Victory and IndependenceDecember 1777-1779pgs. 310-312

George Washington at Valley ForgeThe Battle of SaratogaFrance and Spain Join the War

December 1777 – Valley Forge Washington set up headquarters at Valley

Forge, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. The army was almost destroyed by cold and

hunger. By Washington’s own count, 2,898 of his men had no boots.

Many soldiers became ill and died. Many questioned if the army would be strong

enough to win the war.

Help for the Continental Army Friedrich von Steuben of Germany arrived at

Valley Forge during the winter of 1777. He reported to General Washington and took

on the job of drilling the Continental army to prepare them to move quickly during battle.

By the spring of 1778 the soldiers had been trained and were marching well.

The Push for Help The Continental Congress sent Benjamin

Franklin to Paris to ask the French for help. The French were eager to see their enemy, the

British defeated by the Americans but felt they had little chance of winning.

Benjamin Franklin held talks with the French for months.

The Battle of Saratoga The Battle of Saratoga took place in 1777 in

New York. More than 5,000 British soldiers moved south

from Canada hoping to cut the colonies in two.

On October 17, 1777, the British lost to American soldiers led by General Horatio Gates, commander of the New York troops.

The Turning Point of the War The victory at Saratoga convinced France to

join the war with the Americans. The French sent guns, ships, and soldiers to

aid the Continental army. With the help of the French, the Continental

soldiers fought and won more battles.

More Help for the Patriot Army In 1779 Bernardo de Galvez, the Spanish

governor of Louisiana sent guns, food, and money to the Patriots.

Later he led his own soldiers in capturing British forts in what are now the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.