American Victory The Revolutionary War was a war between the Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain from 1775-1783 during the American Revolution. The American colonists fought the British in hope of freedom and separation from Great Britain. “This was the completion stage of the political American Revolution whereas the colonists had denied the rights of the Parliament of Great Britain in governing them without any representation,” ("American Revolutionary War."). The Revolutionary War consisted of many different bloody battles on American soil. The war resulted in an American victory because of many historical reasons. The factors that contributed to an American victory of the Revolutionary War are British debt, distance between America and Great Britain, war tactics, French involvement, and important battles. There were many causes leading up to the Revolutionary War. Great Britain helped the American colonies during the French and Indian War. The French and Indian War resulted in a large debt the British needed to repay. In order to produce enough money to repay the debt, Great Britain placed The Sugar Act, The Stamp Act, and The Townshend Act on American colonists. “Parliament said it had …show more content…
fought the long and costly war to protect its American subjects from the powerful French in Canada. Parliament said it was right to tax the American colonists to help pay the bills for the war,” ("Reasons behind the Revolutionary War."). The colonists did not agree to pay the taxes the British placed on them, and the colonists boycotted. “The Americans maintained that Parliament could make laws, but insisted only their elected representatives could tax them. The English felt that Parliament had supreme authority over the colonies,” (Trust). This made King George III of Great Britain furious and the debt was not able to be repaid through the Acts. The extreme debt that Great Britain was experiencing from the French and Indian War left only a small amount of money to be spent on the Revolutionary War for Great Britain's soldiers and supplies. This gave the American Colonies an advantage of having more money to spend on the Revolutionary War. The Revolutionary War took place on the eastern part of the Thirteen Colonies. Battle locations include Yorktown, Virginia, Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, Princeton, New Jersey, Charleston, South Carolina, and more. In order to fight in the war, British soldiers had to travel about three thousand miles across the Atlantic Ocean. Having to travel that far to transport troops and supplies cost Great Britain a great deal of money. Sending British troops, ammunition, messages, and war supplies was very difficult. Sending troops and supplies across the Atlantic Ocean was slow and took months to finally get to their destination in America. Having to send troops, supplies, and messages that far was very expensive. “Important messages that needed immediate delivery faced the same difficulties - news of battles arrived in England long after they occurred, making planning very difficult,” (Trust). Americans could easily and quickly transport troops, ammunition, messages, and supplies across their land. Distance was a major difficulty for the British, but a major advantage for the American colonists. Fighting on American soil did not only cause difficulties for the British because of distance, but the British were also unfamiliar with the land and locations of the colonies. Colonists fighting on their homeland made them very familiar with the locations and the battle grounds. “The geographic vastness of the colonies proved a hindrance to the British effort,” ("American and British Strengths and Weaknesses."). There were no maps of the colonies, therefore the British did not know their locations and where they were most of the time. If the British were familiar with the colonies, then the British would have had less difficulties and may have changed the outcome of battles or the war. The Revolutionary War’s location created advantages for the colonists because of distance and familiarity. The French and Indian War left the colonists with war experience and a special war tactic that the British did not have. This battle winning war tactic the American colonists used is called guerilla warfare. Guerrilla warfare is a method of fighting in battle where the colonists hid behind trees, rocks, and houses with open fire on the Redcoats. This tactic is normally used when a smaller amount of soldiers is trying to defeat a larger amount of soldiers. “Guerrilla tactics are based on ambush, deception, sabotage, and espionage, undermining an authority through long, low-intensity confrontation,” ("Guerrilla warfare"). With the use of guerrilla warfare, the colonists were able to win many battles in the war. The Redcoats did not know of this successful war tactic, leaving Americans with another advantage that led to the colonists’ victory in the Revolutionary War. Another factor that contributed to an American victory is motivation.
