Patriots Strengths

Understand that the British pretty much kicked butt through the South. Some of the worst American defeats came in the Southern campaign. Also, understand that there was a very significant population of Loyalists (aka Tories) living in the South, fewer than what the British expected to find but stronger than Loyalists in the North. The British came South to energize the Loyalists, many who moved to Canada following the end of the war. In places, the Revolutionary War south of Virginia was closer to avicious civil war between irregular and militia units of Patriots and Loyalists rather than a set-piece action between British and Colonial regulars.

Still, here are the advantages---

First, the Patriots knew the landscape. The Swamp Fox, Francis Marion, for instance, made good use of his knowledge of South Carolina swamps to harass British troops in the area. 

Secondly, land. The South had a lot of land and few important cities. In the North, there was New York, Philadelphia and a number of other significant cities. The rural nature of the South allowed American generals Nathaneal Green and Daniel Morganto slowly withdraw north in front of the British troops, fighting a series of delaying battles. The British "won" each battle -- and would have won, IMO, even if Greene and Morgan were not using delaying tactics. 

However, the battles drew the British further away from their supply bases in Savannah and Charleston, while the Continental armies retreated closer to their supply lines. While the tactics used by Greene and Morgan minimized Continental losses, which could be easily replaced, British casualties were not easily replaced. And, the British inability to close with and destroy the American armies in the field frustrated the professional soldiers in the British army, sapping their morale as they marched north.

Thirdly, weather favored the Americans. Unlike the North, where winter was harsh, the South featured warmer weather. And for an army that had trouble with supplying winter clothing for its soldiers, this was a key advantage. 

Finally, the South was an agricultural region. This was before the invention of the cotton gin which turned the planters into cotton farmers. The Continentals retreated into an area where they could feed their army. By destroying supplies, the Continentals limited the British ability to live off the land.

Consequences Of The Revolution

The French Revolution refers to the period from 1789 to 1799 during which the Bourbon Monarchy in France was overthrown and the Roman Catholic Church had to undergo radical restructuring from within. 

The most important and radical consequence of the French Revolution is undoubtedly the abolition of Feudalism. With the complete collapse of the existing regime, all elements of feudalism were abolished including serfdom and the rights of both the nobility and the clergy were taken away. 

The French Revolution established a new order based on the famous 'Declaration of the Rights of Man'. The main theme of the French Revolution, 'Liberty, Equality and Fraternity', later became one of the most revered political dogmas across the world. The Revolution is credited with having helped in spreading the ideas of democracy and nationalism across the world. The French Revolution was the death knoll for the rule of the monarchy, paving the way for democracy. It also brought about a lot of economic and social reforms, not only in France, but across Europe.

 The French Revolution had many permanent results, which proved to be of great value. This Revolution affected not only the people of France, but also changed the course of human history.

There was a complete collapse of the ancient regime. The French Revolution abolished all elements of feudalism including serfdom. The privileges of the clergy and the nobility also came to an end.

A new order was established based on the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man’. The Declaration possesses a very important place in the history of man, along with other documents of world - wide importance, such as the English Magna Carta of the 13th century, and the American Declaration of Independence of the 18th century.

The main theme of the French Revolution was "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity". For the French, Liberty meant the rights to property, security of life, to resistance, to worship, to freedom of speech, expression and the press. Equality meant the absence of all elements of feudalism, including serfdom and the privileges of the clergy and the nobility.

The Revolution spread the ideas of nationalism and democracy throughout the length and breath of the world. The French democratic slogan, "Liberty Equality, Fraternity," soon became the watchword of the suppressed and the oppressed peoples of the world. The philosophy of Locke, Rousseau, Montesquieu and Voltaire awakened the peoples of the world from their long slumber of ignorance and united them to fight for the cause of nationalism and democracy.

The whole of Europe felt the impact of the Revolution of 1789. Indeed, European history merges into the history of one nation, one event, and one man: the nation is France, the event is the French revolution, and the man is Napoleon, " a child of the Revolution".

The Revolution of 1789 sealed the fate of monarchy, once for all. It paved the way for democracy. The makers of the Revolution established the idea of a limited monarch. When the Bourbons came back to the throne, after the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, they were expected to play the role of limited or constitutional monarchs.

