1776: The fateful year

1776 was the year of America's birth, the year of the Declaration of Independence. But it was also very nearly the year in which Britain suppressed the colonial rebellion and returned the colonies to the British Empire. 1776 was a year of opportunity for decisive battles for the British, and one of repeated, monumental mistakes by George Washington's mistakes which frequently put a substantial portion of the Continental Army in danger of destruction or capture. Many argue that the reason it ended up being the first year of a new nation and not the last year of a failed revolt result is because of the collective rejection of the monarchy and formal abandonment of British claim to the United States earmarked with the Treaty of Paris, 1783 (Toth 1989, p. 26). The fact that the states banned together collectively to defend their right to self-governance bolstered the collective resolve to remain free from monarchy and British rule. Had the states attempted to respond individually, the outcome may have been very different and resulted in a failed revolt. American enlightenment, a conglomeration of intellectual, social and political transformation in American society has been credited with the successful separation.

The British had opportunities to defeat the Americans and inflict serious harm; some of which included a weakened Royal Navy because of the Seven Years War and the increased demands of the American Revolution. Even though the British soldiers were better trained, had more resources and were highly regarded as a very professional army worldwide, the infrastructure was significantly weakened. Some authorities maintain that the primary reason for the inability of Britain to squelch the revolt was a lack of understanding as to exactly what was necessary militarily to achieve success. Had Parliament and King George III opted for a politic solution instead of a violent one, many ascertain that the results would have been different; much more cost effectively and would have kept British loyalty to many who were a part of the American colonies ().

The New Jersey and New York campaign of 1776 is said to have had the greatest potential for destroying or capturing a major portion of the rebel army but that potential not realized because of decisions made by General William Howe, uncooperative weather, that neither side had control over, distance, and the decision by then General Washington to attack the Hessians at Trenton December 26, 1776. Historians and scholars maintain that had that decision not been made, the war would have a mute point. But as history indicates, not only did Washington strike a decisive victory at Hessians, he then had another victory shortly thereafter at Princeton. With the extension of enlistments by many soldiers and Washington's decision to spend the winter in Morristown New Jersey, the British had no choice but to withdraw (Billias 1969, p. 123).