Proclamation of Rebellion

On August 23, 1775 (245 years ago today) King George III of England issued a Proclamation of Rebellion.  It read in part:

Whereas many of our subjects in divers parts of our Colonies and Plantations in North America, misled by dangerous and ill designing men, and forgetting the allegiance which they owe to the power that has protected and supported them; after various disorderly acts committed in disturbance of the publick peace, to the obstruction of lawful commerce, and to the oppression of our loyal subjects carrying on the same; have at length proceeded to open and avowed rebellion, by arraying themselves in a hostile manner, to withstand the execution of the law, and traitorously preparing, ordering and levying war against us: And whereas, there is reason to apprehend that such rebellion hath been much promoted and encouraged by the traitorous correspondence, counsels and comfort of divers wicked and desperate persons within this Realm.

King George was especially referring to events in the Colony of Massachusetts.  

After more than a century and a half of rule from the other side of the Atlantic, a significant portion of the inhabitants of British North America saw their future prosperity depending on independence.  However, it would be another 316 days until such desire was formalized in writing in Philadelphia.

What events led George to issue such Proclamation?  On April 19, 1775, 700 British soldiers (Redcoats) marched from Boston to Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts to confiscate guns and ammunition being stockpiled by local citizens for the purpose of opposing the Crown.  3,500 of such citizens (minutemen) were waiting for the Redcoats.  Fighting in the two cities and on the British retreat back to Boston left a total of 340 casualties on both sides.

In the aftermath of the above fighting, the rebellious forces laid siege to the British occupied City of Boston.  It lasted for almost a year before the city was abandoned by the Redcoats.  However, the two sides did meet in armed conflict at the nearby Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775.  There were 1,400 casualties in one day of fighting.  

The rebellious citizen soldiers, heavily armed, had proved on the above two occasions that they could stand up to the strongest army in the world.  It would be eight years until independence was won.