After writing the Battle of Trenton mini-essay, I decided that I'll do one for each battle. Please comment on them.
I'll go in chronological order because it makes the most sense.
My primary source is Decisive Battles of the American Revolution by Lt. Col. Joseph B. Mitchell and a secondary source will be the Wikipedia. This first post won't be about a battle though, rather why the battles were fought.
How the Conflict started
Prior to the French and Indian War, which spread to Europe and was known as the Seven Years War, the American Colonies were pretty much left to govern themselves. As many undesirables were moving from Britain to the colonies already helping Britain maintain stability. Also it was thought as too much work for too little gain to start taxing the colonies. This all changed with the French and Indian Wars. Thanks to William Pitt's strategy to outspend the French to win the war, Britain was deep in debt. Subsequent Prime Ministers looked for ways to pay off the debt, but were reluctant to tax the British people in Britain, and had a "brilliant" idea: the colonists gained a good deal at the conclusion of the war, why not tax them? That was a good idea, except the colonists were used to being left alone and only taxed by their colonial governments. When the British started enforcing the Navigation Acts and started the various taxes on the Americans, America erupted in riouts and civil disobdience. Two different anti-tax groups started; the Sons of Liberty and (for the Stamps acts specifically) the Stamp Act Congress. The Sons of Liberty fought the British by enforcing boycotts against the British taxes, sometimes by force, attacking tax collectors, and encouraging protests. The Stamp Act Congress, on the other hand, issued petitions to the British Parliament; including the famous "No taxation without Representation."
Now is a perfect time though to address a difference between the American and the British theories of government. The British believed in indirect representation, in that each member of Parliament would represent the entire Empire. Using this theory of government America was represented in Parliament. In Americans believed in direct representation, in which each member of the legislative body would represent the place he was elected from. Under this theory of government America was not represented in Parliament.
Back to the main story, eventually, because of the actions of the Sons of Liberty, the British discovered that by enforcing the unpopular taxes it was costing them far more than they made so they repealed them. Though they repealed them they reserved the right to tax the colonies and garrisoned Boston. Because the British did not have enough barracks in Boston, the British forced Bostonians to house their troops. This cause tensions between the people of Boston and the British forces. This tension was enhanced when the British soldiers started taking jobs in Boston to supplement their wages, thus competing with the Bostonians. Even further tension existed due to the fact that a British fleet containing Royal Marines was docked in Boston harbor. All of this tension reached its climax with the Boston Massacre.
Eventually, the British decided to try their hands a subtle tax. They began a tax on tea from the Dutch East India Company, and gave that company a monopoly in the Americas. This again enraged the people of America, and resulted in a small band of Sons of Liberty to dress up as Indians, sneak aboard the ships and dump out the tea. This act enraged Parliament, whiched launched the Intolerable Acts. These acts declared martial law in Boston and closed the harbor till the cost of the tea was payed in full. The Intolerable Acts then led to the towns around Boston to increase training of the militia, including the elite minutemen, and stockpile ammuniton.
Weapons of the Revolution in early 1776
The Pennsylvania/Kentucky Rifle
The rifle was a primary weapon used by many militia on the American side. It was used as a hunting rifle duing to the fact its rifled barrel gave it excellent accuracy, an important attribute for hunting. This rifle enable the Americans to have good sharpshooters and snipers, but it had a low of a rate of fire, and couldn't use a bayonet making it a bad weapon for line infantry.
The Americans also used a variety of muskets, weapons either bought by their home towns, captured/stolen from the British, or relics from the French and Indian War.
The Brown Bess
This was the primary weapon used by British Regulars. It was a good weapon for combat in Europe, and for line infantry. The main disadvantage it had was an extremely low accuaracy forcing British troops to fight in lines and fire in volleys.