The Battle of Saratoga

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The Battle of Saratoga

• The turning point in the Revolutionary War

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Embarrassing the British

• The defeats at Trenton and Princeton embarrassed
  the British.
• Spring 1777 The British wanted to strike back
• The British attack the Patriots at Fort
  Ticonderoga, Lake Ontario, and New York City
• The three armies would come together at Albany,
  New York

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Delays to Albany

• The British successfully recapture Fort
  Ticonderoga
• Burgoyne was slow in heading towards Albany
• Colonists had chopped down large trees across his
  path to slow his progress
• Burgoyne was also greedy
• He was travelling with 30 wagons of luxury goods

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Delays to Albany

• Attacking Philadelphia
• General Howe decided to attack Philadelphia
  first, before heading towards Albany
• General Howe captures Philadelphia after winning
  at Brandywine and Paoli
• The Continental Congress flees

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Delays to Albany

• Burgoyne runs low on food and supplies
• Sends 800 troops and Native Americans to Capture
  Bennington, Vermont
• The Greene Mountain Boys attack the British at
  Bennington
• Burgoyne flees to Saratoga, New York

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Waiting in Saratoga

• Burgoyne was in Saratoga waiting for
  reinforcements
• They never came
• Howe was still in Philadelphia
• St. Leger had been stopped by the Americans at
  Fort Stanwix
• Burgoyne was on his own

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The Battle of Saratoga

• Burgoynes troops were badly outnumbered by the
  Patriots 3/1
• General Horatio Gates attacked from the South
• Benedict Arnold attacked from the North
• The British troops were surrounded
• October 17, 1777
• Patriots capture Burgoynes entire army
• 5,700 British Soldiers
• All their Weapons

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Battle of Saratoga - Map
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The Turning Point in the Revolution

• Great Victory for the Patriots
• Capture John Burgoyne
• General Howe Resigns
• British appoint a new General
• General Henry Clinton
• Morale Booster for the Patriots
• Led to increased foreign support for the Patriots
• This event will make one of the most brilliant
  pages of American History.
• Patriot James Thacher

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Gaining Foreign Allies

• European nations realized that the United States
  might actually win its war against Great Britain.
• Some European nations gave Americans money and
  supplies but would not committed to an alliance.
• Benjamin Franklin seeks to gain support of the
  French and Spanish in the Americans fight for
  independence.

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France joins the War

• France sees that the Americans will probably win
• February 1778 France and the U.S. form an
  alliance
• France declares war on Great Britain
• France sends money, equipment, and troops to the
  American Patriots

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Spain joins the War

• Spain joins the war because of their hatred
  toward Great Britain
• 1779 Spain Declares war on Great Britain
• Bernardo de Gálvezs -raised army against the
  British
• Captured British troops and Forts in the South

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Individuals Support Patriots Cause

• Marquis de Lafayette
• Wealthy Frenchman
• Summer 1777
• Spoke little English
• Lacked combat experience
• Gave 200,000 to the Patriots
• Becomes a trusted aid to Washington
• The welfare of America is closely bound up with
  the welfare of mankind.

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The Americans were on their way to Independence