How could a few small colonies ....

[Mikey]

How could a few small colonies, in just a little over 200 years become a GREAT world leader with influence thoughout the entire planet ?

ANSWER:

Because -- BECAUSE WE'RE DAMN GOOD

Happy 4th peeps



m

[batmanmc]

happy 4thof july mike. hope everyoe has a safe happy healthy one. mike

[txteach]

Actually the British were fighting a war with France and didn't want to be involved with us anymore. More of a case of where their priorities lie. They needed troops and ships to fight elsewhere. They always thought they could bring us back to the fold later (war of 1812).

[SUP-Ronin]

Happy 4th of July everyone. Enjoy the fire works, and don't anybody blow off a finger or be horribly burned up by a silly accident. Remember to put down your beer before lighting a Roman Candle.

[Wee67]

Actually the British were fighting a war with France and didn't want to be involved with us anymore. More of a case of where their priorities lie. They needed troops and ships to fight elsewhere. They always thought they could bring us back to the fold later (war of 1812).

Very true. This is your more area of expertise, but I would suggest a few other things that helped strengthen the nation over the early years.

-It was immensely defensible. With the European powers an ocean away, it allowed the colonists to build up defenses, or at least be left alone. (and with the aforementioned European pointing of guns at each other, we didn't have to worry as much)

-Rich in resources. Once we figured out what would and wouldn't grow here, we also discovered this was a pretty fertile ground.

-The federal nature of government. This allowed the disparate colonies to continue to cooperate for several decades and grow into a national identity (until the question was forced and a decision made through Civil War)

-The germs we brought. This really helped to eliminate much of the local resistance we might have faced. I guess domesticating and hanging out with so much livestock paid off. Yes, there were wars, but the guns and steel, to borrow from a phrase, helped with that.


I'm sure there are tohers that helped allow this little experiment to grow and strengthen in those early years. Some were matters of accident and happenstance, but I do believe many were the result of intentional effort.

[BlackKnight]

become a GREAT world leader with influence thoughout the entire planet ?

Yep.... " We Done Good" .


http://gliving.tv/news/wp-content/up...bal-waming.jpg

[jessica]

Happy Fourth, everyone!!

[Mikey]

m

[Bo8a_Fett]

Money...loads of it

[Bo8a_Fett]

Actually the British were fighting a war with France and didn't want to be involved with us anymore. More of a case of where their priorities lie. They needed troops and ships to fight elsewhere. They always thought they could bring us back to the fold later (war of 1812).

Thanks for pointing that out John...France, Spain and the Dutch all declared war on Britain around that time(within a 2 year period during the war)...the British populance also could not see the point of having a war so far away...and therefore did not support it...much the same as they lacked support in the zulu and boer wars. Seeing as the armed forces of Britain at the time (as with many armies of the period) depended on support from its populance.
I wonder if the war of independance could actually qualify as a world war....most of the "big" powers were involved...the Colonies, Britain, France, the Dutch, germans were hired as mercenaries by the British (at least 30,000),Africa could even be said to have been involved as slaves and free men fought on both sides, Congresss authorised an invasion of Canada....the war with France spilt over into India ( the Second Anglo-Mysore War ), the West Indies....seems most of the globe is represented there except the Russians and asian countries.

[toys2cool]

Actually the British were fighting a war with France and didn't want to be involved with us anymore. More of a case of where their priorities lie. They needed troops and ships to fight elsewhere. They always thought they could bring us back to the fold later (war of 1812).

good info

[Adam West]

Also, because of resource restraints, the Brits tried to use a single crushing blow believing that it was all that would be needed to bring the colonies back in line. It was also common for soldiers to fight using a certain style of face to face engagement and were surprised at the guerilla style warfare used.

Once France got involved, they provided much needed naval protection and the Dutch provided loans necessary to pay for military supplies and salaries.

[Bo8a_Fett]

The British had too few troops in the colonies and little hope of any more...hence the mercenaries and Africans fighting on thier side...Only the strong Naval presence kept the war going until the French intervened and naval strength on both sides became more even. The British Navy and Army at the time..although well respected as a force...were becoming antiquated and was often called "creaking"....with little interest in the war on the home front plus further wars nearer home no new units of any kind were sent to relieve or strengthen the troops already over there.