The Final Years

Waiting for Allies French were very slow getting to the colonies Colonists wondered if French were every going to actually come

Help Arrives! 1780 first French fleet arrived at Rhode Island They come with thousands of troops commanded by Comte de Rochambeau Joins with Washington near New York City and waited for second French fleet Instead of landing in the North, 2nd Fleet lands in the South at Yorktown

Washington marches for Yorktown Washington had previously sent Lafayette to stop Cornwallis Lafayette cornered Cornwallis in Yorktown Washington and Rochambeau rush South to meet the 2nd French Fleet Washington was able to sneak around New York without British knowing Not even the soldiers knew where they were going So it was Lafayette, Washington, Rochambeau, and 2nd French Fleet armies against Cornwallis

Trap in Yorktown Washington’s was a huge success 14,000 Patriot troops vs 8,000 British troops French fleet blockaded Yorktown British General Clinton sat helpless in New York Americans and French siege Yorktown

Victory British ran low on supplies due to the siege Washington’s aide, Alexander Hamilton, led a raid on British defenses Cornwallis knew the situation was hopeless October 19, 1781 Cornwallis surrenders

Independence Achieved Victory at Yorktown essentially ends the war British and Americans send delegates to Paris to write a treaty Americans send Ben Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay Treaty of Paris is ratified by Congress in April 1783 (final copy of treaty signed September 3, 1783)

Treaty of Paris British recognized the United States as an independent nation British promised to take all troops out of American territory British gave America fishing rights to the waters off the coast of Canada (to benefit the New England fishermen, where John Adams was from) United States promised that Americans would pay British merchants what they owed Congress would advise the new states to return property taken from Loyalists

A Conspiracy Against Congress There was a lot of time between the end of fighting and the signing of the peace treaty Washington refused to dissolve the army The army also felt they deserved pay for this time from Congress When payment did not come, officers plotted to overthrow Congress if they would not get paid This could have destroyed the new nation! Washington heard about this plan and made a speech asking the officers to be patient Congress does pay the soldiers and Washington saves the new nation from crumbling

Washington goes home November 1783 the last of the British troops left New York City Washington dissolves the army and the soldiers go home December 4, 1783 - Washington resigned his position Washington then went home to Mount Vernon, VA expecting to never have to get involved in government or military life again

The War is Over https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6\ikO6LMxF4