Which event is recognized as the first successful independence movement against a European power?

The American Revolution is recognized as the first successful independence movement against a European power because it led to the establishment of the United States as a separate nation from Great Britain. This revolution, which took place from 1775 to 1783, was driven by a desire for self-governance and resistance against British colonial rule, particularly in response to taxation without representation and other grievances. The successful outcome of the American Revolution inspired other nations and movements seeking independence, showcasing that it was possible to break away from European colonial control.

In contrast, the French Revolution, while significant and successful domestically, primarily involved the overthrow of a monarchy and did not focus on independence from a foreign power in the same sense. The Russian Revolution occurred much later, in the early 20th century, leading to the establishment of a communist government rather than independence from foreign rule. The Italian Unification was a series of political and military events that consolidated the separate states of the Italian peninsula into the Kingdom of Italy, but it was not an independence movement against a colonial power like Britain was to the American colonies.