The Continental Army showed more spirit when it won battles and when the alliance with France occurred. My reasoning behind saying that the revolutionary spirit was more satisfied after winning battles is because General Washington knew this fact and would use it to his advantage during the Revolutionary War. An example of this is seen when the textbook states that General Washington “…knew that the morale of his men and the hopes of a new nation required 'some shot' of good news in the face of devastating losses around New York City. So he took the initiative with a desperate gamble to gain a much-needed first victory…” (150) After this first victory a snowball effect came into play that led to another victory at Princeton. Both of these “unexpected victories at Princeton and Trenton saved the cause of independence.” (152) It is very evident that after winning the battles the Continental Army and Patriot morale was high and led to subsequent reinforcements and victories. Likewise, the Battle of Saratoga was another surprising victory, but it did much more to boost the morale of the revolutionary promise. The victory over the English at the Battle of Saratoga gained the attention and support of the French. It is said that “…the American victory at Saratoga was strategically important because it convinced the French to sign two crucial treaties…” with the Patriots. This great victory first brought morale to the Continental Army to continue fighting, but it also brought reinforcements from the French. There is no telling how much the French Army and Navy boosted the revolutionary promise once allied with the American Army. However, it is said that, “The... middle of paper......decided to settle on the lands of the Indians who negotiated at the Treaty of Paris without the consent or representation of the Indians. (175) Likewise, the women who played a role in helping America gain its independence did not receive as well. “The legal status of women in the colonies was governed by British common law, which essentially treated them as children, limiting their role to the domestic sphere.” (173-174) Many of the constraints women faced as they supposedly “won their freedom” were that they could not vote, hold office, and preach. Like both Indians and women, slaves found that they too had not gained freedom at the end of the Revolutionary War. It seems very ironic to think that the Continental Army and the colonists were fighting for freedom when Indians, women and slaves had no more freedom at the end of the war than they had at the beginning of the war.