accomplished painter who painted many Revolutionary War figures. John's father had discouraged his study of art as being beneath the family's station, but the meeting with Copley and seeing some of his works renewed John's desire to become an artist and he began to study art in earnest.

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American Revolution artist John Trumbull is born - On This Day - June 6, 1756 On This Day in History, June 6, 1756, American Revolution artist John Trumbull is born. He would study painting with Benjamin West and paint many scenes and leading figures of the Revolutionary War.

On this day in history, June 5, 1781, the second Siege of Augusta comes to an end when patriot forces under General Andrew Pickens, Colonel "Light-Horse Harry" Lee and Colonel Elijah Clarke capture Fort Cornwallis. Augusta was a small trading town on the Savannah River that was one of the important keys to holding the backcountry of Georgia and South Carolina.

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The second Siege of Augusta comes to and end - On This Day - June 5, 1781 On This Day in History, June 5, 1781, the second Siege of Augusta comes to and end when patriot forces under General Andrew Pickens, Light-Horse Harry Lee and Elijah Clarke capture Fort Cornwallis.

On this day in history, June 4, 1738, King George III is born. He would become the 3rd longest reigning monarch of Great Britain and oversee the loss of Britain's American colonies during the American Revolution. George William Frederick was the grandson of George II of England. He became heir to the throne when his father died in 1751. As the heir-apparent, George lived a life of luxury as a child, but also received an intense education in politics, astronomy, chemistry, geography, history, music, math and law.

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King George III is born - On This Day in History - June 4, 1738 On This Day in History, June 4, 1738, King George III is born. He would be the 3rd longest reigning monarch of Great Britain and oversee the loss of her colonies during the American Revolution.

On this day in history, June 3, 1781, Jack Jouett becomes the "Paul Revere of the South" when he rides all night to warn Virginia Governor Thomas Jefferson and the gathered rebel Virginia Assembly that the British were coming to capture them. Jouett was a captain in the Virginia militia, whose father was a Charlottesville innkeeper who supplied the rebel forces with food. Jack had three brothers who served in the war as well, one of whom died at the Battle of Brandywine.

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Jack Jouett becomes the Paul Revere of the South - On This Day - June 3, 1781 On This Day in History, June 3, 1781, Jack Jouett becomes the Paul Revere of the South when he rides all night to warn Governor Thomas Jefferson and the rebel Assembly that the British are coming.

On this day in history, June 2, 1731, Martha Washington is born at her father’s estate in New Kent, County, Virginia. Martha Dandridge was the firstborn child of wealthy planter John Dandridge. As a child, Martha received a basic education, which was unusual for girls in that era. She was married at the age of 18 to Daniel Parke Custis, an even wealthier planter than her father, who was 20 years older than she.

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Martha Washington is born - On This Day in History - June 2, 1731 On This Day in History, June 2, 1731, Martha Washington is born. After her first husband left her a wealthy widow, she married George Washington, who became the first President of the United States.

On this day in history, June 1, 1774, the Boston Port Act takes effect, closing down Boston Harbor from all shipping and trade in punishment for the Boston Tea Party. Boston citizens had thrown 42 tons of tea into the harbor in December of the previous year, as an act of protest against unjust taxation. The colonists had no representatives in Parliament and they believed it was unlawful to be taxed by a body in which they had no representation. The Boston Tea Party was the culmination of many years of protests and strife regarding taxation and representation.

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The Boston Port Act takes effect - On This Day in History - June 1, 1774 On This Day in History, June 1, 1774, the Boston Port Act takes effect, closing down Boston Harbor to all trade and shipping in response to the Boston Tea Party.

On this day in history, May 31, 1775, the Mecklenberg Resolves are adopted by Mecklenberg County, North Carolina. The Mecklenberg Resolves are an important document in understanding what most historians believe to be the fraudulent "Mecklenberg Declaration," a declaration of independence allegedly passed by the county a year before the Continental Congress' Declaration of Independence.

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The Mecklenberg Resolves are adopted - On This Day in History - May 31, 1775 On This Day in History, May 31, 1775, the Mecklenberg Resolves are adopted by Mecklenberg County, North Carolina, an important document in understanding the fraudulent Mecklenberg Declaration.

On this day in history, May 30, 1778, Iroquois Indians win the Battle of Cobleskill when they destroy the settlement of Cobleskill, New York. The Battle of Cobleskill was the first move of a major Iroquois campaign against colonial settlements in western New York and Pennsylvania.

Joseph Brant (his English name), also called Thayendanegea, was an Iroquois leader who had strong ties to Great Britain. He had traveled to England and had a personal meeting with King George III a few years earlier. His parents were also Christian converts, hence, the westernized name and connections.

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Iroquois Indians win the Battle of Cobleskill - On This Day - May 30, 1778 On This Day in History, May 30, 1778, Iroquois Indians win the Battle of Cobleskill when Joseph Brant starts a campaign against the Americans by attacking the village of Cobleskill, New York.

On this day in history, May 29, 1780, Banastre Tarleton wins the Battle of the Waxhaws, earning himself the epithets "Bloody Ban" and "Ban the Butcher." British forces had captured Charleston, South Carolina on May 12, 1780 and Lt. Gen. Charles Cornwallis quickly took a large army to conquer the backcountry.

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Banastre Tarleton wins the Battle of the Waxhaws - On This Day - May 29, 1780 On This Day in History, May 29, 1780, Banastre Tarleton wins the Battle of the Waxhaws, an infamous battle of the American Revolution that would earn him the epithets Bloody Ban and Ban the Butcher.

