While the American Revolution officially began in Lexington, Massachusetts, in April 1775, the seeds of rebellion had been sown for decades. The struggle for representation in the British Parliament left many colonists eager to seek out independence. After ''the shot heard 'round the world,'' loyalty to Great Britain was seen as treachery. As political philosophers such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson laid the foundation for a future government, George Washington led the charge against British forces in war. The American Revolution not only granted independence to the colonies but led to a patriotic national identity as well. ''The American Revolution, Updated Edition'' provides hundreds of first-hand accounts of the period that illustrate how historical events appeared to those who lived through them. Eyewitness testimonies include George Washington, John Dickinson, John Adams, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison, as well as junior officers, soldiers, and noncombatants. In addition, each chapter contains a narrative section and a chronology of events. In this updated edition, author David F. Burg has also added details about the important role of American Indians, African Americans, Jews, and women during the American Revolution. Other features include appendixes that provide concise biographies of 101 influential individuals such as Abigail Adams, Nathan Hale, and George Washington, among others; primary documents - either full text or excerpts - among them the Stamp Act, the Quartering Act, and the Declaration of Independence; maps of important battles of the American Revolution; 103 black-and-white photographs; notes; a thorough bibliography; and an index.