Why do you think European nations supported the colonists rather than Great Britain?
1 Answer
Mainly because the other European nations like France and Spain were rivals and traditional enemies of England.
Explanation:
In the French and Indian War France had suffered major territorial losses. The British had humiliated France in that war. The French supported that colonists in order to get back at the British.
After the British defeat at Saratoga the French believed that the colonists actually had a chance of defeating the British or at least occupying the British army and navy for a significant period of time.
The calculations was that it was to France's advantage to support the colonist and discomfort the British.
The Spanish got involved in helping the colonists defeat England in hopes of some territorial gains. Spain waited until very late to take sides when the odds were that the colonists would win their independence.
Neither the French or Spanish governments were supportive of the ideals of democracy. Though some individuals favored the ideals of the American Revolution the governments supported the colonists for their own advantage and to disadvantage the British.
