The Revolutionary War

The Opponents:

1. The British Empire: world's first (and only ) superpower, first-class navy, small professional army

- only disadvantages were: a divided Parliament, unpopular king, 3000 miles of ocean to cross, had to hire Hessian mercenaries to make army bigger

2. Thirteen rebel colonies: tiny, small population, divided between Patriots (Whigs) and Tories (Loyalists), each had its own volunteer army, and the Congress had its army

Course of the War:

- mostly bad for the Patriots

- George Washington's strategy- based on 2nd Punic War:  Fabius Maximus against Hannibal- fight, run away, fight again

1777- major turning point: Battle of Saratoga

- a large British army commanded by General Burgoyne surrendered- big victory for the Patriots

- the French- decided to begin sending military supplies to the rebelling colonies

- wanted revenge for the Seven Years War

- Foreign soldiers came to serve in Washington's army- from France, Poland, Prussia

British- before 1777, were trying to capture northern colonies, afterward, switched to the South

- Lord Charles Cornwallis- failed, after battles of Kings Mountain, Guilford Court House

- retreated to Virginia- expected to be bailed out by the British Navy at Yorktown

- Washington's army showed up, and the French Navy- surrounded British

Cornwallis did the smart thing- surrendered

-ended the fighting in 1781

British government- decided to quit

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