The 250th anniversary of the United States is this year, but the story of American independence goes back farther than 1776. Dr. Anita Gaul said it’s important for people to keep in mind when looking back on the nation’s origins.

“I think it’s important to understand why the Declaration of Independence happened in the first place,” said Gaul, a history instructor at Minnesota West Community and Technical College. The steps that led to American colonies breaking away from Great Britain can be traced back to the Seven Years’ War, she said.

“Nothing happens overnight,” she said. “Putting things into historical context helps people understand better why the colonists thought separating was their most desirable option.”

Gaul will be sharing this part of history this week at the Lyon County Museum in Marshall. Her program, “The Road to 1776,” will be part of the Lyon County Historical Society’s annual meeting Thursday.

Gaul said her program will be like a more “polished-up” version of the U.S. history lessons she teaches students.

“I do a lot of hopping around,” she said, as she takes the audience through the different steps and events leading up to the Declaration of Independence.

“It’s a really interesting story, because when the Seven Years’ War ended in 1763, the American colonies and Great Britain were actually the best of friends. We were a great team,” she said. The war helped strengthen some of the bonds between Great Britain and the colonies. But over the next 13 years, “The relationship falls apart rapidly,” Gaul said.

In working with her students, Gaul said she has learned that the events leading up to the Declaration of Independence are not something that many people know a lot about.

“The Seven Years’ War is generally not on people’s radar. They don’t realize how pivotal it is,” Gaul said. In her presentation, she plans to go into more detail on how the end of the war helped set the stage for the eventual split between the colonies and Great Britain.

The 250th anniversary of the U.S. is a time that has sparked many southwest Minnesota residents’ interest in history. Gaul said she’s been asked by groups like area historical societies to give talks on topics ranging from the lead-up to the Revolutionary War, to the history of the U.S. flag.

It’s a fun opportunity, she said. “I love to teach people about history,” she said.

The Lyon County Historical Society’s annual meeting and program will be Thursday, April 9 and the Lyon County Museum in Marshall. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the meeting at 6 and Gaul’s presentation at 6:30.