ON THIS DAY ·
Battles of Saratoga
17 Oct 1777 — Burgoyne surrendered 5,800 men in the woods of New York. The victory persuaded France that the rebels could win; French entry turned the struggle into a world war.
WW2 is free in full, and chapter 1 of every atlas is free. A free account opens 3 more chapters a day. Starter, at $9 a month, opens all 21 with no daily limit — see the plans.
Free printable Age of Revolutions study guide, sent by email ↓
The moment in context
British troops left Boston on 19 April 1775 to seize colonial military stores. At Lexington and Concord they encountered militia, and on the return march they suffered heavy losses. The fighting began a war in which the opponents had different things to accomplish. Britain could take a city, but the rebels could continue fighting elsewhere. Washington had to keep the Continental Army from being destroyed in a decisive battle; as long as it survived, Congress could sustain the struggle and foreign governments could see a rebellion worth supporting.
From American Revolutionary War, chapter 2 of The Age of Revolutions, 1775–1848 (SEP 1783).
The place: Battles of Saratoga — map and full story →
Teach this in 5 minutes
- Why it happened — The Atlantic and the cost of reconquest. An army fighting 3,000 miles from Britain depended on men and supplies sent by sail; an order and its answer could take three months. Distance…
- The turn — Saratoga, 17 October 1777. The British plan called for three columns to converge on Albany. They did not meet: Howe went to Philadelphia, while Burgoyne advanced south and…
- What it changed — Written constitutions as examples. American state constitutions, followed by the federal Constitution of 1787, offered a working precedent for government under written, ratified and…
Then ask the room: Britain had a powerful navy, great resources and a professional army. Could it ever have won? The argued answer is on the chapter page →
The atlas that shows it
THE FREE PRINTABLE STUDY GUIDE
Get the printable study guide for The Age of Revolutions free. I’ll send you a few short letters, then one when a new atlas opens. That’s all. — Paul
NO TRACKING · YOUR ADDRESS IS USED FOR THE DISPATCH AND NOTHING ELSE · UNSUBSCRIBE ANYTIME