The National Assembly, followed by the National Convention, began several social and economic reforms. It abolished negro slavery and imprisonment for debt. Women were guaranteed protection in their property claims in common with men. New laws of inheritance were passed, by which all heirs were to inherit the property equally. Napoleon’s conquests had such a great impact that the revolutionary ideas of nationalism, patriotism and democracy spread throughout Europe.

The Metric system was another effect of the Revolution, which was later adopted by the whole of Europe and some Asian countries too.

The French Revolution was a beacon of inspiration and hope to suffering humanity, even though it advised moderation in the attainment of freedom.

Woman In The Revolutionary War

The majority of colonial women made small, but vital contributions to the Revolutionary War effort. Betsy Ross' mythical creation of the first flag of the United States is the most famous female achievement of the Revolutionary era, but it is only one example of the many stories of women making a difference during and after the war. The success of the boycott of British goods in the 1760's and early 1770's was acknowledged to have depended largely on the dedication of American women and their willingness to alter their patterns of consumption. Many women made products at home, especially clothing, thus facilitating the boycott without overstepping the bounds of the domestic sphere. Other women tried to impact the struggle for independence and the development of principles for the new nation through their husbands. Abigail Adams corresponded frequently with her husband, once cautioning him to "remember the ladies" at the Continental Congress of 1776.

Although the social mores of the time did not easily permit female participation in the Revolutionary war, many women managed to take more direct action in support of the patriotic cause. In October of 1774, 51 women from the Society of Patriotic Ladies at Edenton, North Carolina, signed a statement declaring their commitment to the patriot cause and their intention to do so all in their power to further that cause. In Philadelphia, Esther Berdt Reed organized the fundraising, purchase of materials, and production of shirts for the American Continental Army. She and the women with whom she worked raised $7,500 in a few weeks, a huge amount at that time. When Reed died in a dysentery epidemic, several other women, including Benjamin Franklin's daughter, Sarah Franklin Bache, continued her work.


Some women even participated in the military side of the war.Many women found themselves in the position of having to defend their homes and families from attacks by British and Native American troops. American artist Patience Lovell Wright smuggled secret information to American forces in Philadelphia, concealed in her wax figures. Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler, wife of Revolutionary War General Philip Schuyler, burned the wheat fields around Albany, NY, in order to prevent British forces from harvesting them. Her action inspired others similar acts of resistance. Mary Ludwid Hays, was nicknamed "Molly Pitcher" because she carried water to American soldiers during the Battle of Monmouth in 1778. She even operated her husband's cannon when he fell in battle. Hays was made a sargeant by General Washington and, after the war, received a pension and was buried with full military honors. Betty Zane saved a fort that was under siege by Native Americans during one of the final Native American attacks of the Revolutionary War. She carried gunpowder to replenish the depleted supply of the colonial forces. According to an anonymous journal entry, on August 17, 1775 in East Hartford, Connecticut, a "corps of female infantry," twenty women in all, marched "in martial array and excellent order" to a store. They proceeded to attack and plunder the shop, taking two hundred and eighteen pounds of sugar with them. It is not clear whether this incident actually occurred, but it is well-documented that Deborah Sampson dressed as a man and enlist in the Continental forces in 1782. She served with distinction for a year and a half, and earned a monthly disability pension after the war. Margaret Cochran Corbin also fought and was seriously wounded in the war, and received a pension from the state of Pennsylvania.



Women were also involved in the chronicling of the war. In 1777, Mary Katherine Goddard printed the first official copy of the Declaration of Independence, and paid the post riders to carry it throughout the colonies. Lady Christian Henrietta Caroline Acland, also called Lady Harriet, wrote a narrative of her experiences traveling from England to the American colonies, which was hailed as "one of the brightest episodes in the war." One of the earliest historians of the war was Mercy Otis Warren, whose three-volume History of the Rise, Progress, and Termination of the American Revolution was published in 1805.

During initial stages of settlement, the need for labor in the Americas exceeded gender discrimination, and women were able to acquire jobs outside the home, even physically taxing jobs. This was especially true in frontier communities. One example is Susanna Wright, who, in 1771, was acting as legal counselor, unofficial magistrate, and local physician for her neighbors on the frontiers of Pennsylvania.

