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In London, King George III and his government believed rebellion had already started and had to be nipped in the bud.
在倫敦，國王喬治三世及其政府認為起義已經開始，必須將其扼殺在搖籃里。
In parliament, William Pitt made a last-ditch plea for sanity and reason.
在議會中，威廉·皮特最后一次試圖以理性的力量喚醒他人。
Did their lordships not understand that in fighting the Americans, they were fighting their own ghosts, the ghosts of English liberty past?
難道諸位議員不明白與美國人作戰，就如同與自己的魂靈作戰，與往日英國自由的魂靈作戰？
What, though you march from town to town, and province to province, though you shall be able to enforce a temporary submission,
雖然你的鐵蹄踏遍每寸土地，雖然你能迫使他們暫時地屈服于你，
how shall you be able to secure the obedience of the country you leave behind, to grasp the dominion of 1,800 miles of continent, populous in numbers, possessing valour, liberty and resistance?
你又怎能保證這片疆土對你的忠心將永不改變，你又怎能占有這疆域綿延1800英里，人口眾多，勇猛頑強，向往自由，而又奮起反抗的土地呢？
The spirit which resists your taxation is the same spirit which called all England on its legs and, by the Bill of Rights, vindicated the English constitution.
今日反對你征稅的這股精神，在當年曾使英格蘭勇往直前并通過《權利法案》，維護著英格蘭的憲法。
This glorious spirit animates three millions in America who prefer poverty with liberty to gilded chains and sordid affluence, and who will die in defence of their rights as free men.
這光榮的精神鼓舞著三百萬美利堅民眾寧愿做自由的窮人，也不要做帶著枷鎖的富人，他們愿為自由獻出自己的生命。
George III's ministers were having none of it.
喬治三世的議員們對此充耳不聞。
Parliament's authority as the supreme government of the empire was at stake, and, if necessary, it had to be backed up with bullets.
議會作為帝國最高政府，其權威岌岌可危，若有必要，將以武力對其進行保障。
So, few were surprised when the first blood was shed at Lexington, outside Boston, on April 19, 1775.
1775年4月19日，波士頓城外萊克星頓第一槍的響起，已在人們的意料之中。
Redcoats had been sent to seize militia arms. They arrived just before dawn.
英國士兵前去逮捕民兵成員。他們于黎明之前到達。
Nobody knows who, but inevitably, someone fired. And, in response, the British shot their muskets straight into the ragtag group of militiamen gathered before them.
不知是誰打響了第一槍。作為反擊，英兵用火槍向眼前這群衣衫襤褸的民兵猛烈開火。
The Redcoats stormed nearby Concord, but were then forced back to Boston in bloody shock, peppered with fire all the way.
英國士兵隨即進攻附近的康科德，卻在對方猛烈的反擊下損失慘重，被迫撤回波士頓。
The dream of somehow remaining British and still being free had died along with the militiamen at Lexington and Concord.
隨著萊克星頓和康科德戰斗的打響，美利堅人在英國治下保全自由之身的夢想破滅了。
Now there was a different dream, a dream of a new country. It was an American dream.
一個新的夢想已將其取代，自立新國的夢想。這便是美國夢。
