Victory Section 4.4

Main Idea A strengthened Continental Army, along with European allies, helped achieve a victory at Yorktown.

War in West UK held many forts in the frontier along the Mississippi River. Virginia Governor Patrick Henry sent a group of militia through the backcountry to defeat the British in Illinois and Indiana.

War in the South The southern states had more loyalists, and the British thought that they could easily win the war there. The UK invades SC and begins to march north. Washington appointed Nathanael Greene as commander of the southern army. Greene had few troops, but he won or inflicted massive casualties on the British throughout SC and NC. The British were lead by Charles Cornwallis.

War in North Carolina In early 1781 UK and US forces met at Kings Mountain. In a reverse of Bunker Hill, the British were surrounded and had to surrender to the Americans. Cornwallis marched toward Virginia. Greene was waiting at Guilford Courthouse. In March of 1781, the battle began. Cornwallis would force Greene to retreat, but the victory cost Cornwallis many soldiers, he needed to get to the coast for reinforcements.

Guilford Courthouse

US Allies Continental Congress sent Ben Franklin to France to secure aid. The French nobleman Marquis de Lafayette volunteered and became the most trusted aid of Washington. French send gunpowder, cannon, muskets, but they refused to send men until the victory at Saratoga. The French recognized US sovereignty (independence) and sent troops to help the Revolution.

Marquis de Lafayette

Spanish Aide Spain became a US ally. Though the US and Spain never fought side by side, the Spanish weakened British forces in the west and the Caribbean.

Final Curtain Desperate for reinforcements, British Gen Cornwallis marches toward the Chesapeake Bay for a rendezvous with the British Navy. GW army pinned Cornwallis down on a peninsula near Yorktown, VA. French navy blockades their escape by sea. Cornwallis surrenders in Last major battle of Revolution!!!

Treaty of Paris Britain still had plenty of troops, but most in London were tired of war. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay were sent to negotiate peace with UK. Treaty of Paris, – US gets independence. – US gets all land east of Mississippi and south of present day Canada (except Florida) – Loyalists were not to be persecuted. – British debts were to be paid.

Treaty of Paris

So What? The details of the Treaty of Paris would be haggled over for another 30 years. US and Britain go back to war in US alliance very rocky at first, but states stick together. US the first of many colonies that would eventually successfully rebel against European empires.