ats in a trap. The American
people were in rebellion against the king and war had begun.

It was to be a long and dreadful war, but it led to American liberty,
and that was a thing well worth fighting for. While the people were
laying siege to Boston, Congress was in session at Philadelphia, talking
about what had best be done. One good thing they did was to make George
Washington commander-in-chief of the army and send him to Boston to
fight the British there. They could not have found a better soldier in
all America.

The next good thing took place a year later. This was the great event
which you celebrate with fireworks every 4th of July. Congress decided
that this country ought to be free, and no longer to be under the rule
of an English king. So a paper was written by a member from Virginia
named Thomas Jefferson, with the help of Benjamin Franklin and some
others. The paper is known by the long name of "Declaration of
Independence." It declared that the American colonies were free from
British rule, and in future would take care of themselves. It was on the
4th of July, 1776, that this great paper was adopted by Congress, and on
that day the Republic of the United States of America was born. That is
why our people have such a glad and noisy time every 4th of July.

Everywhere the people were full of joy when they heard what had been
done. In the state house at Philadelphia rang out the great bell on
which the words, "Proclaim liberty throughout the land and to all the
inhabitants thereof." In New York the statue of King George was pulled
down and thrown into the dust of the street. The people did not know
what dark days lay before them, but they were ready to suffer much for
the sake of liberty, and to risk all they had, life and all, for the
freedom of their native land.

CHAPTER XII

FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM

ANY of my readers who are true, sound-hearted Americans, and I am sure
all of them are that, would have been glad to see how the New England
farmers swarmed around Boston in April, 1775. Some of them had fought in
the French War, and brought with them their old rusty muskets, which
they knew very well how to use. And most of them were hunters and had
learned how to shoot. And all of them were bold and brave and were
determined to have a free country. The English red-coat soldiers in
Boston would soon find that these countrymen were not men to be laughed
at, even if they had not been trained in wa