Video: Brothers at Arms
An in-depth examination by historian Larrie D. Ferreiro of the European allies who made victory in the American Revolution possible.
The American Revolution played out mostly on North American soil, but it might never have succeeded without its European allies. Two of Britain’s most formidable rivals, France and Spain, both offered crucial contributions to the Thirteen American Colonies during the war. The alliance with France came first, in 1778. Before that formal alliance, however, France had already been smuggling supplies to the Continental Army for years. Spain joined the war due to its alliance with France, offering similar help to the chronically undersupplied colonists. Together, the two European powers provided enough naval, military, and material aid to push the advantage to the colonists.
How much of the American Revolution was fueled by European politics? The answer is complex and deeply tied to centuries of European history and colonialism. And while France and Spain provided the most support, individuals from other countries flocked to the cause as well. Kosciuszko, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, Lafayette, Johann de Kalb, and Casimir Pulaski are among the most famous foreign officers to serve in the Continental Army.
Here to help us make sense of the intricate diplomacy of the Revolution is historian Larrie D. Ferreiro. He discusses the scramble for economic control of the Americas in the 1600s and 1700s, as well as the long-standing religious conflicts between Britain, France, and Spain. The end result is the perfect storm that allowed the Thirteen Colonies to escape the grip of the British Empire and found the independent United States of America.
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