This social and economic equality resulted from survival necessity, however, and did not indicate any fundamental shifts in social philosophy. The American colonies adhered to the concept of couverture, derived from English common law, according to which married women were considered one with their husbands, and "the very being or legal existence of the woman [was] suspended" after marriage. After independence, these gender inequities were not significantly addressed. Nevertheless, some progress was made. Massachusetts legislation from 1787 led to the granting of property rights to women by allowing women who had been abandoned by their husbands to sell property. One year later, women gained the right to be elected to office in the United States, although only in New Jersey were women allowed to vote, and that too was outlawed by 1806.


For African-American women, the Revolutionary War made little impact on their lives. They continued to be slaves in every state, except for Massachusetts, which moved toward emancipation in the 1780's . Many continued to be abused by their mistresses, raped by their masters, and put down by their male coworkers. No rights of citizenship were extended to African-American women, and any successes they achieved was only permitted within a circumscribed area. One example of such sheltered success was Phillis Wheatley, a celebrated African-American poet. Abolitionists used her as an example proving that Africans were not congenitally intellectually inferior. Nevertheless, although she was a firm supporter of independence for the colonies, she was not a proponent of emancipation for slaves. In fact, her poetry expressed thankfulness that she had been delivered from the "darkness" of Africa to the "light" of America.

Native American women faced different social circumstances, depending on the social organization of their tribe. In many tribes, Native American women lived in patterns of sexual segregation. In some New England tribes, for example, women and men ate separately. Tribes as the Ute and Shoshone in the Great Basin region gave women very low social status. In addition, "women's work," usually including domestic and agricultural labor, was generally seperated from "men's work," usually warrior and hunting duties.
In other tribes, however, Native American women had more access to positions of power than did their European counterparts. Some tribes, such as the Iroquois of northern New York and the Pueblos of the Southwest, were matrilineal, determining kinship through maternal lines. Such societies allowed women, such as Mary (Konwatsi'tsiaienni) Brant, to obtain status as important political figures. The Cherokee nation had a Women's Council, led by women such as Nancy (Nanye'hi) Ward. Ward also sat as a member of the Council of Chiefs, and took her husband's place in battle when he fell during confrontation between the Creeks and the Cherokees in 1776. In addition to political positions, squaws had authority in the religious sphere, sometimes assuming roles as shamans or priests, which allowed them to practice medicine. In some cases, women acted as both shamans and warleaders. Some women even engaged in trade. Nevertheless, although women were able to hold positions with varying levels of authority within their tribes and clans, most Native American cultures remained heavily male-dominated.
Since the vast majority of Native Americans sided with the British, many of the Native American heroes and heroines were individuals who would not have been acclaimed by the patriot Americans. Mohawk leader Mary Brant, for example, was known for having used her considerable influence among Native Americans to keep them loyal to the British. The Revolutionary War probably affected Native American women more through the disruptions of daily life it caused than through any liberal concept which the patriotic struggle may have espoused. In any case, the ideals of a "republican woman" were probably not intended to apply to non-European women, so that the political and social developments which may have arisen from American independence were largely irrelevant to Native Americans. In fact, many tribes might have been better off if Great Britain had won the war, since the British had much more genial relations with most tribes than did the colonial settlers.
Unlike many of their European counterparts, European women in the new republic were expected to know how to cook and efficiently run a household, as well as be able to engage her husband in serious discourse. However, the education available to most women was insufficient to properly facilitate the fulfillment of such demanding roles.
Few families educated their daughters beyond the elementary level, and almost no women attended college. Eventually, schools which accepted women or were designed for women were founded in the new nation. "Adventure schools," generally located in the homes of the instructors, were founded in various locations in the colonies. These school emphasized instruction in music, dancing, drawing, painting, needlework, etc., with little attention paid to reading, writing, or mathematics. One of the most well-known adventure schools was founded in Philadelphia in 1754 by Anthony Benezet. In the south, daughters of well-to-do families were taught by tutors. Other, more academically or practically oriented schools included the Moravian Young Ladies Seminary in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, opened to non-Moravian girls in 1785, and Sarah Pierce's school in Litchfield, Connecticut in 1792. Such schools trained young women in reading, grammar, geography, history, music, arithmetic, and sometimes astronomy and foreign languages. Schools such as the Katy Ferguson School for the Poor, founded and named after a former slave, dealt with the more urgent need for basic literacy among the poor. The Ferguson School recruited students from the poorhouses on New York, and began in 1793 with 28 black and 20 white students. After the war, several New England academies began to accept women and to allow them to study the same subjects as men, although schools such as Yale University still refused to accept even fully-qualified female students.
Women such as Mary Wollstonecraft in England and Judith Sargent Murray wrote in defense of women's rights. Although most American women might not have publicly approved of Wollstonecraft's views, such as a criticism of marriage, her 1792 book, Vindication of the Rights of Woman, which went through several editions in the United States. Men like Thomas Paine and, later, John Quincy Adams, spoke out in support of women's political and social rights. The bulk of women's writings which survive today seem to suggest that most were less concerned about political equality than about the acknowledgment of the importance and value of the private domestic sphere, which they judged to be equal to the public political sphere. According to Abigail Adams, "if man is Lord, woman is Lordess - that is what I contend for." Most of these writings are from Protestant European middle and upper class women, making it difficult to gage the sentiments of other women of the Revolutionary Era.
While most women of the Revolutionary Era might not be classed as "feminists" in the modern sense, they were among the first to seriously examine the role of women in American society. This, together with their active role in the war itself, laid the groundwork for much of the feminist thought and protest that would occur in the next generation with the dawn of the movement for women's suffrage.

