The Colonists and the British had many strengths as well as weaknesses at the onset of the American Revolution. The colonists had the home court advantage including the fact that the British had to organize their plans from 3000 miles away. The British had problems with supplying their troops in a hostile country. The colonies stretched 600 miles by 1000 miles which allowed the colonial militias to hide and attack with surprise and conduct guerilla style warfare. This was a very large amount of area and thus made it difficult for the British to conquer. This also allowed Washington to strike and retreat at will. The colonists were also self-sufficient. They were able to grow enough food to feed their people which proved to be a major advantage. The war was not popular in Britain as they had spent so much time and resources on other recent conflicts with the French and others. The Americans had an important cause with a positive goal. They were fighting for their independence, which gave them the moral advantage. Most colonists supported the rebellion. This included the approximately 5000 African Americans who fought with the colonists. The British had an ineffective government and military leaders. The colonists had outstanding leadership including Washington’s military leadership and Franklin’s diplomatic leadership. They also had the advantage of time. They just needed to hold out while the British needed to conquer. The British needed a clear victory. A draw would mean the colonists won. Most importantly the French provided huge amounts of aid to the colonists by supplying ammunition and military forces.
