1. Victory and Independence December 1777-1779 pgs. 310-312 George Washington at Valley Forge The Battle of Saratoga France and Spain Join the War

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.