The Treaty Of Paris

The treaty of paris of 1783 ended the war of independence and granted the thirteen colonies political freedom. A preliminary treaty between Great Britain and the United States had been signed in 1782, but the final agreement was not signed until September 3, 1783.

Peace negotiations began in Paris, France, in April 1782. The U.S. delegation included benjamin franklin, john adams, john jay, and Henry Laurens, while the British were represented by Richard Oswald and Henry Strachey. The negotiators concluded the preliminary treaty on November 30, 1782, but the agreement was not effective until Great Britain concluded treaties with France and Spain concerning foreign colonies.

In the final agreement, the British recognized the independence of the United States. The treaty established generous boundaries for the United States; U.S. territory now extended from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River in the west, and from the Great Lakes and Canada in the north to the 31st parallel in the south. The U.S. fishing fleet was guaranteed access to the fisheries off the coast of Newfoundland with their plentiful supply of cod.

Navigation of the Mississippi River was to be open to both the United States and Great Britain. Creditors of both countries were not to be impeded from collecting their debts, and Congress was to recommend to the states that loyalists to the British cause during the war should be treated fairly and their rights and confiscated property restored.

The Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War between Great Britain and the United States, recognized American independence and established borders for the new nation. After the British defeat at Yorktown, peace talks in Paris began in April 1782 between Richard Oswarld representing Great Britain and the American Peace Commissioners Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and John Adams. The American negotiators were joined by Henry Laurens two days before the preliminary articles of peace were signed on November 30, 1782. The Treaty of Paris, formally ending the war, was not signed until September 3, 1783. The Continental Congress, which was temporarily situated in Annapolis, Maryland, at the time, ratified the Treaty of Paris on January 14, 1784.

The Battle Of Princeton

 his victory in Trenton, Washington reviewed his options. After discussions with his generals, Washington decided to cross the Delaware once again, to pursue the retreated and disheartened British troops. The American troops did not all get across the Delaware until December 31st. Crossing the Delaware on the last day of December presented a significant challenge to General Washington, since many of his mens' terms of service ended the next day (on January 1st). However, Washington secured their continued service by offering a signing bonus of $10 (considered a large sum at that time) for all those who agreed to stay in the army.

