Why was the American Revolution a success?

Answer 1

1. Home Field Advantage: The Continental Army's supplies and troops all came from local sources. The British troops had to take a journey of 2 1/2 to 3 months across the stormy Atlantic to fight and die in a foreign country away from all they knew, whereas the colonists were fighting in their own backyard. The Continental Army had more motivation.

2. Guerilla Tactics: The Continental Army often wore different colored clothing and would lay ambushes for British patrols, where as the British were wearing bright red and marching in straight lines.

3. The French Navy came through big time, trapping General Cornwallis in the final days of the war.

Answer 2

If you mean why were the Colonials able to assert their Independence then it is because:

1) In the 18th century, even the world's pre-eminent naval power, Great Britain, could not fully project its military power across a major ocean even without interference from the colonials or their allies.

2) The American Revolution was part of a larger conflict between Britain and France which absorbed significant British resources.

3) British strategy in North America was complicated by the relatively large distances and low population density. With only the limited forces permitted due to factors 1 & 2 above, the British could not hope of occupy the entirety of the rebel colonies.

4) The active intervention of France in aid of the rebels a)forced the British to move to defend their sugar island plantations in the Caribbean, any one of which was worth, at the time, more than the entire 13 colonies combined and b) increased the difficulty of resupplying British forces.

5) The net result of the above was to force the British to resolve the North American conflict so as to allow them to avoid further injury by their European enemies.

Answer 3

Because some of the British people and some of the MP's were not wholly committed to pay the enormous price that would have been necessary to successfully defeat the rebellion. George Washington and others including Both Robert and Gouverneur Morris, and the soldiers and sailors who were doing the fighting and dying refused to let the rebellion be defeated and once it became a world war against Britain and her colonies, it was a matter of not losing the war until Britain got too tired of paying for the war.

Menehune- Tolerance and cooperation were NOT an element of the American Revolution, there were many instances of what would be considered today, terrorism against patriots and tories. Even after the Treaty, cooperation between the states was not consistent or even existent in many places, some states were putting up internal tariffs against good from other states.

It wasn't until the USC was adopted that guaranteed cooperation between the states and not until after the Civil War that toleration was codified and toleration is still not universal in the US today.

Rillifane-

The American Revolution occurred before and was taking place for two years before war began between the major colonial powers Britain, France, Netherlands, Spain, so it is incorrect to say that the Revolution was a part of a world war. Unlike the War of 1812, when a World War was going on already before the US declared war upon Britain, in 1775, the American Revolution was going on and became part of a World War.

Bearstirringfrom-

The US and Britain did NOT resume trading after the Revolution as you state. It was not until the Jay Treaty of 1794 that legal trade between the US and the British Empire were allowed to continue.

The Jay Treaty of 1794; ARTICLE XI.

It is agreed between His Majesty and the United States of America, that there shall be a reciprocal and entirely perfect liberty of navigation and commerce between their respective people, in the manner, under the limitations, and on the conditions specified in the following articles.

As to the best of Britain becoming American, that is not close to being true, there were many of Britain's best that may have agreed with the American Cause, did not become American, such as Thomas Paine, William Pitt, Charles Fox and many others.

And many that became Americans were not necessarily the best Britain had, for instance, Thomas Jefferson's PR is much better than his actual accomplishments. Jefferson's big accomplishment was writing the Declaration of Independence, yet, he did not come up with the ideas himself, he simply drafted the DoI, he took the words and writings of many other people, including people who were too busy actually trying to deliver independence to take the time to draft a declaration. In addition, his document was so edited by the other members of the Continental Congress, that he disowned anything to do with the final draft of the DoI.

whale

Answer 4

Wow Menehune hits one out of the park - - - - yes the American Revolution is a work in progress and seems to be progressing nicely despite our best eforts to screw up. The American Revolution was a solution to an odd set of probems. How best to Govern the American Colonies. In truth the American Revolution was an off shoot of British Liberalism, and while it took several decades for the seed of British Liberalism to flower on Native Soil, and the U K kept the Monarchy as a Souvenier - - - here in America those Liberal Notions enumerated by Menehune took root and grew through a stormy two hundred year plus period.

Great Britain simply did not have the resources or the nerve to subdue America. Kindred souls, as evidence by the fact that as soon as the 'Revolution' was over, the two nations continued trading, etc. Even the best efforts of Thomas Jefferson and his cronies to steer America into a stronger bond/alliance with France failed, America's natural ties were and remain rooted in Eglish Laws & Customs, with an AMerican Slant.

Britains brightest & finest were born on American Soil - - - John Adams, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, many others, all were BRITSH but they decided to break with their parents and set up a new life and both parties prospered as a result of that break. Children should leave the nest and there need not be bitterness or recrimination.

Pax------------------------------

Answer 5

The question should be worded "Why IS the American Revolution a Success?"
The American Revolution has brought "Rule of Law" to a very high level. Majority rule and minority rights are keys to the democracy.
Tolerance and cooperation are key to the "American Way". This does not mean there is always tolerance and cooperation but that they are constant themes of the society.
Inclusion has lead to not only territorial expansion but a "melting pot" where where cultural values are shared.
Government serves as a useful tool, not an end unto itself.

Answer 6

Top Ten Reason Americans won Revolution:


French kept surrendering; Brits tied up taking prisoners;

British marched on the left of the road, Americans on the right; never made contact;

Too may tea breaks!

Cricket takes so long to play ( versus baseball ) most British troops never got into battle;

Reinforcements coming from Europe got lost in Bermuda Triangle;

Never got those Red Coats back from the cleaners.;

Stayed in towns, watching BBC America on cable and getting homesick;

Didn't have exact change for GW Bridge, Jersey Turnpike, etc...

Patriots had Brady and Belicheck;

and the Number One Reason:

Thought they were fighting the NEW YORK Yankees; spent their time in the Bronx booing A-Rod

Answer 7

because the British grossly underestimated our resolve and there isn't a harder army to defeat than one that is fighting for it's homeland or its religion

Answer 8

they achieved home rule

to the person above me; britain did have the nerve and supply's they just couldnt get it to america quickly enough

Answer 9

Because Americans are awesome!!! Yeah!!!!