The English colonists fought a brutal war to gain their independence from the British. Some scholars say the American colonists won independence, while others say that the British lost the war. What strategies did each side implement to win the conflict? What advantages did the English have? What advantages did the Americans have? How well did the fighting go for Americans in the North up to 1778? How did Americans respond to the policy of William Howe in this period? Why did the English decide to begin their southern campaign? What were the major results of the campaign? How free were the former colonials after the last major battle of the War for Independence?