Which of the following are reasons that the British may have decided Savannah was a good target for them to recapture (select two)?
A They thought they would find gold in Savannah
B They wanted to control the port to eliminate Patriot access to trade
C Loyalist support was stronger in Georgia than other colonies
D Savannah had become the capital of the 13 colonies
B They wanted to control the port to eliminate Patriot access to trade
C Loyalist support was stronger in Georgia than other colonies
The two reasons that the British may have decided Savannah was a good target for them to recapture are:
B. They wanted to control the port to eliminate Patriot access to trade.
C. Loyalist support was stronger in Georgia than other colonies.
To determine which of the given options are reasons that the British may have decided Savannah was a good target for them to recapture, we can analyze each option:
A) They thought they would find gold in Savannah: This option is unlikely because the British did not target Savannah with the intention of finding gold. The motivation behind the British military strategy in the American Revolutionary War was primarily political and strategic, rather than driven by the search for treasure.
B) They wanted to control the port to eliminate Patriot access to trade: This option is a plausible reason. Controlling the port at Savannah would allow the British to disrupt Patriot trade and supply lines, thus weakening their ability to sustain the war effort.
C) Loyalist support was stronger in Georgia than other colonies: This option is another plausible reason. Georgia had a significant number of Loyalists, colonists who remained loyal to the British Crown. Recapturing Savannah would provide a stronghold of loyal support and potentially encourage other Loyalists in the southern colonies to join the British cause.
D) Savannah had become the capital of the 13 colonies: This option is incorrect. Savannah was not the capital of the 13 colonies during the American Revolutionary War. Philadelphia served as the capital for much of the war.
Therefore, the correct answers are options B and C: the British may have targeted Savannah to control the port and disrupt Patriot trade, as well as to benefit from stronger Loyalist support in Georgia compared to other colonies.