History Question

Question

In 1777, the British began a plan to quickly defeat the rebellion in the American colonies which was symbolized by a snake cut into 13 parts. What was that plan, and how did the plan work out (victory or defeat for the British)?
A.

General Gage was to take his troops from the Battle of Bunker Hill, and then march south to New York. While marching, he often spoke about how the rebellion in the colonies were like a "vile snake" that needed to be killed before it grew too large. While it took a long time, the main goals were achieved and New England was completely conquered by the British.
B.

General Burgoyne was to march his troops from Quebec to Delaware, where he would meet another army led by General Cornwallis. Unfortunately for Burgoyne, Delaware had never been fully mapped and his army became lost and disappeared. Treasure hunters and historians are still seeking the remains of that army, but the proliferation of venomous snakes in Delaware make the search a slow process.
C.

General Burgoyne was to march troops from Canada to Saratoga, where he would be met by General Howe's troops from New York. Then the combined forces would march East to the coast and subdue all of New England from there. It was hoped that the defeat of New England would result in "the head being cut off the snake," and would thereby end the rebellion. Unfortunately, General Howe never showed up and Burgoyne's army was defeated by the colonists in October of 1777, thus ending the "fast battle plan."
D.

General Washington, having been paid too little to continue working for the weak American government, switched sides and joined the British Army as a Loyalist Officer. With his help, the colonies were nearly defeated until La Fayette defeated Washington's force of British and Hessian troops at Yorktown.

Answer 1

I choose "C"

 

Maybe this will help:

 

1777
British plan to isolate New England

 

John Burgoyne, poet, playwright and British general, submits an ill-fated plan to the British government to isolate New England from the other colonies on this day in 1777.

Burgoyne’s plan revolved around an invasion of 8,000 British troops from Canada, who would move southward through New York by way of Lake Champlain and the Mohawk River, taking the Americans by surprise. General Burgoyne believed he and his troops could then take control of the Hudson River and isolate New England from the other colonies, freeing British General William Howe to attack Philadelphia.

General Burgoyne’s plan went into effect during the summer of 1777 and was initially a success—the British captured Fort Ticonderoga on June 2, 1777. However, the early success failed to lead to victory, as Burgoyne overextended his supply chain, which stretched in a long, narrow strip from the northern tip of Lake Champlain south to the northern curve of the Hudson River at Fort Edward, New York. As Burgoyne’s army marched south, Patriot militia circled north, cutting the British supply line.

Burgoyne then suffered defeat in Bennington, Vermont, and bloody draws at Bemis Heights, New York. On October 17, 1777, a frustrated Burgoyne retreated 10 miles and surrendered his remaining 6,000 British forces to the Patriots at Saratoga. Upon hearing of the Patriot victory, France agreed to recognize the independence of the United States. It was, of course, France’s eventual support that enabled the Patriots’ ultimate victory.

The defeat at Saratoga led to General Burgoyne’s downfall. He returned to England, where he faced severe criticism and soon retired from active service.

 

Source: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-plan-to-isolate-new-england

 

As for the snake, the only symbol I can think of is Franklin's "Join or Die" cartoon, published in 1754: http://blog.constitutioncenter.org/2013/06/join-or-die-americas-first-political-cartoon/

 

I also recommend: http://www.nps.gov/sara/learn/historyculture/index.htm

 

Hope this helps!

 

Rich