Harrison Lee Period 1 CTW Chapter 6 3/2/13 During the American Revolution, Americans in hopes of breaking away from

their oppressive mother country fought for their freedom from the little resources they could gather. From the view of a bystanding nation, America had little chance of defeating one of the greatest military powers in the world. Against all the odds, however, the war was ultimately won in favor of the Americans. Despite the serious disadvantages the Americans had throughout the whole conflict, they also possessed advantages to counter the weaknesses of the British forces. Since the beginning of the war, the disadvantage that the Americans were in was obvious. It was evident that the Americans lacked manpower, and without a proper army draft men could drop out of service any time they chose. In addition, soldiers in the Continental Army received little training and had barely any experience on the battlefield. On the other hand, the British army consisted of experienced, well-disciplined soldiers who received extensive amounts of training. Plus, the British had considerably more supplies unlike the Americans, who constantly ran low on ammunition and sometimes were forced to engage hand-to-hand with the enemy. The Americans nonetheless possessed advantages over the British which allowed them to win the war. Although the lack of sufficient supplies and money proved to be a serious handicap, they learned to use the environment against the British. This strategy of hit-and-run learned from Native Americans was extremely effective against the solid, steady formation of red-coats. Since the British army would strictly engage in combat only when in proper formation and on open ground, guerilla tactics became a common usage of fighting against the British so that no part of the Continental Army would have to face them in a face-to-face, traditional gunfight. Under the leadership of generals such as George Washington, the Americans were able to win many key battles. Most notably was the Battle of Saratoga in 1777, which was a major battle of the Revolution which led to the official alliance of France with America. In combination with patriotism and perseverance, Americans received the aid they needed to finish off the war as victors. Throughout the course of the war, Americans faced many difficulties which prevented them from taking the offensive in many ways. However, prudent decisions and effective strategies ultimately gave them the upper hand against the island which was controlling a continent. Therefore, Americans were able to gain what they needed to win their war, and along with the victory, their independence.