Lycée George-Sand La Châtre

A pitched battle led by colonists against the british during the Revolutionary War.

We will speak about the five biggest myths concerning the period of the American Revolutionary War.

1. The War was between the colonists and the British :

This image represents America (the eagle with the Stars and Stripes), with the French rooster running to its rescue

The myth : when the French came in the war, the colonists had already won the war.

 The reality : France began to give arms and ammunition in 1776. In 1777, before Saratoga, French sent lots of uniforms to America, hundreds of cannons and lots of muskets.The French contribution has been "forgotten" by Americans, although without French help, the Americans couldn’t have won the war !

2. Molly Pitcher, the Cannon Heroine : 

this fearless fighting woman ramming a cannon ball inside the bore could be Molly Pitcher.

The myth : Molly Pitcher was a woman who fought in the Colonist army.

The reality : During the war a lot of women fought but Molly Pitcher never existed, although she is mentioned in 80 % of american history books. Apparently, she is only a fiction created by patriotic historians who wanted to give the nation the image of a famous female warrior like Joan of Arc in France or Boudica in England.

3. The Americans won the war with Frontier Savvy and Guerilla Tactics : 

The epic vision of colonists about to attack, with tactics and especially with courage. Notice how unrealistically young the drummer-boy looks !

 The myth : Colonists were famous guerilla fighters. They dug the difference with ambushes.

 The reality : The image of intelligent guerilla fighters constantly harassing british troops, is far removed from reality ! Americans used guerilla tactics when they had no other choice because the British had defeated them on the battlefield. 

4. The Colonists defeated the mightiest army of the time : 

The famous biblical victory of David, a mere boy armed with a slingshot, over the giant Goliath. It is an allegorical representation of the victory of the colonists against the British troops.

The myth : Revolutionary War is a David- versus-Goliath struggle in the eighteenth century. Powered by their love for liberty, the Americans defeated an army which was superior on all counts .

 The reality : In reality, Americans never confronted the mightiest army of England in the Revolutionary War. Almost 96000 soldiers confronted the Loyalists, and during this time, they also had possessions in Ireland, Caribbean and Gibraltar. So, when France gave equipment to America, this equipment was superior to England. Americans fought England and won the war. Just like David and his army who fought Goliath in his sleep.

5. Except for a few loyalists, most Americans fought to defend for liberty :

 The myth : Books generally account for the presence of a ridiculously small proportion of loyalists. Right ?

 The reality : Wrong ! 1/3 of the population fought for independence. 1/3 was on the royal side. 1/3 was without opinion. The Revolutionary War was a civil war, which opposed almost equivalent groups of colonists and loyalists.