Which battle assured american independence

It now seemed that the decisive arena of the war lay not in North America, or even in the West Indies where the combined Spanish and French fleets outnumbered what ships the British could afford to send, but elsewhere. The decisive point of the war now revolved around the strategic goals of the three major European powers. The victory at Yorktown encouraged France to continue fighting, and neither France nor Spain was ready to make peace since they had not yet achieved their basic aims.

Great Britain, on the other hand, was fighting too many enemies in too many places. The British had been fighting a world war for several years, and the goal of subduing the Americans began to become secondary in importance compared to that of defending the homeland and far-flung interests in the West Indies, India and elsewhere. The four years from October to October had seen two entire British armies lost in the American theater. The costs of continuing the war were rising, and the result was an increasingly heavy tax burden on the middle classes, which controlled the balance of power in the House of Commons.

King George III was still determined to continue the effort to suppress the American rebellion, but the opposition party in the Commons began to gain support from the critical group of lukewarm government supporters. By March Lord North had been forced to resign as prime minister. Although the new ministry did not immediately end the war, it did open the way for preliminary peace negotiations with the United States. Another 16 months were to pass before final peace treaties were concluded and ratified, but by November the British had conceded the most critical issue — the independence of the United States.

The Battle of Trenton was was fought on Christmas American forces surprised German mercenary forces known as Hessians because they originated in the German state of Hesse and after defeating them, captured almost everyone with very few losses.

The Battle of Trenton was important in that it restored the American morale which was low following the massive defeats and evacuation of New York City. The Battle of Saratoga in was a turning point in the Revolutionary War. Burgoyne had intended to split the new country in half, cutting off New England from the rest of the country but failed.

The Battle of Saratoga also marked the point when foreign powers, especially France, decided to give support to the American cause. Valley Forge is where George Washington and the Continental Army camped during the winter of The troops suffered from harsh cold, starvation, and disease. Washington managed to miraculously hold the army together and together with news that the French would enter the war on the American side, the tempered army was able to leave in the spring of and recapture Philadelphia.

France then supplied the United States with much needed troops, supplies, and military - especially naval support. The Treaty of Alliance would last until officially despite being unofficially ended by the Neutrality Act of In the British shifted their strategy for the war by moving towards the south. In after a six week siege, the British army captured Charleston South Carolina. Battle of Camden by Alonzo Chappel. The battle was important in that it came after many defeats in the area and improved moral among American forces.

The Battle of Cowpens by William Ranney. The Battle of Cowpens in was a turning point in the American southern campaign to liberate South Carolina from British control. This battle set into motion the events that ultimately led to the end of the war and the defeat of the British. Surrender of Lord Cornwallis by John Trumbull. Ultimately, Britain won the battle for the allegiance, or at least neutrality, of the Canadiens.

It benefitted from the Quebec Act of , from American political and military missteps, and from the desire of many French Canadians to steer clear of a war between what many deemed occupiers and outsiders.

Incorporating the province of Quebec into the British Empire was challenging, as imperial officials tried to balance the rights and needs of both old and new colonists.

The British governors, however, believed that the empire was better served by making compromises so as to integrate the French Catholic majority. The Quebec Act maintained British criminal law in that province, but preserved French property and civil law for Canadien inhabitants.

It also allowed Canadien Catholics to practice their religion freely. These new subjects of the British Empire, however, were expected to swear allegiance to the King and defend the crown against traitorous conspiracies. The Quebec Act, which was supposed to strengthen empire, thus served to divide it further. The divide deepened when the lower thirteen colonies became more open in their resistance against Britain and increased their attempts to recruit first Anglo and then French Canadians.

The First Continental Congress, upon its assembly in September to consider responses against the Coercive and Quebec Acts, consciously adopted anti-Catholic and pro-rights rhetoric in order to attract supporters. The Second Continental Congress, convened in , followed the First by urging the Canadians to join the confederation and promising religious liberty.

American forces carried political tracts as they marched into Canada in the fall of with the dual purpose of impeding possible strikes into their colonies and encouraging Canadians to support the rebellion. Not everyone acted upon such sentiments, however. Wooster arrested Loyalists and clamped down on Catholic clergy as he tried to stifle protest and rebellion against the occupation of Montreal. Not only were some Anglo-Canadians inclined to side with the Americans, but French Canadians were divided.

The gentry seigneurs and clergy tended to support the government, but many of the common people habitants did not. They also, however, were not willing to turn out to defend the province against the Americans.

Rather, they wanted to weigh their options and see whether the Americans could capture the lands and earn the loyalties of the Canadian peoples.