250th Anniversary of the U.S. Army
America’s first national institution
The United States Army is older than the nation it protects and defends. Established more than a year before American independence was declared, the U.S. Army—America’s first national institution—has played a vital role throughout our history.
Whether they fought to secure American independence, to preserve the Union, or to make the world a safer place and defend against the global threat of terrorism, American soldiers have been celebrated for their valor and perseverance. Today, nearly one million active duty and reserve troops serve in the U.S. Army to provide for the common defense of the United States and its citizens.
Resolution Establishing a Continental Army and Appointing a Commander-in-Chief, Rough Journal of the Continental Congress, June 13–15, 1775. Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention
Resolution Establishing a Continental Army and Appointing a Commander-in-Chief, Rough Journal of the Continental Congress, June 13–15, 1775. Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention
Two months after the Revolutionary War erupted at the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Continental Congress undertook steps to mount a united colonial response against the British. This journal entry from June 14, 1775, notes that the delegates adopted a resolution to enlist riflemen from the middle colonies to serve with New England forces in an “American Continental Army.”
The following day, they unanimously elected George Washington to command the new continental force “raised for the defence of American liberty.” After the war, Washington believed the new United States needed a national system for training and organizing troops, which the Army is based upon today.
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