By 1763, the people of England's American colonies were shaping their own lives apart from their royal rulers. Ties between the British and the colonists were becoming weak, and a new sense of being "American" was developing. Independence Now takes the reader from the colonial period when young men like George Washington were becoming leaders and the British oppression was growing, to the days of the fiery Revolutionary War. Topics covered in this book include the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, the Battle of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Declaration of Independence, and the issues surrounding these events. The book discusses the reasons for the war from the American and British perspectives, the involvement of African-Americans and women in the revolution, and our long, hard path to victory. The book also features a "Points of View" section that shows the debate over whether or not America should be independent through the words of Benjamin Franklin and his son, the royal governor of New Jersey, William Franklin. Comparisons are also made between the strengths and weaknesses of England and America at the time to help readers understand both sides of the fight. Independence Now ends with a "Legacy," telling a short bit of follow-up history to the events covered in the text. Like the other titles in the Crossroads America series, this book is illustrated with period paintings, drawings, and photographs. Also included are a glossary and an index.