ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY
June 14, 1775
The Continental Army is Formed
On this day in 1775, The Continental Congress established the Continental Army after the outbreak of the
American Revolutionary War to present a united front against the British rather than relying totally on individual
militias controlled by the individual thirteen colonies.
The day after Continental Army was formed, George Washington was chosen as the Commander in Chief. Although others,
such as John Hancock, were considered at the time, Washington turned out to be the obvious choice and was selected
by a unanimous vote of the Continental Congress. He remained Commander in Chief throughout the entire revolutionary
war, serving without any comensation except for reimbursement of expenses until he resigned the position on
December 23, 1783.
Although much of the Continental Army was disbanded in 1783 after the Revolutionary War ended, it is still
considered by many to be the birth of the United States Army.
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