Final answer:
During the American Revolution, significant events included the colonial militia engaging British forces at Lexington and Concord, the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress, and the British surrender at Yorktown which effectively ended the war.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American Revolution was a period rich with historical events that shaped the future of the United States. One event that occurred during the American Revolution was the British surrender at Yorktown, which effectively ended the war. Another pivotal moment was when the Second Continental Congress convened and took significant steps towards independence, highlighted by drafting and adopting the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. Furthermore, early in the war, the colonial militia met British forces at Lexington and Concord where the "shot heard around the world" was fired, marking the outbreak of armed conflict between the colonies and Great Britain.
The Declaration of Independence, primarily authored by Thomas Jefferson with notable influence from John Locke's ideas, firmly asserted the colonies' resolve to seek autonomy from British rule. Between the initial engagements at Lexington and Concord and the British surrender at Yorktown, hundreds of battles and skirmishes dictated the course of the war, with notable shifts of strategy including the British 'Southern Strategy' that ultimately did not lead to their victory.