Great Britain
Strengths
Weaknesses
•
Strong Army
•
Long supply lines
•
Navy
•
Unfamiliar territory
•
Strong central government
•
Weak military leaders
•
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Support of Loyalists
Some support at home for
American cause
America
Strengths
Weaknesses
•
“Home Field Advantage”
•
•
Good military and civilian
leaders.
Untrained and undisciplined
soldiers.
•
Shortage of food and
ammunition.
•
Inferior Navy.
•
No strong central
government.
•
Inspiring cause to fight for
Financing the War
•
Congress did not have enough
hard currency to finance the
entire war so they had to
borrow money by selling bonds
to American investors and
foreign governments.
•
Bonds gave the Congress
money they could use to pay
for the war but it created debt;
the investors who purchased
bonds would have to be paid
back with interest.
The Blockade
•
•
The British naval blockade of
American ports hurt the
United States in many ways.
•
It made it difficult to secure
war materials with which to
fight the British
•
It made it difficult for the
United States to trade with
other nations.
This led to daring blockade runners or “privateers” risking their
ships and their lives to sneak through the blockade to supply
the citizens and army of the United States with supplies.
Women at War
Women at War
•
As men marched off to fight in the war, women saw their role at
home change.
•
Women supported the war effort by taking over the
management of farms and businesses.
•
Women also made ammunition for the Continental Army in
their homes.
•
Some women followed their loved ones into battle and served
as nurses
•
Still others, like Mary McCauly or “Molly Pitcher” as she was
known, actually took part in the fighting.
Life as a Soldier
•
American soldiers were
volunteers who were farmers
or merchants.
•
They ranged in age from their
teens to their fifties.
•
They were usually
malnourished and poorly
equipped.
•
While they were promised to
be paid their pay was often
late in arriving and less than
expected.
•
Living conditions were often
abysmal.
Valley Forge
The French
•
From the beginning leaders
in the Continental Congress
(John Adams) knew securing
the aid of France would be
essential in winning a war
with Great Britain.
•
The French had been
secretly aiding the
Americans with supplies
since early 1776 and leaders
such as Marquis de
Lafayette had come to
America to give military
assistance.
The French
•
After the Battle of Saratoga the French decided to go all in to
help America.
•
The most important aid came in the form of the French Navy.
•
Without the French fleet victory for the Americans would not
have been possible.