Many people believe that the United States of America was founded in 1776 with the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, the history of the USA is much more complicated than that. In fact, the answer to the question “when was the USA formed?” is hotly debated among historians. Let’s take a closer look at this complex question.
The Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution
It is true that the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776. However, this document was not a declaration of independence from Great Britain per se. Rather, it was a statement of principles drafted by a group of colonists who were fed up with British rule. These men were not ready to declare themselves independent just yet; they wanted to give negotiations with Britain one last chance.
It wasn’t until April 19, 1775, nearly a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed—that the first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. The Revolutionary War would rage on for six more years until finally, on September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris was signed and Great Britain formally recognized the independence of its former colonies. So, if we’re being technical, the USA was actually formed in 1783, not 1776.
The Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation were ratified by all 13 states in 1781 and provided loosely knit framework for a central government. Under this system, each state retained its sovereignty and there was no president or national judiciary. Not surprisingly, this arrangement proved to be unworkable, and by 1787 it became clear that something needed to be done.
Thus, delegates from all 13 states met in Philadelphia to draft a new constitution for the United States. After much deliberation and compromise, they produced a document that was ratified by all 13 states in 1789. With this new Constitution in place, we can say that the USA was truly formed, though it did not become fully operational until March 4, 1789 when George Washington took office as our first president.
Final Thoughts
So, when was the USA really formed? The answer depends on how you interpret history. If you believe that a country is only truly independent once it has been recognized as such by another nation, then 1783 is your answer.
If you believe that a country is only truly formed once it has established a functioning central government, then 1789 is your answer.
However, if a country starts when it declares independence then it was 1776, which is the most common answer to this question. However, the union of the states came into force in 1781, so surely that’s when the USA was formed?
As you can see, the answer is not as clear cut as simply saying 1776. No matter how you slice it, though, there’s no denying that America has a rich and complicated history worthy of exploration!