Saratoga and the Wars in the North Z
Fall (7 to 10.5 hours) | Registration opens 8/13/2026 12:00 AM EDT
The Battle of Saratoga, as it is known to history, was actually 10 battles, the culmination of a twenty-year succession of conflict involving British, French, Colonists and the indigenous Native communities. The gateways formed by the St. Lawrence River and Champlain Valley in the north and the Hudson in the south were the scene of vicious wilderness combat, fresh-water naval engagements, and countless acts of bravery and endurance that remain incredible centuries later. The final engagements in Fall 1777 changed the war, and the world. In America, one of Britain’s two armies surrendered. In Europe, the victory brought France into the war as a full American ally making its improbable victory possible and bankrupting France in the process.
This course tracks the two decades of conflict that led to Saratoga, the marches and battles, the political and military discord behind them and the heroism and folly that are part of every war. And we will learn how America’s first generation of soldiers were able to defeat the most professional army in the world.
This course will combine lecture with class discussions.
- No class on November 25th.
- There are no books required for this course.
Buck Beasom
Buck Beasom teaches courses for OLLI chapters across the country. He has a two-track career that includes four decades in data management andapplications development while he also taught courses in Business, Accounting and Economics. He also spent 5 years teaching History at the Middleand High School levels. He holds a BS in Management Science, with additional majors in History and Economics and an MBA in Accounting.