The Revolutionary War was a time of great division. Americans were split into two groups: Patriots and Loyalists. Patriots were Americans who supported the struggle for independence. They believed that Americans should be free from the control of an English king. They fought against the English to establish a new government in America. Loyalists were Americans who remained loyal to the crown. Some of them were happy under English rule. Others believed that they might be rewarded after the Americans lost the war. Though both Patriots and Loyalists lived in America, a deep division ran between them.

There were many important battles in the Revolutionary War, but perhaps none were more important than the Battles of Saratoga. The results of the Battles of Saratoga shifted the momentum of the war toward the Americans. Though they had previously lost numerous battles, the Americans captured British General Burgoyne’s army during the Battles of Saratoga. This victory convinced other countries, especially France, that the Americans could win the war. Because of this, not only did France declare war on England, but other nations also began openly supporting the American fight for independence. The Battles of Saratoga will be remembered as a pivotal moment in this fight.

In most cases American soldiers could not stand toe-to-toe against British soldiers. The British were better trained, better armed, and more experienced. When the American soldiers attempted to match the British, they suffered heavy losses. The Americans had to use what advantages they had, so they developed what are now known as Guerilla Warfare tactics. Guerrilla warfare is a form of fighting where small groups of fighters use ambushes, sabotages, and the elements of surprise to harass a larger, less mobile army. By using Guerilla Warfare tactics, American soldiers were able to equalize some of the British’s advantages on the battlefield.

American soldiers during the Revolutionary War suffered horrible conditions to win independence. You can experience some of these conditions by eating the same food that soldiers ate at Valley Forge: fire cake. Fire cake is a horrible tasting blob of burnt gluten. To make some first mix flour with water until you get thick, damp dough. Then, form it into a cake and in your palms. Put this doughy lump on a greased cookie sheet and bake it until it is brown. This will be very similar to the awful fire cakes that American soldiers ate at Valley Forge. Enjoy!

During the Revolutionary War, Americans learned just how important friends can be. When the Americans declared independence on July 4th, 1776, they had virtually no allies. But on February 6th, 1778, after the American victory at Saratoga, the French assisted the American cause. The French went into deep debt helping the Americans. The Americans would receive additional help in June of 1779, when the Spanish joined the fight against the British. They would secure Southern ports and supply lines. Without the help of these allies, many more Americans would have died in the fight for independence.

Having a dog in your home can serve many purposes, but living with a poorly trained dog is not worth the mess. These mangy mutts will go potty inside of your home. This can stain your floors and make your house smell bad. In order to prevent this you have to teach your dog to go potty outside. This may require you to go on a lot more walks with your dog. You may have to sit outside for long periods of time while you are waiting for your dog to use it. But it will be worth it to not have a bunch of dog mess all over your house. So if you love your dog but hate cleaning dog-doo off of the rug, teach your dog the right way to go.

If you want to form a strong relationship with your dog, try playing fetch. It’s fun and easy to do, and if everything goes well your dog should do most of the fetching. Just find something that your dog wants to retrieve, such as a stick, a thick rope tied in knots, or a squeaky toy. Show it to your dog to get his or her interest. Shake it around in your hand and call out the dog’s name. Once they are paying attention, throw the object as far as you can. Be careful not to throw it anywhere that you wouldn’t want your dog to go, like the middle of the road or under a china cabinet. Hopefully your dog will bring the object back to you. When he or she does, praise your dog and command him or her to drop the object. Pick it up and repeat the process for the next 10 to 15 years.

The lion is often thought of as the king of the jungle, but the African wild dog may be a better hunter. Both lions and African wild dogs are pack animals and have females lead their hunts, but they have different hunting styles. Although lions are very fast, they do not have much stamina. They attack in short, ferocious bursts because they get tired quickly. On the other hand, African wild dogs are not very fast, but they have incredible stamina. They can run for hours and often chase their prey to exhaustion. Dr. George Schaller studied African wild dogs in the Serengeti and found that 9 out of 10 of their hunts ended in kills, while lions are only successful in 3 out of 10 hunts. So you see, it’s not always good to be king.

I started working on my history project right after I came home. I spent over six hours building the Great Pyramid of Giza out of sugar cubes. It took a long time but it looked beautiful when I was done. I went to sleep around midnight feeling good about my work, but when I woke up the next morning, I was shocked to find that my sugar cube pyramid had been completely destroyed. Much of it was crushed and melted and there was a trail of sugar cubes leading out of my room. I followed the trail across the hallway and down the stairs, where it led to my dog. He was curled up in pain. I wanted to punish him for what he did, but he looked so sick from eating all of that glue and sugar. I figured that he had already received his punishment and would think twice about eating my homework again.

There’s a reason why dogs are called “man’s best friend.” The good friendship that we have with dogs is thousands of years old and, as with most good friendships, was formed by mutual benefit. Dogs are of great value to people because they use their keen senses to detect threats and alert their owners by barking. You may find your dog’s yapping to be quite annoying, but under some circumstances it can be quite helpful. But people are of great value to dogs too. Dogs who live with people usually have easier access to food and a safer place to stay than they would on their own, and that truly is what friends are for.