American colonists who fought for independence from Britain were called Patriots. They opposed British control and helped launch the American Revolution, which began with open warfare in 1775.
Patriots were also known as Revolutionaries, Continentals, Rebels, or Whigs. Some served in the Continental Army under George Washington, while others supported the cause through local militias, political groups, fundraising, and supplies. Patriot leaders helped push the Second Continental Congress toward adopting the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The colonies were deeply divided. Loyalists, sometimes called Tories or royalists, supported continued British rule, while many others tried to remain neutral. Patriots came from varied social and ethnic backgrounds, and support for independence differed from colony to colony. After the war, the Treaty of Paris in 1783 recognized the United States as independent.