In Assassin's Creed III, which historical event provides the opening setting for the game's modern-day protagonist's story?

The American Revolution provides the historical setting for Assassin's Creed III's main story.

The game follows Ratonhnhaké:ton, also known as Connor, as he becomes involved in the conflict between the American Patriots and the British Crown. Major locations include Boston, New York, and the surrounding Frontier. Historical figures such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Charles Lee appear alongside fictional characters.

Assassin's Creed III begins with a substantial sequence involving Haytham Kenway before shifting focus to Connor. This structure is one reason the game's opening can be associated with a different character than the one most players consider its central protagonist. The story combines fictional Assassin and Templar conflicts with real events of the late eighteenth century.

The American Revolution is distinct from the French Revolution, which provides the setting for Assassin's Creed Unity. The Haitian Revolution is central to Assassin's Creed Freedom Cry, while the English Civil War is not the principal setting of a mainline Assassin's Creed title.