On this day in history, May 28, 1754, George Washington inadvertently starts the French and Indian War at the Battle of Jumonville Glen. For decades, France and Great Britain had competed for control of the Ohio River Valley. In 1753, the French began building a string of forts in the area and pushing out British traders.

George Washington starts the French & Indian War - On This Day - May 28, 1754 On This Day in History, May 28, 1754, George Washington inadvertently starts the French and Indian War at the Battle of Jumonville Glen and receives international attention for the first time.

On this day in history, May 27, 1778, the Burrowes Mansion is raided in Matawan, New Jersey. John Burrowes, Sr. was a wealthy grain merchant living in Matawan, then known as Middletown Point. Burrowes gathered the grain from the New Jersey countryside, milled it in his own mills and then shipped it by boat to New England and New York City. Because of his very large grain business, Burrowes was called the "Corn King" by locals.

Burrowes was aligned with the patriots during the time leading to the American Revolution. He was involved with the Sons of Liberty during the Stamp Act crisis and served in New Jersey's rebel congress once the Revolution began. Monmouth County's first militia group to gather against the British trained in his front yard.

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The Burrowes Mansion is raided - On This Day in History - May 27, 1778 On This Day in History, May 27, 1778, the Burrowes Mansion is raided in Matawan, New Jersey. John Burroughs, Sr. was a wealthy merchant and patriot who lost his fortune in this raid by the British.

On this day in history, May 26, 1780, the Battle of Saint Louis is won by defending Spanish and French citizens allied with the Americans during the American Revolution. Also called the Battle of Fort San Carlos, the attack by the British and their Indian allies was the last attempt by the British to control the Mississippi River during the Revolution.

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The Battle of Saint Louis is won - On This Day in History - May 26, 1780 On This Day in History, May 26, 1780, the Battle of Saint Louis is won by defending Spanish and French citizens allied with the Americans during the American Revolution when 1,000 Indians attack.

On this day in history, May 25, 1782, the Crawford Expedition begins when Colonel William Crawford leads an expedition to destroy enemy Indian villages on the Sandusky River in Ohio. Indians living in Ohio were situated between the American colonies and the British stronghold at Fort Detroit. Many of these Indians allied with the British hoping to stop westward colonial expansion.

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The Crawford Expedition begins - On This Day in History - May 25, 1782 On This Day in History, May 25, 1782, the Crawford Expedition begins as Colonel William Crawford leads an expedition against Indian villages on the Sandusky River in the Ohio Country.

On this day in history, May 24, 1775, John Hancock is elected President of the Continental Congress. John Hancock's father and grandfather were both ministers and Hancock likely would have become a minister also if his father hadn't died when he was a boy. Instead, Hancock was raised by his wealthy uncle, Thomas Hancock. Thomas trained John to take over his business, which he did at the age of 27 when Thomas died, making John one of the wealthiest men in the colonies.

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John Hancock elected President of Continental Congress - May 24, 1775 On This Day in History, May 24, 1775, John Hancock is elected President of the Continental Congress. In this role, he would sign George Wasington's commission and the Declaration of Independence.

On this day in history, May 23, 1777, patriots win the Battle of Sag Harbor, Long Island. Sag Harbor was an important British port on the east end of Long Island used for monitoring Long Island Sound and providing supplies to British troops. The British garrison here had constructed a position on top of Meeting House Hill, complete with wooden palisades.

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Patriots win the Battle of Sag Harbor - On This Day in History - May 23, 1777 On This Day in History, May 23, 1777, American Patriots win the Battle of Sag Harbor, Long Island, when Colonel Return Jonathan Meigs captures the British garrison at the occupied port of Sag Harbor.

On this day in history, May 22, 1781, the Siege of Ninety-Six begins against Loyalist troops at Fort Ninety-Six, South Carolina. Ninety-Six is a still existing village in South Carolina's backcountry. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it likely has to do with the distance from Ninety-Six to a common travel destination, such as Lexington, South Carolina or the Savannah River.

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The Siege of Ninety-Six begins - On This Day in History - May 22, 1781 On This Day in History, May 22, 1781, the Siege of Ninety-Six begins against Loyalist troops at Fort Ninety-Six, South Carolina, the last inland British stronghold in the south.

On this day in history, May 21, 1781, Washington and Rochambeau meet in Connecticut to discuss their options. By early 1781, the success of the American Revolution was in question. People were tiring of the war. Inflation was rampant. The Continental Congress had no money with which to pay its soldiers. Some soldiers were even threatening to mutiny. French involvement beginning in 1778 had failed to yield any significant victories. The British were in control of much of the south and had inflicted some severe losses on the Continental Army there, including America’s largest defeat of the war, when General Benjamin Lincoln surrendered 5,000 men at Charleston.

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Washington and Rochambeau meet in Connecticut - May 21, 1781 On This Day in History, May 21, 1781, Washington and Rochambeau meet in Connecticut to discuss whether to attack the British in New York or Virginia. They end up laying siege to Yorktown, Virginia.

On this day in history, May 20, 1774, Parliament shuts down self-rule in Massachusetts in response to the Boston Tea Party. In December of 1774, Boston citizens angry that Parliament was taxing imported tea, even though they had no elected representatives in Parliament, responded by dumping 42 tons of tea into Boston Harbor.

Parliament responded with a series of acts intended to reign in the unruly colonists. The acts were officially called the Restraining Acts, but were commonly called the Coercive Acts in England. The colonists, however, called them the Intolerable Acts and this set of acts was largely responsible for igniting the American Revolution.

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Parliament shuts down self-rule in Massachusetts - May 20, 1774 On This Day in History, May 20, 1774, Parliament shuts down self-rule in Massachusetts with part of the Coercive Acts, and begins to appoint colonial officials instead of allowing elections.