Essay Sample about The Continental Army and Colonists

I believe the most critical factor in helping the Continental Army defeat the British and win independence was the Colonists’ spirit and attitudes. They had to have winning spirits and great attitudes towards their cause. The colonists were fighting for their independence and freedom. They couldn’t just kind of want independence. A quote from our textbook says,” Washington himself was demoralized, and he needed more troops. He wrote to his brother that if he did not get more men, "I think the game will be pretty well up." Enlisted men and civilians were also discouraged. Some returned to their farms. When General Howe offered a pardon to anyone who would swear loyalty to the crown, more than 3,000 Americans, including a signer of the Declaration of Independence, accepted.” (Keller, Zeitz, Holdren, 2009, p.150) George Washington himself was demoralized at one point. Washington needed more men or else their chances of winning were pretty much over. The colonist’s morale and attitudes were not good at that point. A signer of the Declaration of Independence accepted a pardon. It took a pamphlet from Thomas Pain to reignite the Revolution. The American Crisis pamphlet written by Thomas Pain gave hope and strength to the colonists for the continuation of the war. It increased their spirits and attitudes towards the war. Another quote from the textbook says,” A bedraggled army with an inspiring commander had challenged and defeated the best troops the British had. From that time forward, American independence no longer seemed merely wishful thinking. Americans began to believe they could win the war. Against small surprise raids, the British no longer had the upper hand and they knew it. Soon, Americans throughout the country knew it as well. A growing number of men enlisted in the Continental Army “for the duration of the war," as their contracts stated.” (Keller, Zeitz, Holdren, 2009, p.154) Even though the battles in Princeton and Trenton weren’t big, they caused a major turning point in the war. The colonists’ spirits and attitudes to winning were at an all-time high. They went from being the underdogs to having a real chance of winning. More men enlisted and the British no longer had the upper hand. Having more men enlisting was not a bad thing to have. The colonists showed real commitment towards their cause of independence. Likewise to the colonists’ victories in Princeton and Trenton, winning the Battle of Saratoga was also incredibly beneficial to the colonists. It got France’s attention, and later they became an ally. The outcomes may have ended differently if the colonists didn’t have a winning spirit and great attitudes. They could have lost if they didn’t think they had a shot at winning. Having poor morals and thinking you’re going to lose isn’t great to have, especially when you’re fighting a war against Britain. However, I do believe that geography, foreign assistance, and George Washington’s leadership abilities were all very important in defeating the British.