a great
day for America, and it was soon followed by the 4th of July and the
glorious Declaration of Independence. Since that 4th of July no king has
ever ruled over the United States.

We call this war the American Revolution. Do you know what a revolution
is? It means the doing away with a bad government and replacing it with
a better one. In this country it meant that our people were tired of the
rule of England and wished to govern themselves. They had to fight hard
for their freedom, it is true, but it was well worth fighting for.

The war was a long and dreadful one. It went on for seven long years. At
one time everything seemed lost; at other times all grew bright and
hopeful. And thus it went on, up and down, to the end. I cannot tell you
all that took place, but I will give you the important facts.

After the British left Boston, they sailed about for a time, and then
they came with a large army to New York. Washington was there with his
soldiers to meet them, and did his best, but everything seemed to go
wrong. First, the Americans were beaten in battle and had to march out
of New York and let the British march in. Then Washington and his ragged
men were obliged to hasten across the State of New Jersey with a strong
British force after them. They were too weak to face the British.

When they got to the Delaware River the Americans crossed it and took
all the boats, so that the British could not follow them. It was now
near winter time, and both armies went into winter quarters. They faced
each other, but the wide river ran between.

You may well think that by this time the American people were getting
very down-hearted. Many of them thought that all was lost, and that
they would have to submit to King George. The army dwindled away and no
new soldiers came in, so that it looked as if it would go to pieces. It
was growing very dark for American liberty.

[Illustration: WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE.]

But there was one man who did not despair, and that man was George
Washington. He saw that something must be done to stir up the spirits of
the people, and he was just the man to do it. It was a wonderful
Christmas he kept that year. All Christmas day his ragged and hungry
soldiers were marching up their side of the Delaware, and crossing the
river in boats, though the wind was biting cold, and the air was full of
falling snow, and the broken ice was floating in great blocks down the
river; but nothing