Most American colonists were more motivated than the Redcoats were to fight and defeat their rivals in the war. The colonists had many reasons for them to defeat the British. The Colonists were treated unfairly by the British and they believed Great Britain had too much control over them. “The colonists' disappointment began shortly after the French and Indian War ended in 1763, when the British government tried to reduce the debt incurred during the war by collecting additional taxes and gaining more control over the colonies,” ("Reasons for the Revolution on Colonial Williamsburg's Website."). These factors angered the colonists to keep fighting until Great Britain was
defeated. The British military was very strong, well-trained, and outnumbered the American military. The Hessians, German mercenaries, aided the Redcoats in the war of independence. In order to fight against the British in the Revolutionary War, American Colonists needed assistance from another country. The country that aided the thirteen colonies during the war is France. Benjamin Franklin, a famous American inventor, secured an alliance with France. “Representatives of the French and American governments signed the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce on February 6, 1778,” (“U.S. Department of State”). At the time, France and Great Britain were not on good terms, therefore France saw a chance of rebellion against them in the Revolutionary War. “Between 1778 and 1782 the French provided supplies, arms and ammunition, uniforms, and, most importantly, troops and naval support to the beleaguered Continental Army. The French navy transported reinforcements, fought off a British fleet, and protected Washington’s forces in Virginia. French assistance was crucial in securing the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781,” (“U.S. Department of State”). Without the assistance and alliance from France, the American colonists would not have had the supplies, troops, ammunition, and other items needed to fight and defeat the Redcoats in the Revolutionary War. Important battles of the Revolutionary War that contributed to an American victory are the Battle of Saratoga and the Battle of Yorktown. The Battle of Saratoga is known as the turning point of the war for freedom. This battle took place in upstate New York. The Battle of Saratoga consisted of two battles: the first battle at Freeman’s Farm and the second battle at Bemis Heights. They occurred on September 19th and October 7th, 1777. General John Burgoyne and his British troops surrendered to the Patriots. However, the Americans gained much more than a victory at The Battle of Saratoga. “As a result of the American victory, the French gained enough confidence to begin to support the Americans militarily,” ("The Battle of Saratoga."). The Battle of Yorktown was the last battle of the Revolutionary War. The battle took place in Yorktown, Virginia in October of 1781. The American and French soldiers surrounded the British in Yorktown as the French Navy controlled Chesapeake Bay. “This prevented the British navy from getting supplies to the British army at Yorktown,” (Mele.). After two weeks of the British being under siege from land and sea, British General Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington and his army on October 19th 1781. The Revolutionary War was finally over and the American colonists gained independence from Great Britain. The Revolutionary War, between Great Britain and the thirteen colonies, was a war of independence. After the last battle of the revolutionary war, The Battle of Yorktown in Yorktown, Virginia, the British Redcoats finally surrendered to the American Colonists. Factors that contributed to an American victory of the war are British debt, distance between America and Great Britain, Guerrilla warfare, French involvement, and important battles. With the British having a great deal of debt, they did not have much money to spend on needed supplies, troops, and travel costs of the war. The extreme distance between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain caused confusion, loss of money, and trouble for the British that the Americans did not have to experience. Guerrilla warfare and French involvement also guided the Americans to their victory. With these factors, the Americans were led to the independence and turned into the country we have today. Works Cited "American and British Strengths and Weaknesses." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. "American Revolutionary War." American Revolutionary War RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. "Guerrilla warfare." Guerrilla warfare - New World Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. Mele, Bryan M. Magliocca Marie. Victory at Yorktown. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. "Reasons behind the Revolutionary War." Reasons behind the Revolutionary War | NCpedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. "Reasons for the Revolution on Colonial Williamsburg's Web Site." Reasons for the Revolution on Colonial Williamsburg's Web Site : The Colonial Williamsburg Official History & Citizenship Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. "The Battle of Saratoga." The Battles of Freeman's Farm and Bemis Heights. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. Trust, Civil War. "FAQ about the American Revolutionary War." Campaign 1776. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2017. U.S. Department of State. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. 01 May 2017.
After the French and Indian War, Great Britain was in tremendous debt and had additional land to rule. By cause of their debt and their obligation to their new land, they began to put taxes on the colonists living in that land. The colonists were enraged because they were getting taxed without representation in British Parliament. Two acts that caused some of these reactions are the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts. Overall, British actions after 1763 caused numerous reactions from the colonists, which led to the American Revolution.
For starters, The American Revolution was waged as a war of last resort because the colonists could not execute any more plans to make truce with Britain peacefully. According to John Dickinson in The Olive Branch Petition the colonists wrote, “We therefore beseech your Majesty, that your royal authority and influence may be graciously interposed to procure us relief from our afflicting fears and jealousies, occasioned by the system before-mentioned, and to settle peace through every part of our Dominions, with all humility submitting to your Majesty’s wise consideration, whether it may not be expedient, for facilitating those important purposes, that your Majesty be pleased to direct some mode, by which the united applications of your faithful
About one-third of the colonists were patriots who were ready to take any means necessary to fight for independence for their country. The patriots were so passionate about their cause that they would torture or even kill loyalists or indifferent people. Because of this strong passion, the colonists had much more to gain then the British had to lose. The British had other colonies and other forms of export and import to create a profit, but if the Colonists lost they would have lost their independence and freedom.
In the second half of the eighteenth century, the British were faced with rebelling colonies. Finally realizing that they had to fight to keep their colonial possessions, the British sent troops to America. Once the battles began in America, the British were not impressed with the colonial military, but the weak militias soon proved to be effective. With foreign aid from France, American devotion, and the lack of British vigor, the Americans soon discovered the open doors of independence. In my opinion, the American advantages and the British disadvantages proved to be the downfall of the English in the American Revolution.
