Insights for Expats: The 8 Big Events Leading to US Independence

In December of 2024, Dwellworks proudly acquired CORT's Destination Services business, expanding our commitment to delivering industry-leading relocation solutions. Read the full press release here. To ensure a seamless transition, we are making the materials previously available on the CORT Destination Services website accessible as valuable resources for our clients and partners.

For more information on Dwellworks Destination Services, please click here.

On July 4, we celebrate our world-shaking proclamation, the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson’s “all men are created equal,” “life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness,” governments get their powers from the people - continue to inspire us. 

While surely significant, it was only one of 8 Big Events that created the United States.

1. The French and Indian War (1754-1763) – the colonists fought as loyal Englishmen alongside British redcoats to drive the French out of North America.
2. The Stamp Act – the Brits put a tax on dozens of items to help pay for the war against the French. The colonists cry foul, and many shout “no taxation without representation”. (translation – you can’t tax us without our consent, lads)
3. Boston Massacre – British soldiers fire their weapons at a mob of Bostonians who pelt them with snowballs and other icy missiles. Outrage throughout the colonies, and Patrick Henry names it a “massacre”, even though only 5 are killed.
4. Boston Tea Party – Massachusetts men (the Sons of Liberty), poorly disguised as Indians, dumped an entire shipment of British tea into Boston Harbor. England responded with punitive acts (names like The Coercive Act – yikes), and the colonists convened the First Continental Congress to deal with the escalating tensions.
5. Lexington & Concord – Having occupied Boston, the British army sets off for Concord to capture a secret store of weapons. Paul Revere sets out on horseback to warn the towns along the way that the soldiers are on the march.  Minutemen prepare their weapons and war breaks out.
6. Declaration of Independence – members of the Continental Congress approve the declaration with its universal principles and appeal to other nations for recognition. It is an act of treason against the King of England and Parliament.
7. The Revolutionary War – It’s one thing to declare it; now they had to make it stick. From 1775 through 1781, at places like Saratoga, Valley Forge and, finally, at Yorktown the colonists and their ever improving Continental Army eventually drive the British to surrender (ironically, with French help)
8. The US Constitution – After working from May to September 1787, the new United States is fashioned under the leadership of Madison, Hamilton, Washington and 32 other patriots.

An entire generation devoted themselves to creating a nation. George Washington was thirty-three years old when the Stamp Act passed and 55 when the Constitution was completed.

Enjoy the 4^th!

About Dwellworks 

Dwellworks is the world’s largest provider of destination-related services and temporary living solutions for the globally mobile workforce and business travelers. We provide business-to-business solutions for Fortune 1000 and emerging companies directly and through their relocation management partners. Whether a company needs to relocate its employees across the country or around the world, we provide a range of support services to help employees and their families transition successfully from their home location to a new destination.   

Dwellworks supports the diversity of our clients’ globally mobile workforce with personalized destination solutions in 16 countries, covering hundreds of major relocation markets. Dwellworks Living, our global furnished temporary living solution, offers corporate housing accommodations for relocation and business travel customers in 125 countries. Our full-service real estate brokerage, Station Cities, supports home rentals, sales, and purchases in the Tri-State New York area and Chicago. Visit our homepage, learn about our services, and read our blogs to learn how we can help with your relocation and business travel needs.