Ryan Houghton: American War of Independence
American War The below is an excert from an academic essay submitted during my undergraduate degree. There have been several studies into the production of gunpowder in the colonies before the formal alliance with France, The precise figure and therefore the quantifiable impact of French imports to America varies by study. Some have suggested that the first study by Stephenson are too pessimistic and his lack of detailed sources discredit his calculations regarding domestic production. Stephenson’s study in 1925 into gunpowder supply resoundingly concludes that “there was no time during the first two and a half years of the Revolution when the colonies had nearly enough powder for their needs.” Even if one takes the view of Salay, who revises up Stephenson’s domestic production figures it is irrefutable that without French supply before Saratoga, “the revolution would have broken down long before that time”. Fortunately for the Americans, the French were willing to spend money and a
