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A Tale of Two Campaigns
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fewmiles north of Philadelphia. But the battle plan was complicated. The
attack soon went awry. After several hours of fighting, the Continental
Army was compelled to withdraw.
A Crucial Alliance
The Battle of Germantown looked like another demoralizing defeat for
Washington’s army. But across the Atlantic Ocean 3,000 miles away,
French leaders saw the battle differently. It was evidence of George Wash-
ington’s courage and resolve. Washington would never give up. More
important, the Continental victory at Saratoga convinced the French that
the Americans could actually win the war.
On February 6, 1778, France and the United States signed the Treaty of
Alliance. It committed France to joining the fight against Great Britain. Some
12,000 French soldiers would eventually be sent to America. And, critically,
the French navy would challenge the Royal Navy’s dominance at sea.
Text-dependent questions
1. What did the British hope to accomplish through Gen-
eral John Burgoyne’s invasion from Canada?
2. Which battle paved the way for the British to occupy
Philadelphia?
3. With which country did the United States sign a treaty
on February 6, 1778?
Research project
War brings terrible suffering to the soldiers, sailors, and other
military personnel who do the fighting. But in many cases it also
has profound effects on civilians. Use the library or Internet to find
some first-hand accounts of what life was like for women, children,
and other civilians during the Revolutionary War.
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