Americas

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Battles of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775, the famous ‘shot heard ‘round the world’, marked the start of the American War of Independence (1775-83).

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Pages from the diary of Captain Philip Townsend

In Their Own Words: Captain Philip Townsend

Philip Townsend was an Irish gentleman. In 1756, he travelled to North America, where he fought against the French in the Seven Years War. His diary provides an insight into frontier warfare and the assault on Louisbourg.

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The British landing at Fort Oswego, Lake Ontario, on 6 May 1814

The War of 1812

From 1812 to 1815, Britain was at war with the United States. Militarily, the conflict ended in stalemate, but it had a lasting impact on the communities of North America.

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Members of 3 Para celebrate victory, 1982

The British Army and the Falklands War

In April 1982, British soldiers joined a naval task force sent to re-take the Falkland Islands after their surprise capture by the Argentine military. They went on to play a key part in the land campaign that helped secure victory in the war.

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The death of Major Pierson and the defeat of the French attack on Jersey, 1781

American War of Independence: Key battles

In 1775, Britain’s American colonies rebelled in a bid for independence. The British Army performed fairly well against the rebels, but it was unable to prevent the loss of territory following French and Spanish entry into the war.

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American War of Independence: Outbreak

In 1775, political and economic concerns led the inhabitants of Britain’s 13 American colonies to rise up in revolt. The subsequent conflict divided families and communities across North America.

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Glengarry badge, 100th (Prince of Wales’s Royal Canadian) Regiment, c1874

100th (Prince of Wales’s Royal Canadian) Regiment of Foot

This infantry regiment was raised in Canada in 1857. It continued in British Army service until the 1881 reforms, when it was merged into The Prince of Wales’s Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians).

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With friends like these: The Americans

In this video, we look at how changing national interests have affected Britain's military relationship with the United States from the 18th century to the present day.

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The earliest European view of Niagara

Thomas Davies' watercolour, ‘An East View of the Great Cataract of Niagara’ (1762), documents the struggle for control of North America and illuminates the history of British exploration and science.

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Battles of Lexington and Concord

The Battles of Lexington and Concord on 19 April 1775, the famous ‘shot heard ‘round the world’, marked the start of the American War of Independence (1775-83).

explore this story

Battle of Quebec

The Battle of Quebec in 1759 was one of Britain's greatest victories of the Seven Years War (1756-63). Major-General James Wolfe’s triumph ultimately led to the British conquest of Canada.

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School students getting to grips with the handling collection

Secondary workshop

1 June 2024 - 18 July 2025

FREE

World at War: Soldiers of Empire

Discover more about the contributions of soldiers from the British Empire in the First and Second World Wars.

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Satirical print depicting a country squire starting back in horror at seeing his son dressed as a macaroni, 1774

Talk At Museum / Online

28 February 2025, 12.00pm

FREE

A Macaroni in the Barracks: Sexuality on Trial in Revolutionary America

Join John Gilbert McCurdy as he tells the story of Robert Newburgh, a British Army chaplain whose trial reveals the link between sexuality and revolution in the late 18th century.

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Explore Americas learning resources

Soldiers of the British West Indies Regiment, France, 1916

Timeline

KS3-KS4 (Ages 11 to 16)

West Indian Soldier: Interactive Timeline

Explore the history of Caribbean people in the British Army, and of the British Army in the Caribbean, through an interactive timeline.

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Women of the West Indies Auxiliary Territorial Service, c1944

Video

KS3-KS4 (Ages 11 to 16)

Virtual Exhibition: West Indian Soldier

Explore the history of Caribbean people in the British Army, and of the British Army in the Caribbean, through this virtual tour of the West Indian Soldier exhibition.

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Video

KS2-KS3 (Ages 7 to 14)

BlackPoppyRose at the National Army Museum

Explore the theme of remembrance and the service of African and Caribbean men and women in the British Army with BlackPoppyRose.

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Americas

Battles of Lexington and Concord

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