From the June 28, 2018, ListVerse "10 coincidences that helped shape US history" by Christopher Dale.
The United States came incredibly close to surviving just six weeks. (That would be after the Declaration of Independence was passed.)
In August 1776, General George Washington and the bulk of the Continental Army was defending present-day Brooklyn. In what became known as the Battle of Long Island, his forces were outnumbered, outflanked and outfought.
Even considered the lopsided British victories during these early stages of the war, this was an outright disaster.
On August 27, 970 Continental soldiers were dead or wounded and more than 1,000 taken prisoner. Meanwhile, the British lost just 63 men.
Washington had his back to the East River and at least 15,000 British troops closing in on him. Things looked bleaker than bleak. But, then Mother Nature came to the rescue.
The next day it pored, causing both armies to stop.
And, Then.... --Cooter
