1775: How was the United States Army Established?

This day in the year 1775 is considered to be the birthday of the United States Army. Namely, on that day the American Continental Congress (the predecessor of today’s Congress) adopted decisions which formed a joint army to fight against the British.

The newly created Army was made up of volunteers and the Congress authorized ten companies of riflemen. As the Congress was named the Continental Congress at the time (the name of the United States was introduced only later), the newly created Army was called the Continental Army (it was only later renamed to the United States Army).

George Washington, who was by then a colonel in the Virginia Regiment, was appointed for the first commander. He was awarded the rank of a general, and the decision that the Army will have four major generals and eight brigadier generals was soon adopted.

Today, on 14 June every year, the United States Army Birthday is celebrated as a memorial to the mentioned establishment.