How is the American Revolution taught in the UK?

[Rev. Rye]

We touched VERY briefly on the American civil war, but I think was only because out teacher really liked history. As far as I was told (keep in mind this is only like, 5 mins worth of info) the colonists didn't like the taxes and rebelled. There was something about tea being thrown in a river and that upset some people back home. Then we lost and America became independent.

All right: I'll try and clear this shit up.
*In 1765, The Stamp Act was passed, creating huge taxes for the colonists. They got pissed off because they didn't have a say in this.
*In 1767, The Townshend Acts created even higher taxes on essential goods for the Colonies, once again without their consent. The colonies got even more pissed, and this reached a head in 1770.
*In 1770, some British soldiers killed colonists in Boston and support for Britain took a nosedive. As a result, most of the worst parts of the Townshend Acts were repealed.
*In 1773, the British passed the Tea Act, which reaffirmed taxes on imports of tea.
*On December 16, 1773, some colonists dressed like Indians and tossed a shipment of tea into the Boston harbor to protest the Tea Act. This is Called the Boston Tea Party.
*After this, The Coercive Acts were passed, bringing repression of the colonies in America beyond the impossible, making American revolt all but inevitable.

There are almost certainly missing pieces, but this is all from memory aided by Wikipedia.
As Moros said, this is the American Revolution. The Civil War would occur less than a century later.