In 1774 the First Philadelphia Congress was held, in which the settlers drafted a document protesting the intolerable laws and sent them to the English. However, the government did not give in, and on July 4, 1776, the Second Philadelphia Congress took place, in which the colonists broke with the English, proclaiming their independence, with George Washington as the leader of the troops. England once again did not give in and the War of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies began. With French support, the colonies won in 1781 and their independence was recognized in 1783.
In 1787, a constitutional charter was enacted, which made the country a Presidential Federative Republic, with George Washington as its first president; it ensured civil rights and freedom and divided power into executive, legislative and judiciary. However, this freedom was relative, as slavery continued, women did not have the same rights as men, and Indians continued to be driven from their lands.
Even with their independence, the colonies continued to diverge in politics and economics, leading to conflicts that led to the Civil War.
