What were the strengths and weaknesses of the Americans and British during the Revolutionary War?

The British and American armies had different strengths and weaknesses going into the Revolutionary War.

The British had a superior army. Numbers, training and supplies were all on the British side, including a superior navy which could be used to blockade American ports, threaten American cities or move troops between the colonies frequently. In addition to regular army troops, many loyal colonists joined the ranks of the British, as well as the majority of Native Americans. Some slaves even joined to fight with the British, who promised them freedom as soon as they won the war.

But the British had several weaknesses as well. British army commanders were skilled, but had no idea how to fight in the frontier. Squabbling between generals competed with one another rather than working together. They also severely underestimated the colonial will to fight, resulting in several escapes and key victories for the Americans during crucial times. The great distance between Britain and America meant orders and support took 3-5 weeks to arrive, leading to ineffective management of the war.

The Americans had several great military leaders, most notably George Washington, who skill as a commander and magnetic personality helped save the revolution time and time again. Support from other nations, most importantly France, helped the Americans secure their independence. The fact that they were fighting on familiar ground also helped because they knew the geography and were able to use it to their advantage. There was also a sense of patriotism that many Americans felt that paid troops did not feel. The fact that they were fighting for a cause helped keep many soldiers in the fight that would have otherwise quit.

However, a crippling lack of supplies and money nearly ended the war several times. The American army was always wanting for something, be it food, gunpowder, blankets or medical supplies. At the beginning of the war there was also a lack of training among many of the soldiers, though this was later rectified.

What were the advantages and disadvantages of the British and Americans at the start of the Revolutionary War?

By the onset of hostilities in the Revolutionary War the American side had built-up a significant and well-established "shadow government" in many colonies through the creation of committees of safety which had gradually wrested control of civic institutions from colonial officials. In Massachusetts, for instance, effective British governance at the time of the battles of Lexington and Concord was essentially confined to the city of Boston and its environs. This helped the colonists temper the entrenched claim to governing legitimacy enjoyed by the British and provided "liberated territory" from which military forces could be marshaled and operations planned and executed.

However, the colonists lacked the political unity of Britain. While the British side enjoyed an established chain of command and single head of government, the Americans were an alliance of independent-minded colonies with only the most basic, overarching political structure to direct them, in the form of the Continental Congress. The British, additionally, had the benefit of a trained, disciplined, and well-equipped military and a better-educated officer corps.

Both sides were able to draw upon allies. The British recruited land forces to supplement their own from German states like Hesse, while the Americans called upon their allies France and Spain for naval support and the contribution of men and money. Both the British and Americans also recruited Native aid, the two sides splitting the loyalties of the Six Nations Confederacy.

Both the Americans and British had unique sets of advantages and disadvantages leading up to the American Revolution.  In terms of advantages, the British had many.  They had more of everything a nation would need in terms of supplies needed to wage war.  They had more weapons, gunpowder, uniforms, and the greatest navy in the world at the time.  Their soldiers were well trained and confident, and Great Britain's economy was powerful and able to finance all their needs including the payment of mercenaries.  Despite everything they had in their favor, the British did have some disadvantages.  Primarily, they were fighting a war thousands of miles from home, which provides many tactical issues as well as problems with communication.  Many of their officers did not play a role in the French and Indian War and were unprepared for the guerrilla style tactics that the Americans would employ in the conflict. Lastly, their soldiers didn't have the motivation to fight that their opponents held.  Of course, they didn't want to die, but they weren't fighting for themselves.

The Americans main disadvantage was a lack of everything the British held in abundance.  On several instances Americans were winning battles, but had to abandon the fight because they ran out of ammunition.  They lacked supplies, weapons, and the Continental Congress continually failed to provide General Washington with the necessities he was promised.  Their soldiers were not well trained and there was no real navy to speak of at the beginning of the war.  Despite these disadvantages, the Americans did have some great advantages.  They were fighting a defensive war, which is always favorable.  They understood the land and didn't have the logistical problem of a three thousand mile supply line.  While the Continental Army as a whole was untrained, many officers and soldiers did have experience in the French and Indian War, and the guerrilla battle tactics they learned there were invaluable in defeating the British.  Probably most important was the American will to win.  They were fighting for their lives, homes, families, businesses, faith, and ideas.  Winning wasn't just important, it was essential, and the Americans fought with the zeal of people protecting their existence.