Many factors contributed to the patriots’ victory in the Revolutionary War. The French military was their biggest supporter. They were also more emotionally invested, and they knew the terrain better because they lived there. They supported the Patriot cause partly because they wanted to avenge Britain for the French-Indian War a few year before the Revolutionary war. The French also provided ground troops and supplies. French troops and navy helped Patriots because their number was much lower than the British army. The French supplies allowed troops to fight for longer, while maintaining morale. Without morale, soldiers may lose their will to fight in battle. The British had a strong navy. This was also a weakness for the Patriots. Therefore, the French helped the Patriots by supplying their navy. The Patriots may have even lost the battle without the aid of the French navy. The French navy helped win one of America’s most famous battles: the Battle of Chesapeake. It was a battle that cut off vital trade routes to the British, lowering their morale.
Patriots were more emotional in their involvement than British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. Because they were fighting for their own freedom, they had a strong cause. British soldiers fought mainly to earn money, and therefore did not feel as emotionally involved in their battles. Patriots, because of their emotional commitment to the cause, gave their all. Many were willing to sacrifice their lives to achieve their goal. British soldiers had no incentive to give their all and fight hard, as they would still get paid if the British won. As the Patriots lived in colonies for many years, they knew the area well and were able to take advantage of this. They were able, because the British did not understand the geography of America, to ambush or hide from the British and to also retreat without being found. Patriots could use guerrilla warfare because they knew the colonial territory well. They were able ambush enemies in the woods while hiding out. The British also felt the psychological effects of using guerrilla tactics. The British did not know when American Patriots might attack. They used this tactic to take advantage of their local knowledge, which was highly effective. The Patriots were at a distinct disadvantage without this understanding of the terrain. However, guerrilla warfare allowed them to defeat the British despite their smaller numbers.
Overall, despite the smaller number of Patriots, they were successful because they played their strengths. The Patriots were able to win the American Revolutionary War because they had the French as their allies and a strong emotional connection to the cause.
