Today, we see what happened in the fateful years of 1777 and 1778, years of great contrast in the war. In 1777, the British were trying to ambitiously destroy American forces. They had a major force in the north, and another further south that was to attack Philadelphia, the seat of the rebel Continental Congress. These moves would lead to a seismic shift in the war and led to the Great Powers of Europe becoming involved in it. We can even say that these years made the war.