Editing Delaware (section)

===American Revolution===
{{Main|American Revolutionary War|Lee Resolution|United States Declaration of Independence|Philadelphia campaign|Articles of Confederation#Ratification|Treaty of Paris (1783)|Constitutional Convention (United States)|Admission to the Union|List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union}}
[[File:Recto Delaware 2 shillings 6 pence 1777 urn-3 HBS.Baker.AC 1085935.jpeg|alt=A two-shilling, six-pence banknote issued by Delaware in 1777 with the inscription: "Two Shillings & Six-pence. This Indented Bill shall pass current for Two Shillings and Six-pence, within the Delaware State according to an Act of Genera Assembly of the said State, made in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-six. Dated the First Day of May, 1777."; Within border cuts: "Half a Crown"|thumb|A two-shilling, six-pence banknote issued by Delaware in 1777]]
Like the other middle colonies, the Lower Counties on the Delaware initially showed little enthusiasm for a break with [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Britain]]. The citizenry had a good relationship with the Proprietary government, and generally were allowed more independence of action in their Colonial Assembly than in other colonies. Merchants at the port of Wilmington had trading ties with the British.

New Castle lawyer [[Thomas McKean]] denounced the [[Stamp Act 1765|Stamp Act]] in the strongest terms, and Kent County native [[John Dickinson (delegate)|John Dickinson]] became the "Penman of the Revolution". Anticipating the Declaration of Independence, [[Patriot (American Revolution)|Patriot]] leaders Thomas McKean and [[Caesar Rodney]] convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself separated from British and Pennsylvania rule on June 15, 1776. The person best representing Delaware's majority, [[George Read (signer)|George Read]], could not bring himself to vote for a Declaration of Independence. Only the dramatic overnight ride of Caesar Rodney gave the delegation the votes needed to cast Delaware's vote for independence.

Initially led by [[John Haslet]], Delaware provided one of the premier regiments in the [[Continental Army]], known as the "Delaware Blues" and nicknamed the "[[Delaware Blue Hen|Blue Hen's Chicks]]". In August 1777 [[William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe|General Sir William Howe]] led a British army through Delaware on his way to a victory at the [[Battle of Brandywine]] and capture of the city of Philadelphia. The only real engagement on Delaware soil was the [[Battle of Cooch's Bridge]], fought on September 3, 1777, at [[Cooch's Bridge]] in New Castle County, although there was a [[Clow Rebellion|minor Loyalist rebellion]] in 1778.

Following the Battle of Brandywine, Wilmington was occupied by the British, and [[List of governors of Delaware|State President]] [[John McKinly]] was taken prisoner. The British remained in control of the Delaware River for much of the rest of the war, disrupting commerce and providing encouragement to an active [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] portion of the population, particularly in Sussex County. Because the British promised slaves of rebels freedom for fighting with them, escaped slaves flocked north to join their lines.<ref>{{Citation | first = Simon | last = Schama | author-link = Simon Schama | title = Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves, and the American Revolution | place = New York | publisher = Harper Collins | year = 2006| title-link = Rough Crossings: Britain, the Slaves, and the American Revolution }}</ref>

Following the [[American Revolution]], statesmen from Delaware were among the leading proponents of a strong central United States with equal representation for each state.