The Americans had an advantage over the British for a simple reason: they were fighting for something they wanted, rather than the British fighting to “play defense” and prevent American independence. Americans colonists wanted to become an independant nation, have a new system of self governance, claim equal rights for all citizens, and rid themselves from tyranny. The Patriots who fought in the Revolution were primarily fighting for independence from Britain, and it was that similar goal that boosted morale. As stated in the Declaration of Independence American colonists were subject to a “long train of abuses and usurpations” and it was also argued that the British tyranny forced colonists to “alter their former system of government”. Therefore, the Patriots were fighting for a cause that affected their everyday lives which inspired them even more to defeat Britain. The British was fed up with the casualties and heavy taxes to pay for the war they were fighting without cause, while the Americans would have done anything to defeat the British. The American colonists and their want to defeat the British for the rights they deserved was a crucial factor to American victory during the revolutionary
The American Revolution (1775-1783) was a war between England and the colonies which were settled earlier by the English. There were many factors and events that led to the American Revolution. The Revolution was mainly an economic rebellion that was fueled by taxation without representation following the French and Indian War. The English Parliament was more often than not considered cruel and unfair by the colonists. With conflicts over trade, taxes and government representation, the colonies were at a starting line of a revolution that would later transform into the basis of the United States of America.
The colonies did not initially desire to succeed and become independent from the British, at first they were very proud of being British. Throughout the years of being a British Colony, The mother country of Britain committed actions that the colonists could not stand much longer. From taxation without representation to quartering British soldiers unwillingly, the tension built up until the colonists eventually rebelled. Some colonists remained loyal to the crown, while others joined the rebellion. These rebellious forces grew in strength and number, when the rebellion grew too big, the Revolution sparked. No longer would the colonist be forced to the British law, the colonists were willing to fight and die for their freedom. This event was
The American Revolution began due to problems within the British economy. The most prevalent issue of the time was "taxation without
There were many factors that led up to the American Revolutionary War, one of these factors were the laws and acts being passed at the time. The British Parliament attempted to limit the power the American Colonist had at the time by taking away from their income. How they did this one may ask? The simple answer is taxes. One of the many taxes imposed was the stamp act. During this time the American colonies were being oppressed by the British one of the first signs of this was the Stamp Act. The act stated that almost anything written had to be stamped and tax...
The connection between Britain and the English colonies was that of the ruling of the colonies by the king of Britain, King George III and his parliament. The king’s ruling was very unfavorable for the colonists because of his tyrannic dictatorship and unjustly taxations. The mere thought of an island ruling an entire continent thousands of miles away with poor communication and lack of supervision of the colonies by the king, did not work in favor of the colonies nor for Britain. Three contributing factors for the outbreak of the American Revolution were (1) the king’s taxes, (2) neglect of the 13 colonies and (3) England’s mercantilism policy. King George III and his decisions were one of the major causes that had the English colonists fumed with anger towards Britain and this eventually led to the American Revolution.
At the time of the Revoloutionary War the British were fighting 3other wars in diffrent parts of the world at the same time. Francewas an allie to the US fighting alongside them in the US butNapolean and the French Empire also decided that it would be aperfect time to attack the British over in Europe. The British werealso fighting the Mongol Empire ( wich was the 2cnd biggest Empireon earth) and also the Japanese Empire. These 3 other Wars hadeverything to lose and everything to gain for the British the warwith the US had nothing for them to gain as it was too young of acountry,so Britain moved on to concentrate on fighting those 3other wars wich they won all 3. Answer 3 Because George Washington was a great leader for his army. Answer 4 Despite the handicaps the Americans faced, there were severalfactors working in their favor. The rebels were fighting adefensive war and they knew their surroundings. The advantage tothe Americans was that they only had to hold out to
There were many reasons for the American colonists fighting against the British in the Revolutionary War in the 1770’s. I disagree that the revolution in the colonies was more about political than economical issues. The cause of the revolutionary war was more of an economic struggle than a political struggle. One of the biggest issues colonists had to deal with was the taxes that the British put on them. Taxes and laws changed how they could live their lives and also put restrictions on them.
Britain had issued huge taxes on the colonists. They had just finished the French and Indian War and were in need of more finances. They decided that the answer was to issue high taxes on the colonists. The colonists could not afford the taxes so this led to the colonial resistance. This would lead to the Revolutionary
Once everyone was against England, the people were ready for war. The American Revolution started for many reasons, some of the few being social, economic, and political changes. These changes provided America with an independent country with its own government. The increase in strict laws and violent events made many Americans angry, and that’s why the revolution began. The French and Indian war, taxes without representation, as well as the first continental congress.
The American Revolution was a war between Britain and their thirteen colonies, the war started because the thirteen colonies, who were also called America, were mad at britain because they were taxing them without