By the time Washington's army had fully crossed the Delaware, the British forces had reorganized. American forces returned to Trenton, while a large British force commanded by General Cornwalis headed for Trenton. On January 2nd 1777, 8,000 British troops departed Princeton for the 10 mile march to Trenton. It took the British forces all day to arrive at the Assunpink Creek, where American forces had established a strong defensive line. As soon as he had what he believed to be sufficient forces in place, Cornwalis ordered the first assault across the one bridge that spanned the Creek. His troops were met with murderous fire from the Continentals.Three assaults failed before nightfall. 365 British soldiers fell trying to cross the bridge. This brought the one day loss of the British to 500 soldiers, which included those shot by snipers during their march to Trenton.
Overnight, with a large British army facing him across the creek, Washington and his advisors needed to decide whether to stand and fight or withdraw back across the Delaware. The Americans ultimately decided on a third options. They proceeded instead to outflank the British forces and attempt to capture Princeton, toward the British rear (where the British had not left a large number of troops behind to guard.) Washington’s forces succeeded in moving off their lines past the British forces and toward Princeton.
As the American forces were approaching Princeton they collided with British forces heading South to Trenton. The British force was heavily outnumbered as they faced the American forces in an open field. The British troops fought stubbornly, and at times it looked like the day might be theirs. However, General Washington became personally engaged in the battle, directing the troops from his large grey horse. Finally, the outnumbered British troops broke and retreated toward Princeton. The American troops were closely on their heels, defeating any attempt at resistance. By the end of the day, the British forces had lost 450 troops, while the Americans lost only 37 dead. The American victory at Princeton capped off ten days that changed the direction of the war. Before their victory at Trenton, the American forces had been defeated. At that point, it appeared the Americans were one battle from away from total defeat. By January 4th, the British had effectively been forced out of Southern New Jersey.

The Battle Of Saratoga

 Story of the Battles of Saratoga

“…one of the Greatest battles that Ever was fought in Amarrca…”
Major Henry Dearborn

The Revolutionary War is enshrined in American memory as the beginning of a new nation born in freedom. In this memory the conflict was quick and easy, the adversaries are little more than cartoon-like tin soldiers whose brightly colored uniforms make them ideal targets for straight-shooting American frontiersmen. 

In actuality, the very year of Independence was a time of many military disasters for the fledgling republic; the first year of its existence was almost its last. New York was the stage for much of the drama that unfolded. 

During the summer of 1776, a powerful army under British General Sir William Howe invaded the New York City area. His professional troops defeated and outmaneuvered General George Washington’s less trained forces. An ill advised American invasion of Canada had come to an appalling end, its once confident regiments reduced to a barely disciplined mob beset by smallpox and pursuing British troops through the Lake Champlain Valley.

As 1776 ended, the cause for American Independence seemed all but lost. It was true that Washington’s successful gamble at the battles of Trenton and Princeton kept hopes alive, but the British were still holding the initiative. Royal Garrisons held New York and its immediate environs, Newport, Rhode Island and Canada. Additionally the Royal Navy allowed the British to strike at will almost anywhere along the eastern seaboard.

In hopes of crushing the American rebellion before foreign powers might intervene, the British concocted a plan to invade New York from their base in Canada in 1777. Essentially, two armies would follow waterways into the Rebel territory, unite and capture Albany, New York. Once the town was in their possession, these British forces would open communications to the City of New York, and continue the campaign as ordered. It was believed that by capturing the Hudson River’s head of navigation (Albany) and already holding its mouth (the City of New York), the British could establish their control of the entire river. Control of the Hudson could sever New England-the hot bed of the rebellion-from the rest of the colonies.

The architect of the plan, General John Burgoyne, commanded the main thrust through the Lake Champlain valley. Although the invasion had some initial success with the capture of Fort Ticonderoga, the realities of untamed terrain soon slowed the British triumphant advance into an agonizing crawl. Worse for the British, a major column en route to seek supplies in Vermont was overrun, costing Burgoyne almost irreplaceable 1000 men. Hard on the heels of this disaster, Burgoyne’s contingent of Native Americans decided to leave, word came from the west that the second British column was stalled by the American controlled Fort Stanwix and that the main British army would not be operating near the city of New York. Although his plans were unraveling, Burgoyne refused to change his plans and collected enough supplies for a dash to Albany.

For the Americans, the British delays and defeats had bought them enough time to re-organize and reinforce their army. Under a new commander, General Horatio Gates, the American army established itself at a defensive position along the Hudson River called Bemis Heights. With fortifications on the flood plain and cannon on the heights, the position dominated all movement through the river valley. Burgoyne’s army was entirely dependent upon the river to haul their supplies, and the American defenses were an unavoidable and dangerous obstacle.

