What was the turning point in the Revolutionary War?

Question

What do you think was the greatest determining factor in the victory of the American Colonies in thier revolution againsts the Britis?
I need to write a term paper (atl. 1000 words)
I need help making up a thesis.

Answer 1

The battle of Saratoga as turning point is well-known and widely agreed upon, so that probably won't get you very far.

Here are a few alternative directions (I think ALL were necessary, but that makes it easy to argue that any one was "key".)

A) Foreign support:

Of course, one reason Saratoga is chosen is that it encouraged France to finally fully commit to the American cause. So along those lines you COULD focus on the role played by 'foreigners' -- from French, Spanish and Dutch forces, to key leaders in battle and in training American troops. (A nice telling of the story of foreign add is Barbara Tuchman's *First Salute*.)

B) The British themselves

you could go is the CONSTRAINTS on the British -- that they didn't commit everything to winning:
- forces occupied elsewhere (which is why George hired German armies to help [including 'Hessians'])
- strong and growing opposition to the whole effort in Parliament (mainly by the Whigs, who eventually won out)

Related to this might be their ASSUMPTIONS (or PRE-sumptions) that they would not have any trouble winning This at times caused them to be LESS AGRESSIVE and to delay actions --for convenience or weather-- when immediate action might brought a quick and decisive victory. On several occasions they might have struck and destroyed the main army under Washington.

C) American actions?

As has been noted in a correction, it was also NOT "guerilla warfare", at least not to any significant degree. Though there is ONE important factor related to that which may help with your answer. The colonials did have to learn when NOT to "stand and fight". If sharpshooters, etc., could DELAY the British troops it gave the American an opportunity to re-position or simply ESCAPE!

From the American angle I think I'd say that, aside from the importance of simply keeping an army in the field (not easy through those tough winters!) the key for the Americans was DEFENSE. They did NOT need a lot of outright victories, but simply to wear the British out till they gave up fighting. Some of the big keys to successfully 'playing defense', including knowing how and when to move on, how to DELAY the British... and how to TRICK them.

A few key examples:

Washington didn't really know how to wage defensive war at the start, and so some early losses in New York were ALMOST complete disasters, except that he figured out how, when pinned down, to sneak most of his army out during the night (using deception, including maintaining campfires). His Christmas time gambit of crossing the Delaware was a key example of trickery, but there were many others, including his success at convincing the British his forces encamped at Morristown were much larger than they actually were.

(He also managed to fool them about his readiness when during their first year there he decided on the risky move of having all the soldiers inoculated. This meant they were sick and unable to fight for a long stretch, and an attack then would have destroyed them.)
More on these matters in Bruce Chadwick, *Washington's War* (or, for the Battle of Trenton, etc., see David Hackett Fisher's *Washington's Crossing*)

He also ran an extensive spy network. In his book, *Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring", Alexander Rose tells of the important work of the "Culper Ring" of Long Island, which he presents as the key, in the summer of 1778, to Washington's breaking his stalemate with the British (another "turning point"?)

In fact, the final battle at Yorktown was set up with a bit of trickery (and a bit of luck!) that misled the British leaders about where the American army was headed... and ultimately leading them into a trap, where French naval forces blockade prevented the British from escaping or getting supplies. (More on this in Barbara Tuchman's *First Salute*)

As for one of the BIGGEST underappreciated "delay" tactics -- esp. in light of the agreed on "turning point"-- one year before Saratoga, in the Battle of Valcour Island (or "First Battle of Lake Champlain") Benedict Arnold threw together a fleet to fight the British on Lake Champlain (including, oddly enough four galley ships!) He lost most of his vessels, but prevented the British from taking Fort Ticonderoga and delayed the British attempt to invade from Canada till the next year. Note this -- no Valcour Island, no Saratoga-- the British invasion would have succeeded in 1776 and perhaps ended the war.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Valcour_Island
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1291.html
http://www.schoonerman.com/navalhistory/first_battle_of_lake_champlain.htm
http://www.pellew.com/Exmouth/Exmouth%20006/Champlain.htm

Answer 2

The capability of the United States navy to win a decisive struggle towards the British from its possess assets, with out overseas aid, satisfied the French that the U.S. might win its independence from Britain with French help. The French have been watching for a solution to make inroads within the Americas after having been all however pushed off the continent for the duration of the French and Indian War only a few years prior. A pleasant, impartial U.S. republic allied to France and open to French exchange was once very attractive to them. After Saratoga, the French started to overtly perform the conflict at the U.S. facet, and in addition satisfied Spain and the Netherlands to take facet. Eventually, and after different defeats and a moment mass give up of a British navy, the British selected to make peace and appreciate the United States as an impartial country.

Answer 3

Aside from the Battle of Saratoga, you need to investigate the idea of the guerrilla warfare. Contrary to popular belief, we DID NOT beat the British by hiding behind rocks and trees, as many would have you believe. I have been on every Rev War battlefield and, save for King's Mountain, there are not enough rocks and trees for an army to hide behind. In 1777, Ben Franklin introduced the Baron Von Steuben to the colonies and Washington made him the army's drill master. He taught a simplified drill to the Continental Army and trained them in linear tacticts....the same thing the British were using. The US Army came into its own at the Battle of Monmouth in June of 1778 because they slugged it out with the British in linear fashion....and did not run as they did in the past. Please don't get caught up in the "we won because of Indian tactics" nonsense. Look up Von Steuben and see what he brought to the table.

Answer 4

I just got done with that unit in my history class, and we all determined the turning point (in our opinion) was the Battle of Saratoga because it gained the Americans an ally - France. Also, after that battle, everyone began to believe that the Americans actually had a chance.

Edit: I forgot to add- Good luck with the term paper! :]

Answer 5

I agree with the above answers, I was just responding to something starslugger09 said:
We weren't the ones to develop guerilla warfare. The Americans adopted the strategy from their experience with Native Americans.

Answer 6

The main battle that swung the war in the Americans' favor was the Battle of Saratoga.

If you're looking for actual factors, I would say the fact that there were no naval battles, it was on American turf, and we developed the new "guerilla warfare" as opposed to standing in rows or formations and allowing the out-numbering British to stand there and blow us away.