In 1775, tensions between the American colonies and Great Britain escalated, leading to the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. The conflict began with the battles of Lexington and Concord in April, marking the first military engagements of the war. Colonists were increasingly frustrated with British taxation and lack of representation in Parliament. The year also saw the formation of the Second Continental Congress, which convened in May 1775. This assembly aimed to coordinate the colonial resistance against British rule and eventually led to the appointment of George Washington as the commander of the Continental Army.