 Complete the following phrase:  The British captured New York City and its strategic harbor in the summer of 1776, which they held for the duration of the war. The Continental Army captured a British army at the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777, and France then entered the war as an ally of the United States, transforming the war into a global conflict. The Royal Navy blockaded ports and captured other cities for brief periods, but they failed to destroy Washingtons forces. Britain also 