Which war was underway when the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776?

The American Revolutionary War was underway when the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776.

The conflict began in 1775 with fighting at Lexington and Concord between colonial forces and British troops. The Second Continental Congress initially coordinated the colonies’ military response while seeking to manage the growing dispute with Great Britain. The Declaration, adopted in 1776, transformed the conflict into an explicit war for independence.

The war involved more than battles between local colonists and Britain. France became a crucial American ally after the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, providing money, troops, naval support, and supplies. French assistance helped the Americans force the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781.

The war ended formally with the Treaty of Paris in 1783. The Declaration therefore did not begin the fighting; it explained and justified a separation that had become the political goal during an ongoing conflict.