The American Revolution was a war that changed the course of American History forever. It was the rebellion of thirteen North American colonies of Great Britain who declared themselves independent in 1776 as the United States of America. They secured awareness from overseas countries in Europe, and established alliances with France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Eventually, the American coalition defeated the British forces, and established themselves as a world power for many years to come. However, many factors led to Britain losing the American Revolution. A crucial factor which led to America’s victory was the distance between America and Britain. With Britain situated 3,000 miles away from America, it took six weeks to travel to America …show more content…
Because the militiamen, which made up most of the Americans’ forces, were adult white males from towns across the colonies. All adult men between 15 and 60 had to enroll in the militia, therefore they were not as well trained as their British counterparts. They were merchants, farmers, workers, artisans, but not professional soldiers. They employed their use of guerrilla warfare typically used in the countryside on the battlefield. They didn’t wear uniforms, and did not follow orders as they were relatively undisciplined. The militiamen ambushed their opponents, instead of waging open battles with clearly thought-out formations. Their knowledge of the land and their “uncivilised” methods of warfare gave them the key element of surprise, and they used this to their advantage. Another factor which led to the British defeat in the American Revolution was the nationalities of the British forces. Because many of the British soldiers were from countries other than Britain, they had less incentive and less morale as they were not fighting for their country, but fighting for money. This meant that they would be less efficient in battle as they would not be willing to sacrifice themselves for another