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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.
在伦敦，国王乔治三世及其政府认为起义已经开始，必须将其扼杀在摇篮里。
In parliament, William Pitt made a last-ditch plea for sanity and reason.
在议会中，威廉·皮特最后一次试图以理性的力量唤醒他人。
Did their lordships not understand that in fighting the Americans, they were fighting their own ghosts, the ghosts of English liberty past?
难道诸位议员不明白与美国人作战，就如同与自己的魂灵作战，与往日英国自由的魂灵作战？
What, though you march from town to town, and province to province, though you shall be able to enforce a temporary submission,
虽然你的铁蹄踏遍每寸土地，虽然你能迫使他们暂时地屈服于你，
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?
你又怎能保证这片疆土对你的忠心将永不改变，你又怎能占有这疆域绵延1800英里，人口众多，勇猛顽强，向往自由，而又奋起反抗的土地呢？
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.
今日反对你征税的这股精神，在当年曾使英格兰勇往直前并通过《权利法案》，维护着英格兰的宪法。
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.
这光荣的精神鼓舞着三百万美利坚民众宁愿做自由的穷人，也不要做带着枷锁的富人，他们愿为自由献出自己的生命。
George III's ministers were having none of it.
乔治三世的议员们对此充耳不闻。
Parliament's authority as the supreme government of the empire was at stake, and, if necessary, it had to be backed up with bullets.
议会作为帝国最高政府，其权威岌岌可危，若有必要，将以武力对其进行保障。
So, few were surprised when the first blood was shed at Lexington, outside Boston, on April 19, 1775.
1775年4月19日，波士顿城外莱克星顿第一枪的响起，已在人们的意料之中。
Redcoats had been sent to seize militia arms. They arrived just before dawn.
英国士兵前去逮捕民兵成员。他们于黎明之前到达。
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.
不知是谁打响了第一枪。作为反击，英兵用火枪向眼前这群衣衫褴褛的民兵猛烈开火。
The Redcoats stormed nearby Concord, but were then forced back to Boston in bloody shock, peppered with fire all the way.
英国士兵随即进攻附近的康科德，却在对方猛烈的反击下损失惨重，被迫撤回波士顿。
The dream of somehow remaining British and still being free had died along with the militiamen at Lexington and Concord.
随着莱克星顿和康科德战斗的打响，美利坚人在英国治下保全自由之身的梦想破灭了。
Now there was a different dream, a dream of a new country. It was an American dream.
一个新的梦想已将其取代，自立新国的梦想。这便是美国梦。