Learning of the Rebels’ position, Burgoyne attempted to move part of his army inland to avoid the danger posed by the American fortifications. On September 19th 1777, his columns collided with part of General Gates’ army near the abandoned farm of Loyalist John Freeman. During the long afternoon, the British were unable to maintain any initiative or momentum. Pinned in place, they suffered galling American gunfire as they strove to hold their lines. Late in the day, reinforcements of German auxiliary troops turned the tide for Burgoyne’s beleaguered forces. Although driven from the battlefield, the British had suffered heavy casualties and Gates’ army still blocked his move south to Albany.

General Burgoyne elected to hold what ground he had and fortify his encampment, hoping for assistance from the City of New York. On October 7th, with supplies running dangerously low and options running out, Burgoyne attempted another flanking move. The expedition was noticed by the Rebels who fell upon Burgoyne’s column. Through the fierce fighting the British and their allies were routed and driven back to their fortifications. At dusk, one position held by German troops, was overwhelmed by attacking Americans. Burgoyne had to withdraw to his inner works near the river and the following day tried to withdraw northward toward safety. Hampered by bad roads made worse by frigid downpours, the British retreat made only eight miles in two days to a small hamlet called Saratoga; Gates’ army followed and surrounded Burgoyne and his army. With no other option Burgoyne capitulated on 17 October 1777.

The American victory at Saratoga was a major turning point in the war for Independence, heartening the supporters of independence and convincing France to enter in the war as an ally of the fledgling United States. It would be French military assistance that would keep the rebel cause from collapse and tip the balance at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781 – winning America its ultimate victory as a free and independent nation. The war also would reach to nearly every quarter of the globe as Spain and the Netherlands would become involved. But more importantly ideals of the rebel Americans would be exported as well, inspiring people throughout the world with the hope of liberties and freedom.

The preceding information was provided by the staff at the Saratoga National Historical Park. 

The Battle Of Trenton

On December 26th, Washington's Army crossed the Delaware and surprised the British at Trenton. The main attack was made by 2,400 troops under Washington on the Hessian Garrison. Washington's troop’s achieved total surprise and defeated the British forces. The American victory was the first of the war, and helped to restore American morale. General Washington was not willing to remain on the defensive and go into winter quarters, after being forced to withdraw all the way across New Jersey. Washington knew that after the extended string of defeats he would need to take action to bring about a victory in order to maintain American moral and to convince Americans, as well as the world that the Continentals had a chance against the British.

On December 22nd Washington convened a Council of War to discuss his options. That evening Washington held a second Council of War, at which point a plan was decided upon. The council voted to launch a surprise attack on the British troops in Trenton on the day after Christmas. The plan was both straight-forward and complex. The plan called for Washington to cross the Delaware, ten miles North of Trenton on Christmas night. The plan further called for two additional forces crossing the Delaware to support Washington's troops; one to block the British line of retreat and the second to create a diversion. American forces were meant to arrive in Trenton before dawn in what was hoped to be a surprise attack.
American forces began their crossing at the McConkey Crossing on Christmas night. The crossing was difficult, but the American managed prevailed. Then American forces began a 10 mile march through the snow to Trenton. General Washington went up and down the line encouraging the soldiers. Before they reached Trenton Washington divided his forces. At 8 am in the morning, with his men on two sides of the town, Washington gave the order to attack.
The town of Trenton was defended by a force of 1,500 Hessian (German mercenary soldiers), commanded by Colonel Rall, a veteran officer. Rall failed to send out patrols that morning. As a result, the American surprise was complete. The Hessians tried to put up a defense, but they were effectively surrounded. The Americans successfully brought up their artillery. The Hessian commander, Roll was killed, and the Hessians were forced to surrender. 150 Hessians were killed or wounded. Nine hundred Hessians were made prisoners. However, 500 Hessians did escape, because the American blocking force was unable to cross the Delaware.
Washington and the American forces won a tremendous victory. The Americans totally vanquished the British force, capturing both soldiers and vital supplies. Most importantly, they ended the string of British victories and restored American morale.