Siege of

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Siege of Yorktown and Treaty of Paris
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Strategy

• The South became the focal point of the war in
  1778.
• At first, Lord Cornwallis planned to take the
  Carolinas.
• But he changed his mind and planned to conquer
  Virginia and cut off American supply routes to
  the South.

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Benedict Arnold

• The reason the British were able to be successful
  in Virginia was due in large part to Benedict
  Arnold.
• Arnold was an American general who joined the
  British because he felt he was not receiving
  enough credit for his American victories.
• Americans wanted Arnold for treason and there was
  a reward for his capture.
• However, he was never captured.

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Battle at Yorktown

• American troops under Lafayette staged raids and
  held Cornwallis in the South.
• Cornwallis made a mistake. Instead of sending
  part of his army to north he brought them to
  Yorktown Peninsula.
• Washington saw the opportunity to trap Cornwallis
  on the Peninsula.
• Also, a French fleet under Admiral de Grasse
  headed toward VA to cut off Cornwalliss supplies.

Why is this a problem?
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Battle of Yorktown
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The British Surrender

• By the end of September, American and French
  troops laid siege when an army surrounds and
  blockades an enemy position in an attempt to
  capture it - around Yorktown.
• Eventually, Cornwallis was forced to surrender.
• On October 17,1781, the British surrendered their
  weapons.

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The surrender at Yorktown
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The Peace Treaty

• In London, the defeat shocked the British.
• Peace talks began in Paris in 1782.
• Congress sent Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, John
  Jay, and Henry Laurens to talk.
• They set up the Treaty of Paris of 1783
• The British recognized the United States as an
  independent nation (extended from the Atlantic
  Ocean to the Mississippi River and from the Great
  Lakes down to Florida)
• Florida was returned to Spain.
• America agreed to ask state legislatures to pay
  Loyalists for their destroyed property (most
  refused).
• On April 15, 1783 Congress ratified the Treaty
  of Paris.

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Why the Americans Won

• Pair-Share with the person sitting next to you
  about why you think the Americans won.
• Write down some of your ideas.

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Why the Americans Won

• Geography
• The British had to send soldiers and supplies
  thousands of miles away from home, and Americans
  were familiar with the terrain , used tactics to
  their advantage- hit and run
• Foreign Help
• The Spanish attacked along the Gulf of Mexico,
  French money helped pay for supplies and brought
  warships , Netherlands gave them loans
• Growing Patriotism
• Spirits were high after battle of Saratoga
• Got more recruits from the battle of Trenton
• Britain was only fighting to keep the colonies
  for money
• Strong Leadership
• George Washington had good battle plans
• Baron Von Steubon made the Patriots an army by
  drilling them
• Daniel Morgan, Nathanial Greene, Francis Marion-
  South