How did the American victory in the Battle of Princeton change the momentum of the war?

George Washington and his Continental Army were facing
defeat in the Revolutionary War in December of 1776.  After losing Long Island and New
York City earlier in the year, he had been retreating through New Jersey.  By December,
the men in the Continental Army were cold, hungry, tired of the long retreat. They were
ready to go home when their enlistments were up at the end of December.  At this point,
Washington took a huge gamble.  On Christmas night he and his troops crossed the
Delaware River.  On the morning of December 26 he routed Hessian troops fighting for the
British at Trenton. Washington was victorious at this battle.  On January 3, 1777, he
met British troops at Princeton where he again was victorious.  He then wintered in
Morristown, New Jersey.  These two small victories raised the spirits of the Americans
and kept them fighting.  All the British had to show after nearly a year of fighting was
control of New York City.